Scottsdale AZ Real Estate & Lifestyle

Live Better in Scottsdale - eXp Realty

Joyce Tawes

Where to Shop in Scottsdale AZ: Rustic Stuff Home

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Rustic Stuff Home Accessories Scottsdale AZ When I am out shopping in Scottsdale, I often find myself driving by a store multiple times, taking a cursory look, but don’t take the time to  go in and see what they are offering.

That changed when I recently stopped in at Rustic Stuff home furnishings located at 15040 N. Northsight Boulevard in Scottsdale. I have out-of-state clients who just purchased a new home and they had asked me to investigate different stores that might have items of interest for them. So, I decided to take a look.

Entering Rustic Stuff was like entering a new and different world. This is one of the most tasteful, beautifully appointed stores I’ve seen.  Every display is artfully arranged to show off the items in their best light.  Rustic Stuff was opened 15 years ago by the owner Paul and has been delighting clients since then.

Paul features Bella Notte bed linens and accessories.  Since 1997, Bella Notte has been producing low environmental impact bedding and accessories made with soft fabrics and muted colors that are perfect for the bedroom. They have perfected the manufacturing of the fabrics from start to finish by farming and harvesting of the raw materials such as hemp and organic cotton and then using non-toxic dyes for the finishing touch. Bella Notte products are all manufactured and finished by artisans in the United States.

Of great interest was to discover that each year Paul converts his furniture showroom into a Christmas wonderland.  This year they are planning to have at least 43 different decorated Christmas trees on display.  They start receiving their Christmas stock in September and will start decorating the trees in October.  The display officially launches on November 1st.  And if you stop in the store and register now, you will receive a personal invitation to the Christmas Tree opening.

Many of their items have a “French” flair. I was very impressed with the iron antiquities used as bed headboards and settees. Eclectic yet tasteful is an excellent description of the items you will be seeing in this fabulous setting.

In addition to furniture items, they have lamps, clocks, and other intriguing accessories. They also have a fabulous and unique collection of candles and I was especially taken with the one called “Mahogany and Tobacco.”

If you are looking for unique and are tired of the same cookie-cutter design – don’t miss stopping in at Rustic Stuff.

More Information:
Rustic Stuff
15040 N. Northsight Blvd #102
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
480-596-0345
info@rusticstuffhome.com
Website: www.rusticstuffhome.com

 

New Friendly Golf Competition Coming this Summer to Forest Highlands Golf Club in Flagstaff

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Forest Highlands Golf Club in Flagstaff ArizonaOver the last two years at the Forest Highlands Golf Club in Flagstaff,  what started as impromptu Friday night golf event called the “Friday Night Skins Game” really increased in popularity. The setup of this game is teams of two players who play seven holes in an alternate shot format. It’s not unusual to see ten or twenty golfers (both men and women) on one of the putting surfaces of the Canyon golf course as they compete in this exciting and fun elimination game.

Friday night at Forest Highlands is also the weekly Happy Hour at the Canyon Clubhouse that has become so popular with families at Forest Highlands. On top of enjoying food and beverage specials and socializing with the other club members, one of the highlights of this event is to wait and see who the victors are from the “Skins Game.” For the most part, the only disinterested parties are the under-10 year old crowd,  who are typically too busy playing and tumbling on the grassy areas of the Canyon driving range in front of the clubhouse while their parents enjoy the Happy Hour on the porch.

Canyon Driving Range at Forest Highlands Golf Club in FlagstaffSince the “Skins Game” has become so popular, the Forest Highlands golf professionals decided to devise a new game for the members.  It is going to be called the “Gross Shootout” and it will take place on the Meadow golf course on select Saturdays. I am looking forward to learning more about and watching  this event. It, too, should be a lot of fun.

Click for more information about Forest Highlands Golf Club in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Forest Highlands Golf Courses in Flagstaff – Ready to Play?

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Elk on the Golf Course at Forest Highlands in Flagstaff AZDrew Annan, Forest Highlands’ golf course supervisor for many years, just sent out his annual report to the members on what to expect for Opening Day on April 29th,  2011. We typically have very rough playing areas for a time as the courses take a real beating during the winter months, especially the Canyon Course.

Forest Highlands’ Canyon Course is aptly named due to the huge canyon that runs through the middle of the course with holes 9, 18 and 17 nestled within. I’ve been to Forest Highlands during the winter when the creek and water hazards are frozen solid and piles of snow abound. When the warmer weather comes and the snow starts melting, there is always a transition time to get the fairways back into great shape.

A large project this year was improving the quality of the grass on the Canyon Driving Range. The sod was removed, the ground was leveled, and all new sod was put in place. It should be ready for activity by the second or third week in May.

Golfers will be excited to use the new practice area at Forest Highlands’ Meadow Course that was started last summer. Additional soil was brought in to increase the practice tee surface by 7,000 square feet – bringing it to a total of 27,500 square feet of practice tee area.

In addition, two 5,000 square foot greens were built out. The lower green is for putting only and the upper green is for chipping and bunker practice.  These greens will be open to members in mid-May and golfers will most likely experience slower ball speeds as they navigate the typical new green.

Drew also reports that our local osprey has nested in the tree overlooking the sixth and seventh fairways of the Meadow course. The osprey are always a treat to watch as they sit in the aerie looking down on us residents. He’s also found a nest of twelve mallard eggs on Hole 14 – a sure sign that Spring is here.

During the winter months, large fences are placed around the greens on the courses to discourage the elk and deer from walking over them and causing massive damage to the surface. The course maintenance crews removed the fences and have finished aerating the greens. It should only take a couple of weeks for them to smooth out. Members playing this opening weekend of the 29th of April will experience slower and somewhat bumpy conditions.

On another important front, Drew was able to secure Brook Trout and Brown Trout for the lakes on the Meadow course. Expect to see the fly fisherman out at dusk – a beautiful sight. Also, catfish are again the rule at the Sports Park pond for the young, aspiring fishermen.

It looks like Summer 2011 at Forest Highlands in Flagstaff is going to be a great season and we all owe a huge debt of gratitude to Drew Annan and his experienced crew that work so hard throughout the year to insure we get to enjoy the beautiful courses during the summer months.

Desert Mountain in Scottsdale AZ – Golf Lifestyle or Golf Factory?

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Desert Mountain Golf Course Scottsdale AZ I recently had an out-of-state client remark that he wasn’t sure he wanted to look at Desert Mountain Golf Club in North Scottsdale because he felt it was a “golf factory.”  Since I am a member of Desert Mountain and have been for almost 15 years, I admit to being somewhat surprised by the comment.

However, when I gave it some thought, I can see where that perception could come from as Desert Mountain is a very large community.  Someone who is a member of a smaller country club might consider it to be impersonal due to the vastness of the 8,000 acre complex.  However, when you are a part of that community, you find that you meet many wonderful people, have access to six fabulous Jack Nicklaus courses, and the Club management insures that everyone is offered a multitude of opportunities to meet other members and partake of activities that aren’t related to golf.

With that said, it’s probably a good time to talk about the new member “takeover” at Desert Mountain that has been in the works almost from day one of the opening over twenty years ago.  At that time, Lyle Anderson and his group had a vision of what Desert Mountain could become.  Built into the original documents, it was always planned that the members would one day buy out the developer and investors and own the entire entity.  That became reality in December of 2010.

Desert Mountain Scottsdale Sonoran ClubhouseThe numbers are astounding.  The final real estate transaction was $73.5 million for assets valued at almost a quarter of a billion dollars. The members raised close to $80 million dollars to facilitate the buyout to purchase all  of the assets including common property, six Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses, six clubhouses and their associated amenities and restaurants. In addition, the buy-out included all of the remaining real estate except for 37 lots retained by the developer, water rights, trademarks and logos.

Even though the real estate transaction was completed in 76 days, the planning took many years. Bob Jones, now the COO of Desert Mountain, was a leading force in management of the Club under the previous owners. The members and the Homeowners’ Association worked actively together for many years and developed an Advisory Board consisting of elected members to work consistently over the last few years. The goal was to insure the takeover by the members went smoothly and that the interests of all the members were protected. In addition, consultants were called in almost two years ago to evaluate many aspects of the purchase from a third-party perspective.

Desert Mountain now has 1,682 homes built in a community designed for 2,400 homes. Although many of the homes are still considered second homes to the residents, the trend is moving more and more toward full-time residents.

Originally, golf memberships were only available to residents and owners of lots at Desert Mountain. During the time the developers owned the property, the value of the golf deferred equity membership was on a sliding scale that topped out at $325,000.  Most of the memberships transferred with the sale of property and buyers incurred a transfer fee of $65,000.  Over the last few years, however, the Club has started to offer memberships for sale to those without property.

With the members taking over ownership of Desert Mountain, the golf memberships are now considered equity memberships and are priced at $140,000 for the full golf membership. Social memberships are still available for those not interested in a full golf membership.

Desert Mountain Scottsdale Tennis CourtsSo, would I call Desert Mountain big? Yes. Would I call it a factory?  Only if you consider a beautiful community that offers access to six outstanding golf courses a factory.

If you are interested in more detailed information about Scottsdale’s Desert Mountain, simply give me a call or email me.

Forest Highlands – Meadow & Canyon Golf Course Update for Opening Day 2011

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Canyon Golf Course Driving Range Flagstaff AZIt is just under a week until Opening Day at Forest Highlands in Flagstaff, Arizona– Here is an update on the what you can expect for the Canyon and Meadow Golf Courses

On April 29th, both the Canyon Golf Course and the Meadow Golf course at Forest Highlands Golf Club will open to its members.  As members return this year, they probably will not have high expectations that the courses will be pristine as Flagstaff has just come off a winter filled with record snowfall. With that said, one can still play a full 18 holes on either course.

The Canyon Golf course practice tee area won’t be available right away as new turf was put in place less than two weeks ago to insure a healthy, lush practice area during the summer. However, the large putting green will be open.

Everyone is excited to experience the new and enlarged practice area at the Meadow Golf course which was started last year.  No one is sure exactly how much dirt and earth was brought in to build out the area to accommodate the new chipping and sand practice areas – but it’s a sure thing it’s going to be a great addition to the practice facilities.

It looks like another great season of golf and socializing is on tap at Forest Highlands this year.

Giving Back in Scottsdale AZ – Charitable Events for Water Safety and Seniors

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City of Scottsdale AZ Charity OptionsAs a resident of Scottsdale, Arizona, I enjoy reading through the small, independent newspapers that I receive at my home.  I find that at the local level, I come across a lot of interesting articles and postings as to what’s going on around in our community. These newspapers are also a great way to find out about opportunities to participate in local charity events.

I just finished reading the April 20th edition of the Scottsdale Independent and was pleased to read about a number of activities that will benefit local residents and gives us a chance to do our civic duty.

Here are a couple of charitable Scottsdale events that are coming up that may be of interest:

Fifth Annual Walk for Water Safety – April 30, 2011 – Help Educate About Water Safety
On April 30th the Scottsdale Fire Department has partnered with Cardon Children’s Medical Center to sponsor their Fifth Annual Walk for Water Safety.  Beginning at 9 AM, they are looking for volunteers to walk specified neighborhoods and visit about 60,000 homes to distribute water safety information to the homeowners.  I support this program as it is always heartbreaking to hear about the number of children drowning each year, especially when we move into the warmer weather.  If you’d like to participate, call Lori Schmidt, Public Education Officer at 480-312-1817 or email her at lschmidt@scottsdaleaz.gov.

If you are simply interested in getting information about water safety – check out their website at:  www.scottsdaleaz.gov/fire/preventdrownings.

Beat the Heat Summer Program Benefitting Homebound Seniors – Donations Needed – Ongoing
With the hot weather on its way again, it is time to assist the Beat the Heat program for seniors. Each May and June, the Via Linda and Granite Reef senior centers make up gift bags of summer goods for our senior citizens who need a little assistance, whether they are homebound, frail or simply do not have a large support network to help out. Donations are always needed and a few of the items include reusable bags and water bottles, nutritional supplemental drinks (things like  Gatorade and Ensure), bottled water, small snack items, hats and grocery gift cards. Click here for a complete list of needed items.

You can drop donations off at the Via Linda Senior Center. You can also call 480-312-8455 for more information or email zmatz@scottsdaleaz.gov.

Other Scottsdale Volunteer Opportunities
If you would like other ideas on how you can positively impact your fellow Scottsdale citizens and volunteer your time or goods, visit the City of Scottsdale Human Services website.

Opening Day at Forest Highlands in Flagstaff Arizona is April 29, 2011

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Elk at Forest Highlands Golf Community Flagstaff AZ 86001What makes April 29th so special? It is Opening Day at Forest Highlands in Flagstaff, Arizona

Yes, that’s the big day for all the members of Forest Highlands who have waited for the first signs of spring and put a big red circle around the date on their calendar. It is now time to get out on the course for the first play of the year. Typically, if it’s been a harsh winter, the course will be a little “rough”, but that doesn’t stop the avid golfer from giving it a go.

Almost as excited as the golfers are our neighborhood elk. They’ve also been waiting for the snow to melt and for the new, young shoots of grass to appear. Needless to say, they aren’t as welcome as the golfers as they do manage to do a bit of damage to the course, but we all enjoy a good “elk show” in the early evening hours.

On April 29th, the two clubhouses start their seasonal hours of operation and offer breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner in addition to the special events. The Canyon Clubhouse will be offering dinner starting on the 29th, and the Meadows Clubhouse will follow with dinner hours starting May 25th.

Canyon Course at Forest Highlands Flagstaff ArizonaIn addition to the official opening day, Forest Highlands is having an Easter celebration. Easter Sunday, April 24th, will be a big day at the Canyon Clubhouse as the Chef and his staff have outdone themselves in preparing for the Easter Buffet. They are offering Lobster Bisque as a starting soup, followed by an enormous array of salads, an omelet station, waffle station, and a choice of entrees including Chicken Florentine, Grilled Salmon, Paella and Tender Lamb Stew. And we’re not through yet – we still have the carving stations for roast beef and glazed ham. And, let’s not forget the beautiful display of desserts. In addition, they will offer a completely different menu for the little folks in the crowd.

Mark Thomas, our Director of Food and Beverage, has again outdone himself on planning out a fabulous summer and fall season for the members. Kevin Willard, the Executive Sous Chef at the Canyon Dining Room returns for his sixth year at Forest Highlands. We consider him one of the family and have enjoyed his fabulous creations over the last few years. Benjamin Downs returns for his second season at Forest Highlands as the Sous Chef at the Meadows Dining Room. Both kitchens are under the supervision of Executive Chef Mike Klosinski who is returning for his second season at the club. This summer, Mike competed in a competition in Las Vegas and was awarded a Bronze medal for his pork cutlet creation by the American Culinary Foundation.

It is expected to be a great summer season at Forest Highlands for golfers, tennis players and folks just wanting to relax and spend time together. And, the Recreation Department has again outdone themselves on designing programs and sports camps for the younger generations.

Forest Highlands
Route 89A and Forest Highlands
Flagstaff, Arizona 86001

Search Forest Highlands Flagstaff Homes and Lots

Snow Delay at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale?

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Desert Mountain Snow Entrance Scottsdale AZWhen one thinks of Arizona, they think of sand, heat, and cactus.  All of that is accurate, except most people don’t realize that Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona,  is located within the Sonoran Desert.  The Sonoran Desert is a North American Desert that consists of 120,000 square miles and is in Arizona, California and the Mexican states of Sonora in Baja California and Baja California Sur.

Desert Mountain is located as far north in Scottsdale that one can travel and the altitude at the entry gate is close to 3,000 feet in altitude.  The highest point above Chiricahua Golf Clubhouse is well over 4,000 feet.

This is a good thing in that the temperatures at Desert Mountain are cooler by 8 to 10 degrees compared to downtown Scottsdale and Phoenix.  Residents of Desert Mountain live within a community that requires the residents to maintain and keep the indigenous plants of the Sonoran Desert around their homes. Walking one of the many trails and sidewalks within the community always provides a panoramic view of a myriad of cactus plants, wild flowers, and “critters” only found in the Sonoran Desert.

Once in a while, a storm comes through from the West or Southwest that brings unusually cold temperatures to Scottsdale. Those residing closer to downtown will have some ice and the occasional snow flake, but Desert Mountain will get covered with beautiful, pristine white snow.

My remembrances of snow at Desert Mountain include the delay of the senior golf tournament, The Tradition over ten years ago, and a wonderful blanketing of snow that lasted for two or three days in March of 2006. One of the biggest problems for the local authorities in 2006 was traffic control for the thousands of cars driving up from other parts of the Valley so people could see “real” snow.  Many of them, especially children, had never seen snow in their lives.

I’m sharing some photos taken this morning, February 27, 2011, of the entrance to Desert Mountain and a very telling photo of the first green of Renegade golf course.  Yes, there is a flagpole in place.  Can you find it?

Desert Mountain Golf Course Scottsdale AZ Snow Delay

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