When Donna Werking experienced the Weatherford Hotel’s Great Pinecone Drop in Flagstaff as a student at Northern Arizona University in the mid-2000s, she thought her hometown needed a New Year’s celebration of its own. That inspiration would later ignite one of Prescott’s most beloved NYE events, the Whiskey Row Boot Drop, now heading into its 15th year with two drops on Dec. 31, on downtown’s Whiskey Row. After NAU, Werking joined the Arizona Sundogs Hockey Club organization in Prescott … [Read more...] about From Bootstraps to Boot Drop
Business
Five Key Principles for Event Planning or Festive Dinners
As an event planner, I’ve seen a lot: an outdoor celebration so cold it could break violins and freeze cameras; a microburst so precise it could target your event and snap heavy metal poles in two, tossing them like toothpicks; and a keynote speaker so ill with the flu that she could muster all the energy and inspiration of a frozen turkey. This and more makes me an expert in the Plan B department. Resourcefulness is everything. Here are my five key principles for your holiday event. 1. Never … [Read more...] about Five Key Principles for Event Planning or Festive Dinners
Chef Andrew Raab Brings Big-City Experience to Camp Verde’s Bullpen Grill
After serving as vice president of culinary operations at the Urth Caffé in Los Angeles, Chef Andrew Raab moved his family to Sedona, seeking a slower pace. “We had four Urth Caffés to start and ended up with 10 locations,” he said, noting the business is now international. Born in Maryland, Raab ran three successful restaurants for 10 years before moving to the West. Upon landing in Sedona, he served as chef at René at Tlaquepaque for two years. “Andy did me a big favor coming to work … [Read more...] about Chef Andrew Raab Brings Big-City Experience to Camp Verde’s Bullpen Grill
Where Chocolate Comes to Life
Since its roots in ancient Mesoamerica, chocolate arguably has been the queen of decadent desserts. And now, Shari Flam, owner of Living Chocolate in Sedona, is exposing cacao, the natural form of chocolate, as a vital nutrient. “Cacao in its natural state is a superfood and new studies have shown it can prevent dementia, stimulate stem cell growth and, combined with vitamin D3 and K2, can move calcium out of the arteries and build up bones,” she said. Flam explained the importance of keeping … [Read more...] about Where Chocolate Comes to Life
Muralist Claudio Valdez Revives Camp Verde History at Stage Stop Trading Post
With rollers, brushes, aerosol spray paint, scaffolding and a whole lot of talent, muralist Claudio Valdez is at it again. The renowned artist was hired by Rick and Jaynell Chambers to paint a mural on the outside of their Stage Stop Trading Post in Camp Verde. “The purpose behind the mural was a love for the historic Main Street of Camp Verde,” said Rick, “something that visitors and locals can stop and view and think of days gone by.” Titled “Onward! Ho,” Valdez says the mural … [Read more...] about Muralist Claudio Valdez Revives Camp Verde History at Stage Stop Trading Post
Holiday Pet Safety: Keeping Your Furry Friends Happy and Safe This Season
The holidays always seem to bring a little extra warmth into our homes. The lights go up, the music starts and everything just feels a bit more special. And for many of us, pets are right in the middle of it all, watching us decorate, sniffing around the kitchen and trying to figure out what is going on, wondering: “Why are things in different places; and what is this big green thing with all those sparkling lights and things I can play with?” With all the cooking and baking we do this time of … [Read more...] about Holiday Pet Safety: Keeping Your Furry Friends Happy and Safe This Season
New Beauty Salon Opens at Pine Ridge Marketplace
Sapphire & Opal Beauty Salon is a new addition to Pine Ridge Marketplace, located in Suite 136 near Dillard’s. Created and led by owners and stylists Gina Ravetto and Christina Brokaw, the salon is known for blending modern expertise with a passion for client transformation. “We’re thrilled to open our salon and serve the Prescott community,” said Gina. “Our mission is to ensure every guest leaves our salon feeling refreshed, inspired and radiant.” Gina is known throughout the Quad Cities … [Read more...] about New Beauty Salon Opens at Pine Ridge Marketplace
Adventure Becomes Enterprise for MULE Expedition Founders
Area outdoor enthusiasts have new options for adventuring with the recently opened MULE Expedition Outfitters in Prescott Valley, especially those with a passion for “overlanding,” a popular style of self-sufficient trekking by vehicle. MULE Expedition Outfitters got its start when Joe and Dana Marshall, shortly after marrying in 2010, started building a Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia in their Issaquah, Washington garage. “We tore it down and built it back from the ground up over two years,” Dana … [Read more...] about Adventure Becomes Enterprise for MULE Expedition Founders
Tara Fine Thai Cuisine Expands Flavor and Reach in Downtown Prescott
Prescott’s Tara Fine Thai Cuisine restaurant has been a popular fine dining option for both visitors and local food lovers in Prescott for 10 years. Now, the eatery is expanding its menus and adding new takeout and delivery options. Chef Somrudee Olch originally founded Tara Thai in Sedona. He later sold the restaurant to his sister and opened a smaller, popular location in Prescott Valley. Meanwhile, when Matt Boykan and his then-wife moved to Prescott Valley, Boykan knew he wanted to open a … [Read more...] about Tara Fine Thai Cuisine Expands Flavor and Reach in Downtown Prescott
Moonshot Statewide Pitch Winner Aims to Help Arizona Mines Boost Productivity
While studying how pathogens move through water systems in hospitals, lakes and wastewater plants for her graduate research at Arizona State University, Ashley Heida, Ph.D., had a breakthrough idea. The same mathematical models she used to simulate disease spread, she realized, could be applied to mining operations to improve efficiency and sustainability. That insight led to the creation of Analytical Mineset, a startup designed to help mining companies turn their existing operational data … [Read more...] about Moonshot Statewide Pitch Winner Aims to Help Arizona Mines Boost Productivity
