Arizona Wineries Gain Ground

Revisiting Mary Manross

WINTER 2011

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Features:Arizona Wineries Gain Ground . . . . . . . . . . . .12Revisiting Mary Manross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Winners of the Great Places Photo Contest! 16

4 WINTER 2011

McCormick Ranch Lifestyle is published quarterly by eClaire Publishing, LLC, 7349 N. Via Paseo Del Sur, Suite 515-268 Scottsdale, AZ 85258. Phone 480 212-6203. Fax 480 699-2049. Not responsible for unsolicited materials. Not affiliated with the McCormick Ranch Property Owners Association, nor does the publisher endorse the advertisers included. This publication is sent to each household on the McCormick Ranch. If you do not live on the McCormick Ranch or would like a separate copy mailed to you, an annual subscription fee of $12 is requested.

In every Issue:Resident Recipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Four Legged Ranchers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Garden Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Local Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

LocaL BusIness HIgHLIgHts:Dennis Blair, State Farm Agent . . . . . . . . . . . 8Tuscany at McCormick Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . 21

12 21

16

on tHe cover:Spooktakular Event at Salt River FieldsSpecial thanks to candice grotsky for herhummingbird photo in the Fall issue .

McCormick Ranch Lifestyle 5

Letter from the

EditorDear reader,

As I sit here with a glass of wine making the final touches to this Winter issue, I reminisce about the wonderful day my husband and I spent touring wineries near Cottonwood . The air was fresh, the sun warm, the people were salt of the earth and the experience inspiring . Even though our hot dry summers make the idea of Arizona wine laughable, what you’ll find two hours from here is very surprising – and delicious.

In this photo with Deb Wahl, owner of Oak Creek Winery, I had the pleasure of learning not only about the tedious process of making wine, but the woman behind the wine . You can read all about this blossoming industry on page 14 . And I hope you’ll put a visit to the Verde Valley on your to-do list this coming year!

I really enjoyed the many photos we received for our Great Places Photo Contest . Take a look at our favorites on page 19 . As much as I love traveling, I always manage to meet someone who either once lived on McCormick Ranch or knew someone who lived here and considered it a ‘great place’ too . They are right . . . and for that I am grateful .

Best wishes to you and yours this holiday season,

Alexandra Duemer alexandra@mcrlife .com

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6 WINTER 2011

A Real View on Real Estate

Holy mackerel, only one bank-owned house is listed for sale in the MLS this morning in all of Mc-Cormick Ranch! That’s a good sign for McCormick Ranch homeowners because foreclosures (AKA, bank-owned homes, or REOs) have been the main culprit in driving down the value of your McCor-mick Ranch home .

This may be an anomaly, however, because this morning as I write this I see that over 40 homes, in-cluding condos and townhouses, are in the process of being foreclosed on in McCormick Ranch . Not all of those 40+ homes will end up being foreclosed on, but most will .

Foreclosures drive down your McCormick Ranch home price for a couple of reasons . The main reason is that foreclosures are forced sales, the owner didn’t choose to sell the home . In a normal market, a stream of homes hit the market because of natural changes to the homeowners’ lifestyle, for example, taking a job out of state, or having a new kid (want bigger home), or having all the kids move out (want smaller home), or retiring and wanting to cash out and start their retirement life somewhere else .

During the real estate bust people were still tak-ing new jobs out of state and kids were still being born, but in addition a lot of homes were hitting the market when the owner did not choose to sell . This additional stream of repossessed homes hitting the market caused a huge over-supply and McCor-mick Ranch home prices plummeted .

Foreclosures also drive down prices because price isn’t as important to banks as it is to individual home sellers . It seems getting a home sold quickly is more important to the banks . I imagine the bank employees in charge of getting the banks’ homes sold are expected to sell a certain (large) number of homes each month . I suspect that hitting their numbers is more important to their careers than getting the homes sold for market price .

That’s a huge difference compared to the normal McCormick Ranch home seller who wants to sell at the high end of market price and to get the most money possible out of the house .

by John Wake

McCormick Ranch Lifestyle 7

FYI, a certain percentage of home sellers don’t want to get the market price for their home, they want to get a crazy high price for their homes . This ties in neatly with another factoid, about one-third of the listings in the Phoenix area MLS in McCormick Ranch’s price range fail to sell the home .

If a bank doesn’t get its list price, it doesn’t decide like a homeowner might to continue living in the house and try to sell it again next year, or decide to rent it out for a few years and then try to sell it again . The bank is losing money every month it owns the home -- HOA fees, insurance, damages to the home, and so on . The bank will lower the price until it sells quickly even if the bank doesn’t exactly get market price .

I think you can see why I’m so psyched about seeing only one bank-owned home listed for sale in McCormick Ranch this morning . I hope it’s a trend because in the last 3 months bank-owned homes in McCormick Ranch sold for an average of $129 per square foot while normal sales went for $163 per square foot . Although to be fair, foreclosures are often in poor condition and are worth less on average .

Over all, I think home prices in McCormick Ranch may be bottoming out . At least the average sold price per square foot of normal sales (not bank-owned, not short sales) of single family homes has been more or less flat for a year, in the low $160s per square foot . Having only one bank-owned listing today (we had 5 in the Winter 2010 issue of McCormick Ranch Lifestyle maga-zine) makes me feel more confident that we are indeed bouncing along the price bottom for McCormick Ranch . Without a lot of foreclosures for sale, it would be hard for home prices in McCor-mick Ranch to fall much further .

I’m still concerned that the number of homes sold each month is below “normal” but perhaps all we need is a stronger economy to push home sales up into the normal range . Once we start seeing a normal level of homes sold each month, we’ll know that buyers are excited about that price level and prices won’t need to go any lower to clear the market .

Let’s run through the numbers . Listed for sale right now in McCormick Ranch I find 46 single family homes, of which 1 is bank-owned and 2 are short sales . Sold in McCormick Ranch in the last 3 months were 50 single family homes, of which 6 were bank-owned and 10 were short sales .

With 46 homes currently listed for sale in the MLS and 50 homes sold in the last three months, we have the equivalent of a 2 .7-month supply of single family homes listed for sale . That’s a tight supply! I consider a 4-month to 6-month supply to be normal and anything under 3 months is very tight . For reference, at the peak of the real estate boom in metro Phoenix in 2005 we had less than a 2-month supply of homes listed for sale .

You can follow the latest McCormick Ranch homes sales at John’s website McCormickRanchRealEstateHomes .com .

John Wake has lived in McCormick Ranch since 1998 and is an Associate Broker with HomeSmart Real Estate. John was born and raised in Phoenix, and lived in Florida, Washington D.C. and Paris before returning to Arizona to raise a family. His wife Liz is from Iowa and works at ASU. Their two sons, John and Chris, graduated from Saguaro High School and both are now in the Barrett Honors College at ASU studying Bio-Engineering. Peppy is their friendly female, 7 year old, 9 pound, red and white Papillion.

December 8, January 12, February 9, March 8

You’ve heard the slogan, “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there”. Well, Dennis Blair really is your neighbor, and he is here for you. “I’d always wanted to own my own business, and it’s been a good ride for me and my clients,” Blair, who graduated from ASU in 1974, says of being associated with the State Farm brand. He has been a State Farm agent since 1983, spend-ing the first two years of his State Farm career in the Phoenix area before garnering his own contract and moving to the McCormick Ranch area on the NE corner of 90th Street and Via Linda Lane, where his office remains today.

Blair credits his honesty and integrity to his long-time business success. “We take needs-based approach to business versus trying to sell our clients coverage they don’t need. We look out for our clients’ interests firsts,” he says, adding he can work with nearly any client’s budget and aims to spread each client’s dol-lar to meet as much coverage as possible to fit each client’s individual needs.

State Farm offers a laundry list of insurance cover-age needs, including auto, renters, home, personal life, as well as financial products including annuities. However, Blair considers Scottsdale relocation to be his specialty. This became his area of expertise because he recognized the constant influx of people relocating

to the area. And since about one in four people have State Farm car and/or home insur-ance, it’s likely that some of those existing State Farm clients are the exact ones who are moving to the Scottsdale area. He aims to make a new resident’s transition to the Valley as easy as possible by assisting with services like

car inspections and getting new car tags as well as simple services like offering a good referral for a roofer or electri-cian. Of course, a client does not have to be an existing State Farm client to take advantage of Blair’s relocation specialty services, but he notes that’s where much of his relocation busi-ness stems from.

Blair’s motto is to “under promise and over deliver,” and he notes he won’t under insure a product… even if that’s what the client wants. “I’ve had to turn business away for that reason, but I want to be able to sleep at night,” he says. That honest and direct approach to business has made Blair a very good neighbor and one that has become personal friends with many of his clients. And as such, referrals are in large part the key to the longevity of his success. He says, “Integrity and respect for your clients are everything in business. If you make people feel good about what they’ve done, they’ll talk about it. Treat them well and they’ll tell people. They’ll tell everyone they know.”

It seems that people have been talking a lot about Dennis Blair.

8 WINTER 2011

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If you’re fortunate, you can look around your holiday table and see several generations of your family . Of course, as you know, many types of cohesiveness are involved in knitting a family together . But one connection that frequently gets ignored, at least in terms of family dialogue, is the financial linkage between par-ents and their children on one hand, and these same parents and their parents on the other. So if you find yourself in this “sand-wich” group, it may be worth considering your financial position.

If your children are very young, you might want to start by emphasizing the importance of three separate concepts: saving, spending and sharing . If you give them an allowance, or if you pay them to do some minor tasks around the household, you can encourage them to put the money in three separate containers . The “spending” jar is for them to use as they choose, the “saving” jar is to be put in some type of savings or investment account and the “sharing” jar is to be used for contributions to charitable causes . You can extend the spending, saving and sharing themes by encouraging your kids to spend wisely, watch how their savings grow and feel pride in the work done by the charitable groups their dollars support .

Later, when your kids are older, and can earn money by babysitting, mowing lawns or working part-time, you can further encourage good financial habits by offering to match their contri-butions to a Roth IRA . And be sure to discuss the different types of investments available; they may enjoy learning about the ways in which they can participate in the financial markets.

Above all else, talk to them about the importance of develop-ing good financial skills and how these skills will play a part in your family’s overall well being .

Now, let’s turn to your parents. If they’re elderly, you may find that talking to them about financial issues may be considerably more challenging than talking about these issues with your chil-dren . It’s unfortunate, but true: People are sensitive about money and often don’t want to talk about it .

You may find that you need to be persistent, especially if your parents are getting on in years . Perhaps you encourage them to consider their current position, and what planning might need to be considered . Do they have accounts in a local bank? Where are their investments held? Do they have a financial advisor? Have they worked with legal professionals on any arrangements?

If your parents have expressed interest in leaving a legacy or passing assets to family members, you might consider encouraging them to seek assistance from the appropriate professionals . After all, if something were to happen to your parents without them having made the proper arrangements, their wishes may not be carried out .

So this Thanksgiving, as you think about the value of your family, you might take some time to consider issues that need to be addressed . . It may take time and diligence — but when it comes to your loved one’s wishes and well-being, it’s probably worth the effort .

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

McCormick Ranch Lifestyle 9

10 WINTER 2011

Four Legged

Rancherssparky is our 5 year old, loveable Long Hair Dachshund . He

has a heart of gold, but is a tad bit mischievous . He likes to hunt Geckos in the backyard at Villa La Playa .” - Lee & Char

“This is Jarvis – our “grand-dog” . He is a boxer who was

rescued by our daughter and now lives in Santa Fe,

New Mexico . But he visits often and enjoys the resort life

on McCormick Ranch where he takes long walks around the lakes and enjoys the camarade-

rie of the other dogs and pet owners he meets .” -Valerie P .

Send us a picture of your petPlease email editor@mcrlife.com

McCormick Ranch Lifestyle 11

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The elixir of the gods. In Vino Veritas...

Historical references and quotes about wine abound. It is believed that the art of fermenting grapes started 8,000 years ago in Ancient Rome. Although wine has been produced in Arizona since the 1700’s by the Spanish Missionaries, the modern state of Arizona wine is fairly new. You may have heard about the Southern vineyards in Willcox and So-noita, but the rapidly growing region of Cornville and Jerome is raising more than a few eyebrows.

The Verde Valley wine region is located less than two hours North off 89A. As Deb Wahl, owner of Oak Creek Winery explains, “We are on the same latitude as Paso Robles, CA and Leba-non, the originator of viticulture – great wine producing areas.” Established in 2003, this 10-acre family-owned winery produces 1,500 cases of wine each year. Previously a wine broker in Australia, Eu-rope and Argentina, Wahl fell in love with the land here. Her wine, which ranges from Chardonnay to Port, is a testament of love and experience. All of her wines are 14% alcohol or more because, “it intensifies the flavor of the fruit”.

There are now 45 licensed and bonded wineries in the state of Arizona com-prising a total of 700 acres. Arizona’s high desert produces a climate similar to Mendoza, Argentina. The hot daytime temperatures and cool nights are the perfect recipe for a happy grape. Most of Arizona’s vineyards can be found be-tween 4,200 and 5,200 feet. The Arizona growing season is rather short (May 1

– August 31), but predictable. The vine root systems love the volcanic soil in Verde Valley and there is a healthy marine layer on top of it (shells and fish skel-etons are often found) which provides additional nutrients. Since it is so dry, there is the added benefit of few bug or mold problems.

Nearby Yavapai College is proud to offer a new viticulture program. It is the first community college viticulture program in the state and one of only a handful in the country. For those looking to expand their knowledge about the wine making process, some classes are even available online.

The wineries are all very close to one another and tastings range in price from $5 to $10 per flight. Page Springs Cellars founded by Eric Glomski is very popular due in part to the notoriety gained from the film ‘Blood Into Wine’ with fellow vintner Maynard Keenan (lead singer of the rock band Tool) of Caduceus Winery. This exposure was a turning point for

Arizona wines and its audience. Glomski started Page Springs Cellars in 2003 and, combined with his vineyards in Willcox, is one of the largest wineries in the state, currently producing Syrah and Grenache. Gromski and Keenan have also joined forces under the label Arizona Strong-hold to produce excellent wines served in local-centric restaurants like FnB in Old Town or Quiessence at The Farm on South Mountain.

As one patron said, “Wine is meant to enjoy, share and enhance a meal. There is no guilt associated with drinking wine. Be-ing able to visit the vineyard is fun because it’s a journey... and you can talk with the winemakers about their experience.”

Arizona wines, though still young, have already received many praises in the indus-tries holy grail of Wine Spectator magazine. Dana, Tasting room manager for Pillsbury Wine in Cottonwood says, “The people making wine here are passionate and eccen-tric and the end product is extremely high quality and very low acid.” She adds, “We’re selling out of everything because of limited quantity. Sometimes when people come in to taste a wine and ask what vintage it is, I have to chuckle because instead of 2010, it’s Tuesday.”

For the wine enthusiast, Wine Clubs are available at each winery, though some have waiting lists. Bottles can be pur-chased at various winebars and retailers in the Phoenix area also. Before you balk at the price tag, remember that these are very small productions, made locally – by people who care and don’t take shortcuts. These are the beginning stages of soon-to-be world-class wines. Cheers to the rising industry of Arizona wine!

Arizona

Gain Ground

Award Winning

ArizonaWines

& Recommendations:Arizona Stronghold Nachise

(Rhone blend)

Oak Creek Winery Zinfandel

Pillsbury Wine Diva (Petit Syrah)

Callaghan Lisa’s (Chardonnay)

Rancho Rossa Cabernet Sauvignon

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Many important figures have lived on McCormick Ranch dur-ing its 40 year existence. Recently, I had the chance to visit with resident, and former Scottsdale Mayor, Mary Manross to see what she had been up to these past two years. She continues to work hard to make a difference in Scottsdale.

“I decided, as I left office, that I could use a break from the 70 to 80 hour work weeks. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to re-orient my focus and spend more time with my family,” says Manross. Beaming about the news of her third grandbaby due this coming spring, she was equally moved by the very recent passing of her father, just a week shy of his 95th birthday. “He was such an incredible man and I am so grateful to have had the extra time to be with him more these past few years.”

She is quick to add that she doesn’t believe in retirement, just vacation. And if you know anything about Mary, then you know that she doesn’t sit on her laurels for long. Still into regular exer-cizing and running, this mother of four has been very active in the community since 1973 and member of the City Council and Mayor for close to 17 years. Manross reiterated that “it took a little time to learn to relax and reorganize after leaving office in 2009, but it’s a lot of fun to have more flexibility in my schedule to do new things.”

Mary is currently involved with three organizations as a mem-ber of their boards. She works with Partners For Paiute, a non-proft organization to support on-going development, services, and programs at the Paiute Neighborhood Center, which serves one of Scottsdale’s most historic and culturally diverse neighbor-hoods. As Chairman of the Scottsdale Unified School District Foundation (SUSDF) , she focusses on supporting innovative educational programs in the classroom and advancing the Na-tional Board Certification program for teachers. “All our efforts are directed at helping this district go from good to great in the

quality of education it offers our community. As Mayor, I was acutely aware of the close relationship between the quality of education offered and the economic health and vibrancy of the city.” Manross also serves on the Scottsdale Leadership Advisory Board and is quick to point out that it is one of the best leader-ship organizations in the nation. Recently, the former Mayor was invited to join the Advisory Board of a Scottsdale drug discovery and development company, Avolix Pharmaceuticals.

She also was honored, this fall, as an Arizona Culturekeeper for Preservation. Manross shared that it was quite an honor to be rec-ognized, along with so many wonderful individuals from around the state.

Q&AWhat do you miss most about your days as Mayor?The ability to work with so many wonderful, dedicated people

at the City and being fully engaged in the public policy arena where one can make a real difference and be constantly challenged. But, I don’t feel compelled to read the papers by 5:30 am everyday!

What would you do if you were still Mayor?I would be concentrating on the fiscal health of the community

and greater emphasis on economic development in the older areas of the city. Those commercial and residential neighborhoods re-quire additional attention and support. Also, we must continue to push ahead to complete our Preserve vision. It never has been easy and will be challenging in the future. However, when we look back someday, I think that we will consider it one of our community’s greatest accomplishments.

What motto do you live by?Actually two - If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall

for anything. Real success in life is measured in terms of human relationships.

14 WINTER 2011

Revisiting Mary Manross

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Honorable mentionKip Hammond

“The USS Arizona Memorial is part of the recently dedicated WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument. The USS Arizona Me-

morial is built over the remains of the sunken battleship USS Arizona, the final resting place for many of the 1,177 crewmen killed on De-cember 7, 1941 when their ship was bombed

by Japanese Naval Forces. This loss of life represents over half of the Americans killed during the worst naval disaster in American history. The National Monument is located

about 2 miles west of the Honolulu Airport in Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu. The USS Arizona Memorial is managed by the National

Park Service (NPS) and consists of a shore side visitor center, where the tours begin, and

the Memorial, located in Pearl Harbor.” 16 WINTER 2011

2nd place winnerKip Hammond

“If you’re considering a vacation in Maine, Bar Har-bor should top your list of destinations, as it is truly one of the best places to visit in Maine and New Eng-land. Not exactly a well-guarded secret, but not over-run with tourism either. The harbor is a fishing port with small boats and beautiful landscaping. And of course one of its many attractions is its close proximity to Acadia National Park with over 50 square miles of highly varied, beautiful terrain, hiking, and views.”Winners

Great PlacesPhoto Contest

1st place winner Susan Brannon

“When our family visited Tanzania, Africa, on a church mis-sion trip this summer, we met this beautiful woman. She totally exemplifies the gratitude shown by the Tanzanian families to us and our church for bringing education, proper nutrition, and clean drinking water to her village.”

Thank you for all of your submissions!

McCormick Ranch Lifestyle 17

Although this is a topic we cover frequently, I thought a few points were worth repeating as the weather gets nice and the holidays approach:• Keep doors and windows closed and locked when you are not

home and while you are sleeping. • Always keep your garage door closed. Property crimes are

known as crimes of opportunity. Over 50% of burglaries in the city are unforced, meaning a door or window was left open or unlocked. Make it more difficult for the bad guy to choose you for a victim.

• Please lock all gates providing access to your yard. • When out in the community walking/running/exercising be

aware of your surroundings. There is strength in numbers, so try not to go alone and carry a cell phone. Know where you are at all times.

• When out at night chose well lit locations with the most public activity. Avoid shortcuts through alleys, remote areas or dark parking lots.

• Park under a light in parking lots and ask for an escort if you don’t feel safe.

• Report all suspicious activity to the police by calling 480-312-5000. For emergencies always dial 911. Trust your instinct; if it doesn’t feel right it probably isn’t.

• If you leave town for the holidays: • Utilize the Police Department’s “Vacation Watch” program by

calling 480-312-5000 • Have someone watch over your residence while you are gone

to include picking up mail and door hangers. Suspend your newspaper delivery.

• Let trusted neighbors know you are going to be out of town and to report any suspicious activity around your home.

• Leave lights and televisions and/or radios on timers to give the impression you are home.

• Start a Neighborhood Watch group on your street. Call the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator at 480-312-2342. Even if you don’t have an active NW group, take care of your neigh-bors by removing flyers from vacant houses and reporting activity that is “out of the norm” for your neighborhood.

• Call the Crime Prevention Officer in your area for a FREE home security survey Officer Kory Sneed (McDonald to Cac-tus) 480-312-5696

Provided by the Scottsdale Police Department

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18 WINTER 2011

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With tongue in cheek, Michael Wolkis, owner of the DVD Transfer Station, says, “There is more unseen video tape and movie film then there is crude oil within the earth.” And that’s what prompted a shift in his busi-ness from shooting and editing video for the past 25 years to converting, duplicating and transferring all formats of outdated analog media to 21st century digital media, such as DVDs for video and CDs for audio.

“You name it, we can transfer it,” says Wolkis. From ordinary VHS video tape, to every crazy camcorder formats such as VHS-C, Hi-8, Digital 8 and Mini DV and Beta Max. And let’s not forget the forerunner to video tape – motion picture movie film. Including Regular and Super 8mm sound and silent, as well as 16mm film with both optical and magnetic sound. In the audio department, the possibilities are even broader because sound recording has been around so much longer than film and video. Vinyl records (all speeds 33 1/3, 45 and 78 RPMs), audio cassettes, even your favorite 8-Track tapes can all be converted to CD.

Perhaps buried away in a dark, secret place is a shoe box full of memories decaying away on film and/or tape. You’d like to transfer to DVD, but because you don’t know what you have, you hesitate.

A free tape and viewing station is available in the store for you to sit at your leisure and go through all of your film and tape before

deciding exactly what you want to transfer. All analog to digital media transfers must be done in “real time”. For example, a two-hour VHS video tape will take two plus hours to trans-fer. Before quoting a price for your transfer project, all tapes are timed out to calculate the total number of minutes, and the total number of DVDs the project will require. This is a no cost, no obligation service.

The big membership warehouse stores and the national drug store chains outsource their transfer service. Rest assured that all the work at DVD Transfer Station is done in house by Wolkis. And because materials never leave the building, your precious memories won't run the risk of being lost or take up to 14 weeks to complete. Take advantage of this wonderful service to make a touching holiday gift for one of your loved ones!

DVD Transfer Station is located at 8880 East Via Linda, on the Northwest corner of 90th Street and Via Linda, in the Fry's Mar-ket Place shopping center. Open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm and Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm. Call (480) 607-7788 or visit www.dvdtransferstation.net for more information.

Old Memories Become New Again

FITNESSEXPERIENCE

Fully Appointed 14,000 Sq. Ft. Fitness Center

Must be 18 years old, first-time local visitor only, ID required, must be full-time resident

$10FOR 6 WEEKS!

Exp. 12/30/2011

10155 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale

(480) 451-7650 FitnessExperienceClubs.com

Group Fitness Spinning Classes Personal Training

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$24 to Enroll / $24 mo.

6 Weeks for $10

SCOTTSDALE RANCH’S FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD FITNESS CENTER

The new Salt River Fields at Talking Stick at Indian Bend Road and Loop 101 is bringing crowds of new sports and entertainment fans to the area. De Rito Partners Development Inc., has worked diligently over two short years since the purchase, in an economic downturn, to re-fresh the center and bring more options to The Pavilions at Talking Stick shopping center’s growing customer base.

Part of the success can be attributed to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s recent vote to approve on-site consumption of liquor in res-taurants, including the recently opened Chipotle Mexican Grill and UltraLuxe Cinema.

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar, will be the first ground-up restaurant built in the former north lake area adjacent to Indian Bend Road, just west of Petco. There are currently more than 750 Buffalo Wild Wings locations across 45 states. The restaurant’s menu features a variety of boldly flavored, made-to-or-der menu items including its namesake, Buffalo, New York-style chicken wings. The restaurant will break ground in January 2012.

Hobby Lobby opened October 24th, 2011 and will be the ninth location in the Phoenix metro area. The Oklahoma City, Okla.-based company has 475 stores in 40 states. The craft superstore will occupy a 55,000 square foot por-tion of the former Mervyn’s space at the Pavilions. The store will offer crafting supplies, home décor and gift ideas.

Mountainside Fitness Centers is the largest locally owned health club, with eight locations in Arizona and three in Colorado. The Pavilions facility will be located on the south side of Indian Bend Road, occupying 35,000 square feet in the former Circuit City Building. Opening near Guitar Center on December 10, 2011.

Since January 2008, De Rito Partners Development, Inc., has invested $16 million in renovations and tenant improvements to revitalize the shopping center, including a new food court area, landscaping, pedestrian improvements, additional parking, infrastructure and the new 11-plex UltraStar Cinemas. New permanent leases to the center since January 2008 include Buffalo Wild Wings, Mountain-side Fitness*, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Verizon Wireless, Filiberto’s, Yogurtini, TONI & GUY Hairdressing Academy, Goodwill Indus-tries*, CarLife, Barro’s Pizza*, UltraStar Cinemas*, Owl Ear Smoke Shop, and Sprint Wireless.

Target* renewed its lease through 2030 and will has completed an expansion that now includes its new P-Fresh grocery concept. Lease renewals include Mc Donald’s, Pavilions Auto Wash, Home Depot, Ross Dress for Less, Shell Oil, Lamps Plus, Toys R Us, Discount Tire, 5 & Diner, BedMart, Sally Beauty Supply, Sew From the Heart, Taco Bell, EyeMasters, Radio Shack, Sports Authority, GameStop, ULTA Cosmetics, Famous Footwear, Men’s Wear-house, Bath & Body Works, Pavilions Barber Shop, Petco, Payless Shoes, Hi Health and World of Rugs.

20 WINTER 2011

After the brutal summer we endured cooler temperatures are welcome, but as you know from last winter, we can get freezes here in the valley and it is best to be prepared.

This is the time to purchase some frost cloth, sold at most local nurseries. You may have seen local hotels covering their displays of bedding plants with large swathes of white material, this is frost cloth. It is a lightweight material designed to protect plants from a light frost or freeze. It can be draped over an-nuals, vegetables and frost sensitive plants when the night time temperatures are forecasted to drop to the lower 30’s (or even lower).

When using this material, remember that cold sinks, so the edges of the frost cloth must be weight-ed down to prevent the cold from creeping in under the edges of the cloth. It is also best to try to keep the cloth from touching too much of the plant it is protecting, as where the cloth actually touches the plant can be a freeze point. This can be prevented by draping the frost cloth over some sticks or bent metal coat hangers to provide a tent-like structure.

The frost cloth can be left in place for a few days as it will allow enough light to pass through for plant growth, as well as any rain that may fall. Frost cloth can be kept for several years if gently washed, dried and stored properly. It should not be used for shade protection in the summer, as it is designed to trap heat in not keep heat out.

For more information on this and any other gar-dening issues, contact the Master Gardener website - www.maricopamastergardener.org

WINTER

GardenNotes by Carol Stuttard

The Pavilions

at Talking Stick

UpdaTe on

PHOTO BY G. REID HELMS

Tuscany at McCormick Ranch may be one of the area’s best-kept secrets when it comes to exceptional luxury independent living. But not for long.

Opened in 2003, Tuscany is an intimate, full-service rental retirement community that offers its residents some of the finer things in life. According to the property’s executive director, Diana Chambers, the building was originally built to be luxury condos. As such, Tuscany offers an astounding 20 upgraded floor plan choices among its 73 units, which includes 57 apartments and 16 villas. “Each home is unique in its own way,” says Chambers. One-, two- and three-year lease options are offered, and Chambers notes that there are currently about 78 residents living at Tuscany, many of which are couples.

Also unique is the family environment that is nurtured at Tus-cany. Due to its intimate size and 24/7 home health care options on-site, the staff is able to foster real relationships with -- and truly become friends with and even surrogate family to -- the residents. Continuing to encourage a strong bond with loved ones off-site, Tuscany offers many opportunities for family members to visit.

Residents are given many options when it comes to luxury offer-ings such as a pool/spa, fitness center, nail and hair salon, concierge, transportation off-site and back, wall-to-wall home maintenance, myr-iad activities to nourish mind, body and soul, and a fine-dining restaurant experience that offers an entirely homemade menu (with highlights like fresh

fish daily and juicy steaks) and a chef that takes personal requests to heart.

Awarding-winning Executive Chef Michael Schwalbe, a Culi-nary Institute of America graduate who has been serving up gour-met meals at Tuscany for 6 1/2 years, isn’t the shy type. He makes a point to peruse the dining room, chatting up diners and even tweaking dishes and making special requests to make residents smile… even before they’ve had a bite of his food.

The nourishment at Tuscany doesn’t end at mealtime. Activity Director Suzy Rhoads maintains an active monthly calendar for residents, and offers residents with five varied daily activities de-signed to stimulate their minds, bodies, and souls through physical activity, education, nutrition, socialization and security. Chambers notes, “Our residents -- even the 90-year-olds -- are active, upright and alert...” She feels this is a result of the activities they are pre-sented with on a daily basis: “Many of our residents actually get better after they move here.”

But the fun isn’t limited to on-site activities. Rhoads also coordi-nates off-site adventures, often by suggestion of residents. By way

of the community’s 12-pas-senger van, residents can enjoy a number of off-site activities such as lunch at a local restaurant, strolling through an art walk or taking in an air show.

Whether on-site or off, the staff at Tuscany is dedi-cated to offering its residents a truly exceptional luxury living experience with the love and attention that fam-ily members would bestow upon their beloved.

McCormick Ranch Lifestyle 21

Tuscany at McCormick

Ranch480 661-1212 / TuscanyAZ.com

In Your Own

BackyardLoCAL EvENTS

By Jeanne Alspaugh

During these tough economic times it can be hard to find things to do with your family and friends that are inexpensive and sometimes even FREE. This column focuses on those opportunities. Sometimes those options are closer than you think, all you have to do is look in your own backyard.

Facility FocusA new addition to my column, this is

where you will find a specific focus on a facility or program that is within the City of Scottsdale.

Granite Reef Senior Center With the return of our winter visitors,

I believe putting focus on our spectacular Granite Reef Senior Center would be ap-propriate.

Granite Reef Senior center is located in Southern Scottsdale.

1700 North Granite Reef Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85257The hours of operation are:Monday- Friday: 8:00am – 9:00pmSaturday: 8:00am-5:00pmScottsdale Senior Services provides an

integrated system of services, resources and opportunities to help people improve their lives, neighborhoods and community through recreation, social services and health and wellness services.

ArtBridge Thursdays (Every Thursday Night)

From December-May, 20126:00pm-10:00pmFeaturing painters, sculptors, illustra-

tors, wood carvers, metal smiths, weavers, and other 2D/3D artists. Live Music and artistic demonstrations.

Location: Southbridge on the Canal7135 E. Camelback Rd

Scottsdale, AZ 85251Check out the website for more infor-

mation on artists and performers.www.artisanmarketsaz.com

McDonalds Rock ‘n’ Roll Classic Car Show

Every Saturday nightFrom 4:00pm-8:00pmThe longest consistently run car show!

This “Rock ‘n’ Roll McDonald’s” in Scottsdale is the perfect destination to see classic cars and motorcycles in a free open air event complete with 50’s era music provided by “Party Time DJ’s. An average night showcases anywhere from 250 to 500 cars and up to 150 motorcycles.

Location:The Pavilions at Talking Stick 8800-9199 E. Indian Bend RoadScottsdale, AZ 85250

SouthBridge SunDaysFrom: Every Sunday from January-May,

20129:00am-3:00pmArtisan Foods, arts and crafts, live art

performances, with live music on the patio of the adjacent restaurant, The Herb Box, Southbridge SunDays will quickly become the place to be.

Location:Southbridge on the Canal7135 E. Camelback RdScottsdale, AZ 85251

Holiday Events: Holiday Harmony

December 4th, 20113:30pm-6: 30pmCome celebrate the holidays at the city’s

annual holiday “tree lighting” event, “Snow and Glow,”! This is a free, family-friendly festival featuring live performances, interac-tive booths, and fun for all. The fun will in-

clude a visit from Santa, music, and SNOW, so bring your coats & mittens! The event is capped off by the Mayor’s tree-lighting, at 6:15pm.

This event is an annual tradition in Scottsdale and a great kickoff for the holi-day season!

Location:Scottsdale Mall3939 N. Drinkwater Boulevard.Ongoing Holiday For more information call (480) 312-

0217 or email dmiller@scottsdaleaz.gov.

Holiday Lights at the McCormick-Still-man Railroad Park

December 9 – 30, 2011 (excluding De-cember 24 & 25), 6:30p.m. – 9:00p.m.

All Aboard Arizona’s most unique holi-day event! Take a train ride through many festive holiday lights and displays turning the Railroad Park into a winter wonder-land. Opening night festivities will include a tree lighting ceremony, entertainment and a visit from Santa. Santa will be at the park through December 23rd. Train and carousel rides are $2.00 each, with children under three riding for free with a paying adult.

Charity Event:Empty Bowls

December 1st, 2011Noon-6:00pmEnjoy a meal and help fight hunger in

our community. When you buy a bowl of pasta, all proceeds will benefit Scottsdale’s Vista del Camino food bank. A minimum donation of $10 buys a dish of pasta served in a delightful ceramic bowl hand-crafted by local school children.

Location:Scottsdale Community College cafeteria 9000 E. Chaparral Road.

22 WINTER 2011

McCormick Ranch Lifestyle 23

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8125 E APPALOOSA TRL4bd/2.5ba, 3100 sqft

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8332 E SAN RAMON DR4bd/3ba, 2500 sqft

8376 N VIA MIA ST4bd/3ba, 2714 sqft

8018 E VIA CAMPO3bd/2ba, 2632 sqft – Short Sale

9004 N 82ND ST4bd/2ba, 2784 sqft – Short Sale

8353 E VIA DE DORADO4bd/2ba, 2402 sqft – Owner/Agent

8506 E VIA DE SERENO4bd/2ba, 2529 sqft

8526 N 85TH ST3bd/2ba, 1902 sqft

7841 E VIA DE LA ENTRADA3bd/2.5ba, 2480 sqft

8413 E MUSTANG TRL3bd/2.5ba, 2437 sqft

8531 E VIA DE LOS LIBROS4bd/2ba, 2108 sqft – Short Sale

8368 E VIA DE BELLEZA4bd/2ba, 1984 sqft

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8473 E SAN DANIEL DR3bd/2ba, 2310 sqft – Lender Owned

8334 E SAN SEBASTIAN DR4bd/3ba, 2405 sqft

McCormick_Ad_8.5x11_1111.indd 1 11/10/11 12:46 PM