February 5, 2012
A Day of Art and Sale…Senior Citizen Complimentary Athletic Pass
Sharing news of Cave Creek and Carefree, CCUSD:
News from Cave Creek Unified school district includes community news that you will enjoy!
2 Examples:
A Day of Art and Sale… 
A Day of Art and Sale will be held on Saturday, February 25th from 10AM to 2PM in the Fine Arts Center (33606 N. 60th Street, Scottsdale). Come and support CCUSD® Arts, Art Teachers and staff. Artists in the exhibit include, Robin Ray, Deborah Wales, Marcia Lang, Carolyn Telfer, Joye DeGoede, Luwin Lazo, Bev Felber, Lesa Pennington, David Gilkey, Patty Egan, Jim Donofrio and Linda Howell. The art sale will consist of paintings, ceramics, jewelry, hand-made bears, hand painted gourds, note cards, calendars and more. There will be fun activities for kids and music. Bad Donkey will be catering. A portion of the proceeds go to support the CCUSD® Artist in Residence Program and the F.A.C.E. Gallery. For information call 480-575-2071.
Senior Citizen Complimentary Athletic Pass…
Cactus Shadows High School is offering complimentary athletic passes to our senior citizens. This is open to community and family members or anyone who likes to support high school athletics. To obtain a pass and get free admission to home games for high school sports, contact Cactus Shadows at 480-575-2400 or the district office at 480-575-2000. To qualify for a complimentary pass, you only have to be 65 years young.
Homes and land in Cave Creek and Carefree: www.CarefreeProperty.com
Things to do in Cave Creek…Antique Appraisal Day
Jan. 19, 2012 08:57 AM
The Republic | azcentral.com
Scottsdale appraiser Sean Morton, who has more than 25 years of experience in the fine arts and antiques fields, will examine treasures, discuss their origins, and provide a verbal range of value.
A certified jeweler will be on hand to buy gold and silver. Cost: $20 per item, with a limit of two items per session. Guests may attend more than one session. Proceeds benefit the museum.
Information: 480-488-2764, or cavecreekmuseum.org.
Shortage of Good Homes in Arizona leads to Multiple Offers
East Valley Tribune updated 1/18/2012 9:16:30 AM ET
Real estate experts predict the Valley’s years-long housing glut is reaching its end and, as early as this spring, could stun home buyers by transforming into a shortage. The crunch is expected to be more pronounced in the East Valley, where some subdivisions are approaching build-out and other builders are raising prices.
The prediction may seem outlandish given how gloomy real estate news has been for years, said Mike Orr, director of the Arizona State University Center for Real Estate Theory and Practice. But a growing demand and shrinking supply has driven home prices up in recent months, he said.
Orr thinks that’s gone unnoticed to people who will enter the market this spring, in what is typically the peak time for sales activity. “They’re going to be surprised that it’s so hard to buy a house. They’ve been hearing for so long that there’s a glut of homes,” Orr said. “They’ll go out and find there’s not a lot to choose from and every time they bid, there’ll be three or four other offers.” The shrinking supply is a mirror image of what happened in 2006, when there was a lag before the public realized the number of new homes had ballooned into a problem, Orr said.
About 58,000 homes were on the market by late 2007. The long-term average is about 33,000 homes listed at any given time. Advertise | AdChoices That’s down to 25,000 now or 19,000 when accounting for homes that have deals pending, Orr said. The unusually short supply will continue to shrink.
“By the time we get to 2013, it’s quite likely that we’ll need a lot of new homes,” Orr said. A short supply should trigger price jumps for existing homes this year, said Jim Belfiore, president of Belfiore Real Estate Consulting. Prices went up 3.1 percent last year, but he argues they should have rose 20 percent in response to a 41 percent drop in real estate listings. He expects that 20 percent jump will happen in 2012, starting with a 6 percent to 11 percent rise by March.
Belfiore’s company surveys each of the Valley’s 400 active subdivisions on a regular basis to gauge prices and sales activity. Belfiore predicts shortages will grow as 2012 goes on because 34 percent — or 136 subdivisions — will be sold out in a year. Sales are especially strong in Queen Creek, where a jump in sales has allowed eight of 20 subdivisions to raise prices. “The East Valley is a top performer,” Belfiore said. “In Gilbert, there are 58 subdivisions that are active today. It might be the most active submarket in the southwestern United States. Builders are pining for new lots. There’s a land shortage in Gilbert. Chandler is the same deal.” The number of permits issued last year was a 40-year low, at about 7,000, Belfiore said. He expects that will grow to 10,400 this year, 15,800 in 2013 and 23,200 in 2014.
The construction should further boost the economy. Each new home creates 2.5 jobs for three months, Belfiore said. Belfiore expects a strong 2012 because of falling unemployment, exceptionally low prices and record low interest rates. The market could be especially strong if employment gains continue and banks relax their lending standards, he said. This year’s real estate market should be the best in five years, Orr said. It will take several years to resemble a normal market and any increases will be far short of what created the bubble, he said.
“I don’t think there will be the same speculation there was, but there might be a lot of people who do want to buy a house in the next two years, thinking, ‘If I don’t buy now, I might miss out,’” Orr said. The number of foreclosures and short sales remains high but will be less of a factor in the market as time goes on, said Bob Bemis, CEO of the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service.
Distressed homes are mostly the target of investors. Families tend to focus on new homes or traditional resales, he said. The market showed signs of returning to health last year, he said. Median sale prices rose 6.5 percent to $117,000, and average sale prices were up 3.5 percent, to $162,000.
He expects a burst of activity at some point in 2012. Bemis said he expects potential buyers could dismiss a real estate professional’s rose-tinted predictions, given how they are known for saying there’s never been a better time to property.
But he said skeptics should give weight to Orr, whose role at ASU divorces him from having any skin in the game. “We’re very close on agreement on where we’re headed,” Bemis said. “It’s just a matter of degree.”
Cave Creek is moving into the new year on an improved financial note, officials said.
The town had an 18 percent increase in sales-tax revenue from July through December 2011, compared with the same period in 2010.
Town Manager Usama Abujbarah said the opening of the new Walmart in town on Oct. 5 had a hand in the increase, but it wasn’t the only factor.
The retail sales taxes for every month of that period increased, he said.
But Abujbarah added, “Walmart’s substantial contribution was limited to the last two months only.”
During the second half of last year, the town received about $2 million compared with $1.7 million during that same period in 2010.
That included a roughly 75 percent increase in retail trade and a 28 percent increase in taxes collected by restaurants. The town also had modest gains in the construction and real-estate sectors.
With $1.1 million of debt service left on Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area, the town has budgeted the funds to pay off the cost of 2,154-acre preserve this fiscal year, which ends in June.
The Cave Creek Town Council’s next meeting will be 7 p.m., Tuesday at 37622 N. Cave Creek Road.
The council will vote on magistrate-services agreement for Lianne Sefcovic, who was appointed Dec. 19. The proposed agreement states the town will pay her $1,667 a month for a term ending June 30, 2013.
Homes and Land for sale in Cave Creek: www.CarefreeProperty.com
Things to Do in Carefree at The Boulders Resort
Outdoor Adventure
Endless adventure on your next vacation
Discover extreme outdoor adventure and all the desert has to offer during you next vacation at our chic resort in Carefree, Arizona – just outside Scottsdale.
The Sonoran Desert offers some of the most scenic and rugged terrain in the western United States and Desert Jeep Adventure offers a truly exceptional way to experience it. Make your way down desert washes and craggy roads as your expert driver regales you with the legends and lore of the desert. Experience trail life on the City Slickers Cattle Drive and ride in the midst of a mighty herd and alongside the trail boss and ranch hands.
Witness the terrain from an awe-inspiring perspective, on the Grand Canyon Air Tour. Or Soar 1,000 feet up, and on an exclusive Boulders Hot Air Balloon Flight. Delight in the wide selection of breathtaking excursions and outdoor entertainment.
- Desert Photo Tour held at sunrise and sunset, explores the most pristine and scenic areas of The Boulders. Learn about camera angles, photo composition and lighting during this 2-hour session led by accomplished Nature Photographer Linda Covey. Cost is $85 per person based on a two-person minimum.
- Desert Jeep Adventure, an informative and exhilarating guided tour of the Sonoran Desert in an open-air, four-wheel drive vehicle
- City Slickers Cattle Drive, featuring a true “Wild West” round-up, adjacent to the Aqua Fria River, reminiscent of the popular movie
- Grand Canyon Air Tour, an incredible journey over fabulous Arizona landscapes and the majestic expanses of the Grand Canyon
- Rock Climbing Clinics, available through Golden Door
- Hot Air Balloon Flight, an exclusive excursion offering breathtaking view of the Sonoran desert from 1,000 feet in the air
- Soaring Among the Clouds, tour the desert skies from a soaring glider plane to experience weightlessness
- Stargazing, observe the magnificent stars of the Arizona sky from The Boulders fairway with a professional Astronomer
- Trails on Horseback, experience the beautiful desert trails of the Tonto National Forest on horseback, through some of the most vibrant scenery in the United States
A truly memorable vacation spot
Embark on an unforgettable outdoor adventure at The Boulders, A Waldorf Astoria Resort where the ancient landscape offers endless opportunities for entertaining recreation. Book your hotel reservations online for Our Best Rates Guaranteed.
The Boulders Resort in Carefree Arizona
Things to Do in Carefree Fine Art and Wine Festival this weekend Friday-Sunday
Carefree is nestled in the high Sonoran Desert five minutes from the Scottsdale border. Massive piles of granite boulders, sharp mountains and an abundance of desert growth surround the area and provide scenes that attract visitors from around the world. Carefree also boasts the claim of the largest sundial in the western hemisphere. This wonderfully unique town provides the perfect backdrop for this superb gathering of fine art, great wine, live entertainment, gourmet food and much more.
~Steve Stento~
The streets of downtown Carefree are closed, making room for more than 160 artists and in excess of 5,000 original masterpieces of fine art. Artists’ works include small, medium and monumental life-sized bronze sculptures, metal, clay, wood, stone, glass and mixed media sculptures. There is an array of pottery, photography, hand crafted jewelry, batiks and select fine crafts. There is also spectacular oil and acrylic paintings on canvas, watercolors, pastel, charcoal, etchings and mixed media paintings. Subject matter ranges from Southwest and traditional to contemporary and abstract, including floral, wildlife, European, African and Native American art. The festival offers a wide variety of mediums, styles, sizes, subject matters and price range, to ensure there is something that will appeal to everyone who attends.
click here for google map & driving directions
The beautiful backdrop of Carefree, its many splendors and the fantastic art on hand isn’t all the Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival has to offer the thousands of people who attend each year. The festival holds the title of Arizona’s largest wine-tasting event, featuring first-class wines from Arizona, California, Australia, Germany, Austria, France and Italy. Ensuring the festival addresses each of the senses, delicious food is served by many of Carefree’s restaurants and outdoor cafes.
Live entertainment is a mainstay at all Thunderbird Artists’ events and this festival is no different. This year’s event features the Dolce VAS. After taking in all the sights and sounds of the festival, make sure and leave yourself time to discover Carefree’s assortment of unique shops, boutiques and galleries. Whether you are an art collector, an admirer of the arts or just looking for a wonderful experience, the Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival is guaranteed to leave you eagerly looking forward to the next one!
http://www.thunderbirdartists.com/carefree-fine-art-wine-festival-january/
Things to do in Carefree Cave Creek, Balloon Festival is January 20
Things to do in Carefree Cave Creek:
Adventurous guests can get a bird’s eye view of this third annual festival on a tethered balloon ride. Those who prefer their feet on solid ground can enjoy the glow of the illuminated hot air balloons, beer and wine gardens, food court and KMLE Country 108-sponsored concerts. There are also inflatable rides, obstacle courses, and bungee jumping activities for kids.
The balloons start inflating at 6 p.m. Make sure to have your camera out at 9 that night, when members of the Arizona Skyhawks Parachute Team perform a synchronized jump wearing glow-in-the-dark suits. Concert package and VIP tickets available.
http://cavecreekballoonfestival.com
Great places for Seafood in Cave Creek, Scottsdale, Phoenix
by Barbara Yost & Angelique Soenarie - Dec. 9, 2011 09:17 AM
The Arizona Republic
SCOTTSDALE
El Chorro
At this venerable dining destination, start with the ever-popular shrimp cocktail — fat shrimp in a spicy cocktail sauce ($20). Follow with trout almandine — flaky fish in lemon brown butter with almonds, served with fresh green beans ($25).
Details: 5550 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley. 480-948-5170, elchorro.com.
Mozart Café & Bakery
This kosher restaurant features Mediterranean foods. Try the North African salmon, an 8-ounce salmon filet poached in a spicy tomato sauce with olives, chickpeas and cilantro, served with couscous and steamed vegetables ($17.99).
Details: 7116 E. Mercer Lane, Scottsdale. 480-609-3879, mozartscottsdale.com.
Mastro’s Ocean Club
Try the filet of Arctic char Oreganata, a delicate fish in a light crust of seasoned breadcrumbs, baked with wine and clarified butter (a la carte, $37).
Details: 15045 N. Kierland Blvd., Scottsdale. 480-443-8555, mastrosrestaurants.com.
Cartwright’s Sonoran Ranch House
Think of pioneering Cave Creek settlers when you dine at this North Valley restaurant that pays homage to the town’s old-time ranchers. Select your seafood (salmon, scallops, halibut, shrimp or ahi tuna), then choose the preparation method: Asian, Mediterranean, European or Sonoran Desert style ($27-$29).
Details: 6710 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-8031, cartwrightssonoranranchhouse.com.
The Chart House
Reel in the macadamia-crusted mahi, a filet of mahi mahi in warm peanut sauce flavored with Frangelico, mango relish, a soy glaze drizzle and served with Asian green beans and coconut ginger rice ($37.99).
Details: 7255 McCormick Parkway, Scottsdale. 480-951-2550, chart-house.com.
PHOENIX
Noca
Reserve Wednesday nights for the juicy lobster roll — chunks of Maine lobster on a crusty roll with sides that vary from week to week. Price depends on preparation ($20-$30).
Details: 3118 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix. 602-956-6622, restaurantnoca.com.
Kincaid’s
A New Orleans classic is also a favorite at Kincaid’s. Oysters Rockefeller is a dish of oysters baked in the shell, served with spinach or other green vegetables (seven for $15).
Details: 2 S. Third St., Phoenix. 602-340-0000, kincaids. com.
McCormick & Schmick’s
If you’re used to StarKist in a can, it’s time to try the real thing. Peppercorn-crusted ahi tuna is a seared tuna steak served with roasted potatoes, olives and an heirloom-tomato salad ($23.90).
Details: 2575 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix. 602-468-1200. Also, 8777 N. Scottsdale Road. 480-998-2026, mccormickandschmicks.com.
Padre’s Modern Mexican Cuisine
It’s been among their most popular dishes since the restaurant opened: the lobster thermidor quesadilla, a flour tortilla hugging chunks of lobster bathed in a rich thermidor sauce, served with fresh mango mojo salsa ($16.95).
Details: 1044 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix. 602-277-1749, padresmexican.com.
Bluewater Grill
This Camelback Corridor restaurant makes seafood its specialty. Try a few classics with the Fisherman’s Combination Platter, a fresh catch of scallops, shrimp and beer-battered fish ($19.95).
Details: 1720 E. Camelback Road,Phoenix. 602-277-3474, bluewatergrill.com.
Things to do with Holiday Guests in Scottsdale and Carefree
by Sonja Haller The Arizona Republic
Treating your holiday guests right is an inside and outside job. The inside work ensures they have enough fresh towels, good food and other comforts of home.
Then there’s the outside job of taking them out, showing them a good time, and giving them something to talk about when they return home. A variety of tours are offered in the Northeast Valley that makes this part easy.
Here are few to choose from:
Carefree Desert Gardens
The high-desert town of Carefree recently opened a million-dollar desert garden. The town is always updating its list of desert garden seminars and tours, so check carefree.org. Self-guided tours are available anytime.
Desert Garden Tours
Guests can take a self-guided tour of the new 4-acre garden, featuring thousands of cactuses woven throughout the town center walkways, near the famous Carefree Sundial. Docent led tours will start in early 2012.
Carefree Desert Gardens are at 101 Easy St. The gardens are open until sundown daily. Details: 480-488-3686, carefree.org.
More Things to do with Holiday Guests:
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
SMoCA offers family and friends several chances to receive a guided tour.
The best part “is that people always have the option of scheduling a free group tour at SMoCA,” said Lesley Oliver, museum marketing manager. “That means that they could come on a Tuesday or a Wednesday — or any other day of the week during our regular hours. Just remember that they do have to schedule it a bit in advance.”
Regularly scheduled free tours
These tours offer people the flexibility of being a walk-in without a scheduled reservation. Current exhibits include:
“Kirsten Everberg: Looking for Edendale,” in which the Los Angeles artist uses iconic architectural landmarks to reveal the elusive line between fiction and reality. Continues through Jan. 8.
“People’s Biennial,” in which five sharply different American art institutions feature the work of “artists” otherwise not recognized as artists. Continues through Jan. 15.
In “Artists tell stories (mostly about themselves),” five artists reveal the same emotions and fears we recognize in ourselves. Continues through Jan. 2.
Time/Date: 1:30 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays.
Admission: Free on Thursdays, free with paid museum admission on Sundays.
Anytime free group tours
Group tours can be scheduled by calling 480-874-4641.
SMoCA is at 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale. Winter hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, noon to 8 p.m. Thursdays, noon to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. General admission is $7. Museum admission is free on Thursdays and from 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Note: SMoCA will be closing at 5 p.m. Dec. 24 and 31. The museum is closed on Mondays and major holidays.
More Things to do with Holiday Guests
Taliesin West Winter Tours
Night Lights
Viewing Frank Lloyd Wright’s desert masterpiece amid lights and the shadows of the McDowell Mountains is a dramatic visual feast. This night-light tour is only offered three evenings.
When: 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 27, 28 and 30.
Admission: $35 (reservations recommended).
Desert Walk
A 90-minute guided walk explores the Taliesin West desert trails. Guides provide an explanation about the native materials and landforms that Wright translated into design elements.
When: 11:15 a.m. daily through April.
Admission: $32.
Desert Shelter
Apprentices of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture introduce guests to the desert dwellings they build in this two-hour tour.
When: 1:15 p.m. Saturdays through April.
Admission: $40 (reservations recommended).
Taliesin West is at Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard and Cactus Road in Scottsdale. The campus bookstore/gift shop is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Details and reservations: www.franklloydwright.org or 480-627-5340.
Holiday Horse & Carriage Rides
Bundle up and pull your dear ones close with a horse and carriage ride or a stagecoach run around Old Town Scottsdale.
“The carriage drivers do a really nice job of pointing things out as they ride along, which is good for your holiday guests,” said Ace Bailey, who helped organize the holiday tours. “I’d recommend the Hotel Valley Ho Ho Ho tour. There’s free cocktail tastings and hot chocolate with the most wonderful homemade marshmallows.”
After-hours Valley Ho Ho Ho
Travel by horse-drawn carriage, stagecoach or wagon from Old Town Scottsdale to the Hotel Valley Ho, where you can enjoy a cocktail or hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows and live music on the Zuzu Patio from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
When: 5 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and Dec. 17.
Cost: $40 for each ride for up to six guests.
Details: ultimatearttours.com.
Old Town
A 25-minute stagecoach, carriage or wagon ride through Old Town and Hotel Valley Ho.
When: Noon through evenings Thursdays through Sundays.
Cost: $40 for each ride for up to six guests.
Downtown Holiday History
A 45-minute carriage or wagon ride from Main Street and Old Town to Hotel Valley Ho, Marshall Way north to Fifth Avenue, the Waterfront and Craftsman Court.
When: Noon through evenings on Thursdays through Sundays.
Cost: $60 for each ride for up to six guests.
Longer and children’s tours with Santa also are available. The tours are presented by Scottsdale Horse and Carriage and Local Motion/Ultimate Art & Culture Tours. Riders meet at the carriage stop at Brown and Main Streets in Scottsdale. To book a tour, call 480-656-5353.
Looking for a home in Carefree or Cave Creek Arizona? Shop here: www.CarefreeProperty.com
Get in the Spirit….Here is a map of Holiday Lights in NE Phoenix
An annual drive to look at over-the-top holiday lights is a tradition for many families in Greater Phoenix. Download and print these Valley-wide or regional maps to plan an outing to see decorations in your neighborhood or around town. For more holiday things to do, check out holidays.azcentral.com.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/events/holidaylights/#ixzz1fxGsi9ML
http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/events/holidaylights/#ixzz1fxGsi9MLhttp://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/events/holidaylights/
Tell a Friend About Our Blog
