Immerse yourself in the decadence of Scottsdale with these new and upcoming experiences.
Nayon Iovino in The Four Temperaments. PHOTO BY ROSALIE O’CONNOR
Taking his place as the new resident choreographer at Ballet Arizona, Nayon Iovino continues his journey with the professional ballet company since joining as a dancer in 2012. Over the years, he has choreographed nine works, and, in 2019, he was selected to attend the New York Choreographic Institute and was recognized as best choreographer by the Phoenix New Times. When taking up this new position for the 2022-2023 season, Iovino says he is most excited about “having the opportunity to continue creating new pieces for Ballet Arizona for years to come and to bring diversity to the company’s repertoire and continue developing my vocabulary as a choreographer.” He’s looking forward to his winter performance as the Snow King in The Nutcracker and says guests can expect to see “beautiful dancing with exciting jumps and turns, a fun and well-known story of The Nutcracker for the holiday season, amazing colorful costumes and a live symphony playing Tchaikovsky’s score.” 2835 E. Washington St., balletaz.org
PHOTO BY JILL MCANAMARA PHOTOGRAPHY
A place “created for foodies by foodies” is how Jenny Le, Tiffany Chavez and their team describe Scottsdale’s newly opened Gastromé Market. This specialty cheese and wine market engages guests with a variety of experiences from a daily wine tasting from an ever-changing list of globally and locally curated wines to a three-case cheese island with international and domestic cheeses and cured meats. “It’s a welcoming, empowering space that brings a sense of happiness the minute you walk inside,” Le says. “We’ll pamper you with a small glass of wine or rosé to sample when you walk in, then invite you to grab a decadent piece of cake from Too Sweet Cakes to try. Our team here at Gastromé are food and wine connoisseurs who love what they do and where they do it. Ask them, we ain’t lying.” 7704 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Stes. 140 & 145, gastromemarket.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE
Slated for completion by the end of 2023, Scottsdale Fashion Square is expecting its first phase of renovations to be complete in time for the holiday season. “The tremendous success of the luxury wing demonstrates the strong appetite among retailers and shoppers for even more high-end experiences,” says Kim Choukalas, senior vice president of leasing at Macerich. “This multi-phased project is part of Macerich’s long-term strategy, as well as the center’s own 60-year history of continually polishing this diamond of the desert for the future.” The project is expected to redefine the south wing of the shopping center and bring the luxury wing of Scottsdale Fashion Square to its most active entrance. Adds Choukalas, “Continually curating our merchandise mix with dynamic new experiences, including adding new restaurants and great design elements, optimizes the customer journey for our guests.” 7014 E. Camelback Road, fashionsquare.com
Erin Hanson’s “Saguaro Sky” painting at her new Scottsdale gallery. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ERIN HANSON GALLERY
Erin Hanson has dedicated herself to creating one painting a week for the rest of her life. Some of the works that feature Hanson’s impressionist style—that involve only five oil colors and brushstrokes—are displayed at her new gallery in Scottsdale, which opened in August. “When I was a child, my father told me that in order to become a good painter, I should start with drawing five sketches from life every day,” Hanson says. “By creating one painting a week, I have been able to experiment to my heart’s content, and the end result was a painting style very different from traditional oil painting.”
Her Scottsdale gallery—her third alongside Oregon and California locations—will focus on Western landscapes including the Arizona desert and Colorado Plateau. “So much of Arizona is wild color,” Hanson says. “I hope that visitors will come and experience Arizona’s landscapes through the lens of impressionism at my gallery.” 7117 E. Main St., erinhanson.com
1999 Château Troplong Mondot magnum. PHOTO BY JONES CREATIVE
Iberico pork loin with green Sichuan peppercorn sauce and tepary beans on the menu at Anhelo in downtown Phoenix. PHOTO BY JONES CREATIVE
Recipient of the 2022 Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator, Anhelo has made its new home at Heritage Square in downtown Phoenix. “Instead of going the typical sommelier route, Anhelo engaged one of Arizona’s largest collectors to curate and craft the premier wine program focused on the customer,” says chef Ivan Jacobo. “We’re excited to be recognized for our different approach and to continue to bring these unique wine selections to our guests.” Aside from his passion for Bordeaux, Jacobo focuses on using the freshest ingredients on both a global and local scale. Throughout the menu, Jacobo shares that staples include award-winning scallops paired with Chassagne-Montrachet and lavender seared duck with Vosne-Romanée pinot noir. “Arizona has a tremendous thirst for wine knowledge and appreciation but for far too long has been ignored by the wine community,” Jacobo says. “However, Anhelo and a handful of others in the valley are now actively filling that void.”114 W. Adams St., Phoenix, anhelorestaurant.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF LIFE TIME
Coming to Scottsdale Fashion Square in early 2023, Life Time will feature an expansive list of amenities from its rooftop beach club and whirlpool spas to cedarwood saunas and a eucalyptus steam room. “Members often tell us that they can spend the entire day at Life Time—and many do,” says Mike Esposito, general manager of Life Time Scottsdale Fashion Square. “You can truly find everything in one place in a space that is full of luxury—from the design finishes to the athletic resort experience.” Alongside its list of amenities, the Life Cafe and Life Spa are waiting for guests before or after working out at the new 50,000-square-foot space. “Life Time is unmatched in aesthetics, amenities, classes, equipment and customer service,” Esposito says. “We take great pride in providing the best places, programs and people to deliver the premium healthy way-of-life experience in the world.” , lifetime.life
PHOTO: BY ABBEY GENTRY
The new Merchantile of Phoenix showcases 80 vendors including the Redemption Market and Madava Home. PHOTO BY ABBEY GENTRY
Modern takes on a variety of items, from jewelry to apparel to home goods, are for purchase across the new 5,400-square-foot location of The Merchantile’s Uptown Phoenix location. Uptown Hippie and Naked Rebellion are just two of the 80 vendors showcasing their wares at the newest location, which opened in early October. “I always had a vision to grow and add more vendors to our businesses,” says Kimberly Pak, founder of The Merchantile. “There’s so much talent out there and I knew we needed to add another space to showcase new vendors.”
The market, which Pak says strives for a “fun, welcoming, modern and trendy environment,” is The Merchantile’s second brick-and-mortar location. “Since our Scottsdale store is in a tourist-driven area, we have a lot of small local items, and in our Phoenix location, we have a lot of bigger items like pillows, home decor and specialized vendors like lingerie and wall art.” 730 E. Missouri Ave., merchantile.co
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