Introducing Arizona’s local candy charcuterie boards and North America’s first landscape hotel, February and March usher in new and exciting local indulgences and experiences.
BY TIFFANY TAPLASHVILI
Tiffany Taplashvili, founder of Tiffany’s Candy Co., had become bored with the candy options available to her when creating party favors and gifts for friends and family. This sparked the idea for what she calls candy “charcuterie boards.”
“My creations are unique in the sense that no one else in Arizona makes candy boards,” Taplashvili says. “I have seen others doing similar candy boards nationwide, but I believe my candy boards are amazing since I have nationwide customers that keep coming back to shop with my company.”
Tiffany’s Candy Co. sources her products globally and works with overseas suppliers to create reusable and durable acrylic boards for each candy charcuterie collection. For Valentine’s Day, treat your sweetheart with Taplashvili’s perfectly crafted board that includes a delicious blend of pink, white and red gummies, with flavors including, strawberry, wild cherry, strawberry banana and so many more. tiffanyscandyco.com
PHOTO BY JENELLE BONIFIELD
Immersed in Red Rock Country, the first landscape hotel in North America sets its guests under the stars of the Sedona sky, next to the iconic red rocks of the surrounding nature. Ambiente—made up of 40 cube-shaped, glass atriums—opened in December and is booking guests starting now in February.
“We pride ourselves on providing an unrivaled, personalized experience for all of our guests,” says Jennifer May, co-owner of Two Sister Bosses. “If your passion is outdoor activities, spa, culinary, a special occasion or pure relaxation, our team can cater a package and itinerary to indulge your senses.”
Each atrium is elevated by steel piers and provides 360-degree panoramic views of the surrounding terrain. “The location also provides convenient access to all of Sedona’s main attractions,” May says. “To enjoy a night of dark sky and beaming stars followed with awakening the next morning to the panoramic vistas illuminated by the Sedona sunrise is a moment we know guests will cherish.” 900 W. State Route 89A, Sedona, ambientesedona.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND
International fashion boutique Wardrobe Apparel makes its U.S. debut at the Arizona Biltmore. “We love the clientele in the Scottsdale area,” says Alex Thompson, founder of Wardrobe Apparel. “They are fashion-forward and genuinely lovely to engage with. We have such a good experience working in the community and serving the customers that come in.”
The company, which planted its first location in Vancouver, British Columbia, has found that its most popular products in the Scottsdale area are its gowns. “Our products in our boutique exist to make women feel good about themselves for any occasion in their lives,” Thompson says. “It is one of the worst feelings when you can’t find the perfect outfit for that special event, and we help to take the guesswork out of it.” 2502 E. Camelback Road, wdrobeapparel.com
David Yarrow’s collection titled Storytelling is on display at Relévant Galleries in Downtown Scottsdale. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND
Denver-based Relévant Galleries opens its second location in Downtown Scottsdale, featuring works from various artists including David Yarrow, known for his archival prints of the natural world.
“Each location we open is catered to the specific market and what the clientele is wanting from a fine art standpoint,” says Mike Olson, CEO of AD Galleries, owner of Relévant Galleries. “Our executive team has visited Scottsdale multiple times to get to know the market, as well as visit with our clients that have homes there. We discovered there was a want and need for high-end fine art photography.”
AD Galleries has specialized in working with private and corporate collectors while focusing on its ability to satisfy the seasoned art connoisseur. “Relévant Galleries is a place to be immersed into fine art photography and explore the world through the lens of David Yarrow,” Olson says. “At the heart of our gallery’s mission, we hope to inspire, educate and help collectors build their fine art collections with works that speak to them.” 7165 E. Main St., relevantgalleries.com, @relevantgalleries
Chef Alex Stratta will bring next-level fare to Fairmont Phoenix. PHOTO: BY JOANIE SIMON
With Fairmont Phoenix’s expected 2025 opening, the hotel and residences selected two-Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning chef Alessandro “Alex” Stratta as chief culinary director. “It’s a great honor to be selected as the chief culinary director for this exciting new project,” Stratta says. “The introduction of the Fairmont Phoenix will be an opportunity to bring a new level of luxury, hospitality and dining to the downtown Phoenix market.”
Stratta will lead in creating the menus and vision for all five on-site restaurants and says he is especially excited to work with the Italian coastal steakhouse as he will incorporate fresh Mediterranean cuisine with high-quality ingredients and robust flavors. “A lot of my inspiration comes from my history working at different hotels and restaurants, all of which have provided me with invaluable experiences and knowledge,” he says. “Having the opportunity to build these new menus from scratch gives me a lot of room for creativity and imagination.” fairmontresidencesphoenix.com
COURTESY OF ARTICHOKE BASILLE’S PIZZA
Featured on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, Rachel Ray and Late Night With Seth Meyers, Artichoke Basille’s Pizza opens its second Phoenix location. The New York City-based pizza concept shares with its guests New York-style pies including margherita and pepperoni, along with the more creative crab pie.
“This second location is within the Desert Ridge Marketplace, which is home to a diverse assortment of attractions and nightlife that make it a hot spot in the area and the perfect location for the Artichoke concept,” says Ron Marino, Arizona franchisee. “We’ve renovated the space to combine the vibe of the modern open-air marketplace with Artichoke Basille’s iconic New York ambiance and decor.”
Marino says the franchise has added a cauliflower-crust pizza and shares that his personal menu favorites are Artichoke Basille’s calzones with mozzarella, ricotta and housemade meatballs, garlic and tomato. “We hope guests enjoy great, unique pizza within an upscale dining environment,” he says. “With a large wraparound patio with built-in banquette seating, several TVs and games, Artichoke will be a great place for dinner for all ages. We hope that guests feel welcome to watch the game, hang with friends or dine with co-workers during happy hour at Artichoke.” 6031 N. 16th St., Ste. 1, artichokepizza.com
PHOTO: COURTESY OF BODY POLITIK
Offering both Lagree and Versa Climber high-intensity, low-impact workout classes, Body Politik opens its first studio in Scottsdale. “The name Body Politik was derived from the concept of a group of people working together toward a common goal,” says Elia Covino, owner and founder of Body Politik. “I believe that movement unifies people, and, in these classes, we are asking you to do physically challenging things, but by doing it with like-minded people, you are more willing to push yourself.” The two-room studio specializes in the 50-minute Lagree class on a Megaformer machine and the 30-minute Versa Climber cardio class under a motivating light show—both of which are available for sign-ups seven days a week. “We have such an expansive boutique fitness scene here in Scottsdale, but what I saw lacking was a lot of studios that were built for our local community in mind,” Covino says. “I wanted to create something that was built for our residents and that wasn’t delivering a cookie-cutter experience.”8870 N. 90th St., Ste. 106, body-politik.com
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