Christmas in Santa Fe 2013 - Breakfast Picks

Well as you all know, I love food! And what better places to get some amazing food than Santa Fe, New Mexico. Here is a quick list of some Breakfast stops on your next trip there. Tomorrow we will do  my lunch recommendations and then dinner.

BREAKFAST:

Cafe Pasqual's

We had a wonderful breakfast here, but be prepared to wait. This is a small place, it only seats 50, and there was a line every day!  Right across from the Saint Francis Hotel, Pasqual's is definitely authentic New Mexican cuisine. The historic pueblo-style adobe has a lovely Santa Fe style dining room lined with hand-painted Mexican tiles and murals by the renowned Mexican painter Leovigido Martinez. I went with the Huevos Rancheros and was not disappointed. Also - try the Mexican Hot Chocolate - that was a good warmer upper on a cold Christmas Eve. http://pasquals.com

They have several great cookbooks and here is the link to them so you can order them right here on line.
http://pasquals.com/Online_Store/Pasqual_s_CookBooks_Others/index.html






The Plaza Cafe 

See the blog from Christmas Day for a quick review of the Plaza Cafe. Again, I ordered the menudo and was not disappointed. This tasted just like Grandma Rose's menudo. See our recipe for this authentic holiday traditional New Mexican soup on the Christmas Day blog. http://santafeplazacafe.com

Tia Sophia's

This was probably my favorite breakfast. Again, another small place….everything in Santa Fe is small… so be prepared to stand in line. This is definitely a local spot which is always a good sign. I had the Atrisco Chile stew with an egg on top and a side of potatoes and of course a tortilla. Absolutely, perfect - warm, hearty and very tasty. Again, this is a dish Granda Rose would have given a thumbs up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpGHB31ZG-U

Christmas in Santa Fe 2013 - Carne Adovada Recipe

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I know Isabel and I sure have had a great time in Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque. As you can tell, besides the architecture, which we will also touch on in an upcoming blog, I LOVE the food of this area. So much of it consists of dishes I enjoyed as a young boy in Durango. Here is one of my favorites:

Carne Adovada

Carne adovada is pork stew in a sauce of ground dried chiles. This is one of my favorite dishes whether in Phoenix or New Mexico. I love it at breakfast with a couple of over easy fried eggs placed right on top.  Of course you need to accompany this dish with some home made flour tortillas. My Mom makes the best and I will try and get that recipe for you all soon.

You will want to use a fatty, tough cut like a butt/shoulder for this stew, since the meat will become more tender as it cooks long and slow.

Prep Time: 1 hour  Cook Time: 2 hours 

Total Time: 3 hours

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

- 3 lbs. pork butt or pork shoulder well-trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch pieces

- 2 onions, chopped

- 6 cloves garlic, chopped

- 2 tsp. dried Mexican Oregano

- 1 tsp. cinnamon

- 1 tsp. Kosher salt

- 1 Tbsp. flour or masa harisa – or use gluten free flour.

- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

- 1 cup (8 oz.) ground dried New Mexican red chile powder

- 6 cups chicken broth

Preparation:

1.         Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.         Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the pork pieces to brown them. Add only enough pork so the pieces are in a single layer and don't touch each other; you will likely need to do this in batches. The pork should sizzle the second it touches the pot; if it doesn't, remove it and wait for the pot to heat up. Cook the pork, undisturbed, until each piece is well-browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn and brown on all sides. Transfer the pork to a large bowl or plate and repeat with remaining batches as needed.

3.        When all the pork is browned and set aside, add the onions, garlic, oregano and salt to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the onions with masa or flour and pepper and cook, stirring, until the raw flavor of the masa or flour cooks off (if you use flour it will smell a bit like pie crust), about 3 minutes.

4.        Add the ground chile and stir to combine. Add 4 cups of broth and bring to a boil.

5.        In a blender, whirl the chile mixture until smooth. Add the cinnamon to this mixture. You may want to do this in batches, depending on the size of your blender. Be sure to hold a kitchen towels over the top to protect yourself (and your walls) from any potential splatters. Return the chile mixture to the pot. Add another 1 cup of broth and the browned pork. Bring everything to a boil, cover, transfer to the oven, and bake for 1 hour.

6.        Take the pot out of the oven and stir the stew after the first hour. Add an additional 1 cup of broth to the pot if the stew seems dry. Re-cover the pot and return it to the oven to bake until the pork falls apart when you try to cut it with a fork and the sauce is thick, about 1 more hour. Serve the chile hot with fresh flour tortillas.

Merry Christmas Menudo Recipe 2013

Merry Christmas to you all from Santa Fe, New Mexico! Isabel and I are here enjoying the Holidays with Isabel’s family.

Not many know but Isabel is from Española, New Mexico which is about 40 miles north of Santa Fe. Add to that, the Candelaria family first settled New Mexico in the 1690’s. In fact, a major road in Albuquerque bears the Candelaria name.

So – Isabel and I love coming here for the culture and most of all, the food. We love New Mexican cuisine. Our favorite place to dine in Phoenix is Richardson’s or Dick’s Hideaway where we can get our authentic New Mexican cuisine fix.

This week I will share some of our Santa Fe finds from this trip. First and foremost we have to start with food and what could be better on Christmas Day but one of my family’s traditional dishes, menudo! This trip I had a fabulous bowl of menudo at The Plaza Café

http://santafeplazacafe.com

right on the Plaza in Santa Fe. Not a fancy place, but I have to say their menudo was as close to my late Grandma Rose’s menudo as I have found.

So what is menudo???? How about a soup whose main ingredient is beef stomach lining!

Ok I know that sounds totally disgusting but I have to tell you this soup is delicious. Ok – if the stomach lining beef tripe is freaking you out we have a more mainstream way to enjoy this soup – pasole – substitute diced pork or diced chicken and you can join in on this traditional New Mexico Christmas dish. Menudo is also a well known cure for the hangover!!!

So here we go:

Menudo

.

3 gallons water, divided

.

2 1/2 pounds beef tripe, cut into 1-inch pieces

.

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

.

1 large white onion, finely chopped

.

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

.

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

.

1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano

.

2 tablespoons ground red pepper

-

6 cups canned white or yellow hominy, drained

Red Chile Sauce

¾ cup of red chile powder – choose your heat

¼ cup of crushed red chile flakes

2-1/2 cups of warm chicken broth

1 tsp of cinnamon

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of dried oregano

Some like cumin in their sauce, I do not.

Garnish

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup of shredded cabbage or radishes

2 limes or lemons wedged

.

In a large pot, bring 1 gallon water to a boil. Place the tripe in the pot, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours. Periodically skim off fat with a spoon. Drain water, reduce heat, and pour in a fresh gallon of water. Continue to simmer tripe for 2 hours; drain.

.

Pour remaining 1 gallon water into the pot with tripe, and bring to a boil. Stir in garlic and 1 white onion. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.

.

In a blender or food processor, blend some powdered New Mexican red chile powder and some crushed red pepper flaxes with hot chicken broth, a couple cloves of garlic, salt, cinnamon, and dried oregano until very finely blended into a nice thick sauce. Mix into the pot, and continue cooking 2 hours over low heat.

Mix the hominy into the pot. Continue cooking 1 hour. Serve with red onion, cilantro, shredded cabbage or diced radishes and a lime or lemon.  Enjoy.

Again for Pasole - and this is Isabel's recipe! - substitute the diced pork or chicken and you can go with green chile or the red. 

Candelaria Design Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas to you all! Whether Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu or whatever….Merry Christmas. The Candelaria Design crew wish all of you a wonderful Holiday season!

Just a few tidbits to post this week as we prepare for the final weeks of 2013! First – thanks to ALL of my wonderful staff. What a great year and what wonderful creations we have underway, both under construction and on the boards. If I stop to check we probably have over 80 projects going in some manner. Projects here in Phoenix, Michigan, Nevada, Colorado, Texas, California, and New Mexico. What fun and what little sleep I get!

Of course I need to thank all of our wonderful clients who make all of this happen. We are working with so many absolutely fantastic people who dream as big as we do and then make it happen. You all inspire me and I love the energy and beauty we create together. 

Next, I really want to thank all the builders and designers we are so fortunate to work for. I wish I had a project for every builder and designer I knew – trust me I really try to share and spread my work around. I know we appreciate ALL of the referrals and I hope we do our best to make you proud you did refer us.

Next, the vendors and subs! You are all great and I have developed so many fun friendships with many of you. I think Phoenix is blessed with some amazing craftspeople. In the 30 years plus I have been practicing, the level of work and creativity just keeps growing and growing all serving to make Phoenix a more beautiful city filled with art and architecture. Just wait what is in store in the years ahead. You all inspire me.

Next, the realtors! Love you all and thanks for letting us help you and for your referrals. It’s so appreciated. From empty lots to selling a completed or resold Candelaria Design home and referring the new buyer to us – we cannot tell you what it means to us. I love the Candelaria clients that have bought and sold each others Candelaria homes….that is so cool.

Next, my family! You put up with my meetings, drawing all hours of the day and mostly night, phone calls and texts from clients at 2 am, parties, trips, and the understanding of my love for what I do. I want you to know I appreciate it and I hope you all know I love you all and always want to do more to give back to you.

 Finally, to my sweet Isabel. Isabel and I got married in September on the final day of our Candelaria Design Tour Italy trip. What a day that was. I love this lady and what she has done for me and making my life that much more beautiful. Beauty just flows from her and it’s so nice to be in the aura of that energy and creativity. We are working on a couple fun projects together so get ready for some unveilings in 2014!

Thank you for all the wonderful cigars, wines, gift certificates, popcorn tins and brownies!!! We will be doing the day at St. Mary’s Food Bank right after the first of the year as our way of saying thank you. You are all welcome to join us. We will be setting the date soon so just email us your interest in participating and we will feed thousands in one afternoon!

So – Merry Christmas to you all!  I wish everyone a joyous holiday.

Stay tuned this week as we will post from Santa Fe, New Mexico and share some recipes and photos from this amazing place. We will also recap 2013 and get ready for 2014. 

 

Jeff Kramer Farewell

It comes with mixed blessings the announcement of my long time associate, friend, and amazing architect Jeff Kramer, who has announced that he’ll be taking some sabbatical  time from Candelaria Design and the architectural profession to spend time with his family and then will move on to follow some new pursuits and interests. After nearly 15 years with Candelaria Design and almost 30 years in the architectural profession it will be interesting to see where life takes him!

Jeff Kramer, Nancy Singer & John Schultz

Any of you who have had the privilege and honor of working with him or have had him as your Project Architect can understand my mixed blessings. On the one hand, I am so happy for him to have the opportunity to take the time to walk away and spend time with his family, reassess his goals and dreams, and venture onto a new path in life. On the other hand he will be a tremendous loss to Candelaria Design and our profession.  I will miss him and all the challenging projects that we conquered, the laughs we have shared, and all of the many amazing good times we shared together.

Jeff was one of my first employees when I started Candelaria Design coming on virtually from the beginning. I received a call one day from Interior Designer, Sandra Evans, with whom I had just finished a project. She wanted to know if I was looking for anyone and that she had an associate from Knoell & Quidort Architects who was looking for a new direction. I said sure have him call me, which he did, we spoke and met and I was struck by his mild manner, his thoroughness in thought, and of course his portfolio of work. We struck a deal and he was on board.

Barnhart Residence - Silverleaf - Nance Construction

One of the first projects we worked on was the Barnhart Residence in Silverleaf. This was the first house ever constructed there. We were the guinea pigs for the whole process and Jeff guided us through with his thoroughness and steady push forward and our first project together was on its way. Still one of my favorites, the Barnhart Residence has been used for Silverleaf ads and promotional material for years.  If any of you know Jeff, he is a tall guy! I remember when Mrs. Barnhart, upon meeting Jeff for the first time, expressed a reluctance to want to work with him. I assured her that by the end of the job you would want no one else. Of course now, Mrs. Barnhart has virtually adopted Jeff into their family! And that’s how every project went down!

Team Schochor

What I love about Jeff is his integrity, his steady pace, his incredible attention to detail, his friendliness and kindness, and his uncanny ability to truly under-promise and over deliver. He is the best! His drawings are the best in town and his mentoring to all of us will be missed. Always one of the first to arrive and one of the last to leave, Jeff’s work ethic and dependability is unmatched. He always knew how to cool my jets when I would get a hot idea! He would raise those eyebrows and give me some words that would slow me down! But I have to say, I know Jeff enjoyed the ride we took together. It wasn’t always smooth but it has definitely been an adventure!

El Chorro Design & Construction Team - Desert Star Construction

O'Rahilly Residence - Silverleaf - Schultz Development

Peery Residence - Paradise Valley - Western Plains

Singer Residence - Paradise Valley - Schultz Development

We have worked on some amazing projects together. Probably, most notable is the El Chorro Restaurant and Bar. Jeff guided this through all the approval processes and through a tight construction schedule. Its already a true Arizona classic. Other great projects include the Hanley Residence in Paradise Valley which received a Gold Nugget Award from the Pacific Coast Builders Council for the best home in the country over 6500 sf. We worked together on the Peery Residence in Paradise Valley, for my good friend, Larry Peery. We just completed the Singer Residence in Paradise Valley which will definitely be one of our premiere projects. We worked with Schultz Development on several spec homes and customs in Silverleaf and we are just completing Construction Documents for a gorgeous home on the Paradise Valley Country Club and a home in Montecito, California just outside of Santa Barbara. Jeff's body of work at Candelaria Design adorns all of our books, ads and walls! But most importantly, Jeff's wit, charm, and kindness adorns all of our hearts. 

Team Hanley

Mark Candelaria, Jeff Kramer and Jerry Meek

Jeff will wind his last two projects up over the next few months and then will step out and onto a new path in life. What an absolute pleasure and blessing it has been to share a good portion of my professional life with a man who inspires me to not only be a better architect each day, but a better man. Jeff has a wonderful family, his wife Carmelle is a gem, and two amazing children, Jason who is attending ASU and his daughter, Rachel, who was just awarded a full scholarship for volleyball at the University of Florida.  Who would not want Jeff Kramer to be their father or husband - he is the best. I am happy to call him a damn good friend! I have no doubts he will continue to inspire excellence in whatever path he chooses and the doors at Candelaria Design will always be open to him!

Carmelle and Jeffrey Kramer

Happy Thanksgiving - 2013

I flat out love Thanksgiving! First of all, who was so brilliant to have picked the last Thursday of the month of November giving us a four day weekend to get a start on our Christmas season!? Of course we all know about the first Thanksgiving, at least in this country, at Plymouth Rock in 1621. The practice of holding an annual harvest festival did not become a regular affair in New England until the late 1660's. But it was our first President, George Washington, who proclaimed the first national holiday.

So, besides the holiday starting a 4 day weekend, I love the food and family aspect of the holiday and of course the underlying  reason for the holiday - giving thanks! We all have so much to be thankful for. First - we are so blessed to live in this country and live in Arizona! That's just the start….my list is long…my family, my new wife, my business, friends, clients, my ability to draw and design, my health….well I can go on for a long time. 

Candelaria Design - Rural Mediterranean Kitchen

Now, what does design and architecture have to do with Thanksgiving??? Well, how about the aesthetic aspect of Thanksgiving? Of course cooking Thanksgiving dinner in a Candelaria Design Kitchen would be fantastic, but we can't have it all. So, I think there are two things that can make a huge difference in how you enjoy the beauty of Thanksgiving….table dressing and plating! Just taking some time to amp up the table and then the way the dinner plate is plated can turn your Thanksgiving into a work of art and a memorable experience for your guests. 

Let's start with the table. I have assembled some of my favorite Thanksgiving table settings from some of my favorite designers and chefs. I think the Thanksgiving table has the real tendency to get hokey! The cornucopia and the comical turkey has to go! How about a Ralph Lauren http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com table. Rich and elegant. Try a plaid tablecloth with a criss cross table runner! And Thanksgiving does not always have to be typical fall colors….try something different,mix in some blues and purples with deep colors, with the standard golds and oranges.  

Topiary is a nice touch as are candles in glass hurricanes filled with acorns or nuts. Natural botanicals, like this carried by Isabel at Earth and Images http://www.earthandimages.com can add lovely color and texture to the table.  I also like the touch of the place card on the plate. How nice is this - a pheasant feather and a sprig of rosemary. Simple, elegant and quietly says Thanksgiving. 













Finally, you always need some bling - I love the silver dome available at Williams-Sonoma http://www.williams-sonoma.com to cover the turkey until its time to unveil it at the table. Talk about something that can keep the turkey warm and add some bling and drama to the table. Basically, think out of the box but don't over do it. Keep it classy, elegant and most importantly - simple. 

Earth and Images - Natural Botanicals

Now plating! A minor detail but one that seems to be lost with Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving has kind of gone the way of the buffet dinner. Everything is pulled out of the oven and set out on the kitchen counter and the buffet line is set! Sometimes the serving dishes make it to the table but everyone helps themselves and the serving dishes get passed around. Nothing wrong with any of this and both of these common ways of serving the Thanksgiving dinner can still be made a bit more unique with some of the special touches to the table. But what about plating the dishes in the kitchen adding some special garnishes to make the Thanksgiving plate spectacular and then serving each party as you would in a restaurant! You can have a plate of slop or something with a little finesse! The Thanksgiving plate is the most neglected aesthetic plate of the year. Amp it up! Wow talk about something that would be out of the box. 

Slop

Style

Ok now for a few recipes. Brining turkey is the best. It makes the meat juicy and tender. Michael Chiarello's Thanksgiving is amazing and it all starts with brining. Here is a link to an easy way to do it along with some amazing side dishes. http://www.winemag.com/Web-2010/Thanksgiving-with-Michael-Chiarello/
Yes it takes time but it is worth it. Brine it with the juniper berries and bay leaves for a great touch. There are plenty of recipes floating around out there so I am going to skip posting some here. But what about wines???? Here are some recommendations from some of my favorite chefs. Mario Batali suggests bottle of the Sangiovese-based red known as Morellino di Scansano or the medium bodied Friulano from northeast Italy. Both are reasonably priced under $20. Or go with one of my recommendations, a Spanish wine - Toro's full-bodied, dark wines from the Tinta de Toro clone of Tempranillo. Go with the 2010 Termes from Numanthia-Termes for $28. 92 points on this one - you will love it. 

Dinner is done and now its time for some football and a good snifter of Blanton's single barrel bourbon and a great cigar. Now the nice part - it's only Thursday and we have three more days to recover! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

November Update

Wow - I cannot believe we are just 45 days from the end of 2013! We all know how fast the next 6 weeks will speed by.

We have been so busy at Candelaria Design! We are completing some wonderful projects, we have many on the boards in design and several new ones just starting. We are involved in a number of community charity projects. We have been traveling. We have been filming and shooting. We have been cooking - literally!







In terms of projects - all I can say is AMAZING! We just completed a fabulous Santa Barbara Style home in Paradise Valley with a well executed contemporary twist to it. Built by Schultz Development http://www.schultzdevelopment.org this home is definitely one of our best. With the combined talents of David Michael Miller Interiors http://davidmichaelmiller.com, Berghoff Design http://www.berghoffdesign.com and Creative Designs in Lighting http://cdltg.com this project is a jewel. The home features a fabulous Bulthaup Kitchen http://www.bulthaup.com with finely crafted steel windows from Riviera Bronze http://rivierabronze.com. The home is sited to take advantage of the corner lot and the views to Mummy Mountain. It is beautifully furnished by David Michael Miller in a well executed and sophisticated, serenity. Inspired from our team trips to research the style in Santa Barbara, and material and product research trips to London, NY, and San Luis Obispo, CA this project really is dialed in. The landscape design by Berghoff and the trimless plaster recessed light fixtures perfectly choreographed by Walter Spitz of CDL is exquisite.  Great job by my Project Architect, Jeff Kramer, AIA who led the team from start to finish. He is the best!

We also just completed this beautiful Rural Mediterranean Estate in Silverleaf. Built by Salcito Custom Homes http://salcito.com this home captures the essence of all of my inspiring trips to Italy. Again, we combined the talents of the same design team, David Michael Miller Interiors, Berghoff Design and Creative Designs in Lighting. We were blessed by having the client host an Open House a couple weeks ago which many attended!!! Some unique features include a flying bridge across part of the back yard with a cantilevered fire pit, indoor pizza oven in the Kitchen, 6 car garage on main level with a 13 car underground garage below, then add the extreme exercise room. This home is gorgeous and what a great team effort this was headed by Project Manager, Braden Santarcangelo, who took this home from the empty lot to the final product. Special thanks to MMPR Marketing http://mmprmarketing.com for orchestrating the Open House - it is so nice to have the opportunity to show one of these homes off!

Both of these homes are being featured in separate episodes on my series Architainment https://www.facebook.com/ArchitainmentCandelariaDesign
which will be on The Design Network http://www.thedesignnetwork.com right around the Holidays. We have been busy filming and will be featuring 5 projects in our initial season. Meanwhile, we had a fun time discovering the hot trends at the Market in Highpoint, NC and it was fun to be a part of and featured in The Hot List http://www.thedesignnetwork.com/viewSeries.php?series_id=48 on The Design Network. This episode has already had over 100,000 views so check it out! Please subscribe to the network and I will keep you posted when our first show premieres.

Then, in true Candelaria Design style we are always involved in the community. My Project Manager, Tim Mathewson is busy working the Charles and Megan Keller in the design of a new Bat Cave for their charity that gives a special child and their family and friends an evening at Wayne Industries and the Bat Cave complete with a spin in the Bat Mobile. One of their events was featured this week on the Today Show http://www.today.com/video/today/53552801/#53552801! More details to follow but as this comes together there will be some wonderful opportunities for the design and building community to help out.

This week we just embarked on the design of a Dream Room for the Phoenix Dream Center http://www.phxdreamcenter.org/about_us. This is the second year the Design and Construction Community has contributed time, effort, and materials to taking six rooms in an old Embassy Suites Hotel that is now the home for the Phoenix Dream Center and converting them into six beautiful Dream Rooms for girls and women looking for a fresh start in a place that is safe, has a feeling of home, and all filled with love! At the invitation of Mark and Chrissy Donnelly who are heading this up we are teamed up with Lynda Martin, ASID and Rebecca Arteaga of Camelback Interior Design http://lyndamartinasid.com, and John Gurley of RJ Gurley Custom Homes http://www.rjgurley.com and community leader and our Team Sponsor, Jerry Colangelo. We basically have 4 months to pull this all together and make a dream come true! Again more details to follow!

Also this month, many of my staff were proud to participate in the TGen Run/Walk/Dash to raise money for the Lee T/. Hanley Fund https://www.tgen.org/tgen-foundation/special-funds/lee-t-hanley-fund.aspx#.Uof5uaUeby9 for the fight against Pancreatic Cancer. Team Candelaria Design was a part of Team Lee in honor of our departed client, Lee Hanley, and in support of his lovely wife Nancy. Team Lee surpassed their fund raising goal and raised over $44,000.





We also just completed Phase One of the renovation to serval rooms at the Franciscan Renewal Center http://www.thecasa.org. Candelaria Design combined efforts with my wife, Isabel Candelaria, of Earth and Images http://www.earthandimages.com, and Chasse Building Team http://www.chassebuildingteam.com and my Project Manager, Braden Santarcangelo, who worked together to bring new life to 32 existing rooms. We also helped on the redesign of the pool area and plaza. This was capped off with a wonderful mass and evening with the Perricone Family who have contributed enormously to the CASA with the goal of making the Franciscan Renewal Center a world class spiritual retreat center.

Great trips to Italy, NC, SC and trips forthcoming to San Francisco to start work on a new home there and Michigan to start a new Lake House on the shores of Lake Michigan! We had our fabulous post Italy Trip party this week at Marcellino's! What fun that was. We have trips planned next year for May and September 2014. Anyone is welcome and I am sure my past travelers will attest it is a trip of a lifetime and a unique way to experience Italy. The May trip will feature the coast of Positano and the September trip will feature a return trip to Lake Como. You never know who might get married their next year!

We have also started design work for our new line of cabinets for Bentwood Luxury Kitchens http://www.bentwoodkitchens.com out of Dallas, TX! We are designing 5 lines that will feature the Candelaria Collection along side noted designer and architect, Jack Arnold. The Candelaria Collection will be marketed nationally in 2014. More details to follow.

Finally, a recipe. Everyone always asks for them and so here is one from our host in Italy, Elizabeth Wholey, from our trip in September. My girls and I enjoy making this and it's not as hard as it seems.  Enjoy!

Tiramisu

1 8-cup coffee pot full of fresh espresso
Approximately 1 pound ladyfingers (1/2 chilo Savoyard biscotti)
8 egg yolks
8 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 chilo (500 grams) fresh mascarpone

2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Powdered bitter cocoa

In a dry, deep bowl, whip the egg yolks together with the sugar until “you can write your name in it”, around 10 minutes. Add mascarpone and mix in. Smear a light layer of this cream mixture onto the bottom of a medium-size (approximately 7 by 11 inches) flat, rectangular baking dish.

Pour espresso coffee into a large, oval platter. Taking a ladyfinger (or Savoyard), dip the flat side of the biscuit in and out of the espresso, quickly so that it doesn’t become soaked through with coffee. Place coffee-side down onto the cream at one end of the baking dish and repeat the process, filling the bottom of the dish with ladyfingers. Pack them tightly.

Add another layer of cream on top of the ladyfingers, and then follow with another layer of coffee-dipped ladyfingers, and finishing with a layer of cream.

Finally, apply a light sifting of powdered bitter chocolate to cover the entire surface. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

Now for a twist, I like to add a little Marsala wine-1/2 cup to it or Vin Santo. I also like to temper the eggs in a double boiler to make sure they are cooked - not scrambled!  When it looks like a custard its done! Make this the night before and let it set up over night. Your guests will love it. 

See you next weekend where Candelaria Design www.candelariadesign.com will do a feature on Thanksgiving!

2013 Scottsdale Charro Ride

It's that time of the year again for the Scottsdale Charro Ride. I went on my first ride some 8 years ago and I have to say it is one of my favorite things to do all year. It is definitely something out of my normal day-to-day world; riding horses, sleeping under the stars, and hanging out with 140 other "cowboys" for 4 days out in the middle of nowhere! I love it!

This year the ride is on the Babacomori Ranch south of Sonoita, AZ - which is southeast of Tucson and not far from the Mexican border. My good friend and past client, Dave Sabow, is putting the whole ride together. What a job-from coordinating all aspects of the ride from horses, food, booze, buses, etc., etc. its amazing how an open field in the dessert or forest can be transformed in a couple of days to, literally, a town! We even have a heated shower trailer... yes we do rough it but can you imagine four days and nights on horses without a heated shower?



Many people only know the Scottsdale Charros http://www.charros.com through our involvement at Scottsdale Stadium and the spring training for the San Francisco Giants and our revered Charro Lodge. But over the eight years I have been involved, I can say that it is very eye opening as to what our group does to support the community. Among the most notable accomplishments of the Scottsdale Charros is our dedication and support of excellence in education. For over 50 years, the Charros have provided time and financial support to athletic programs, parent-teacher organizations and the faculty of each school in the Scottsdale Unified School District. Recognizing the importance that education plays in the community's future, the Charros annually award college scholarship funds to two Scottsdale high school seniors who are pursuing a degree in education.

The ride is a total blast and always brings our group and guests together! Something about riding horses, smoking cigars, drinking whiskey out in the boonies is just damn good for a guy! I know i sure love it. From the pines and mountains of Greer to the saguaros of the Superstition Mountains, it has allowed me to visit and experience parts of this state I would have never seen otherwise! The laughs, the falls, the card games, the horseshoes, the meals and of course the day our wives and girlfriends arrive it all makes for a memorable and unique experience.

So I appreciate all the support we are given by the community. From those of you who just attended the Scottsdale Showdown, to those that come out to our Spring Training games we thank all of you!

Off to Highpoint, NC

Tomorrow Isabel and I head to Highpoint, NC to start our adventure with The Design Network and our show, Architainment. We will be joined by all of the stars of the network, promoting the new Fall lineup, the Design Network and the furniture capital of the world! I am looking forward to meeting everyone and have sure enjoyed all of the new shows released thus far! You will find an amazing array of topics, fabulous content, and photography all hosted by my fellow designers.

As many of you know we have been filming away. I thank ALL of the clients who have so graciously participated and opened their homes to us. We are fine tuning our first episode and like my homes, we are picking it apart clip by clip so please be patient as they are shooting for an October 29th premiere! When it is perfect - it will be done!







Here is a little intro about our show. I encourage you to subscribe to The Design Network www.thedesignnetwork.com now and you will receive notifications of the release of the show. Please share and enjoy!

I am an architect and designing homes is my passion. I have been drawing homes since I was four years old when my mom would take me to model homes on the weekend. I would take the brochures and then create my dream homes….I have been designing my dream homes now for nearly 50 years.

Over this course of time I have designed over 1000 homes in all parts of the United States, Canada and Mexico. From homes along the lakes of northern Idaho to homes overlooking the Sea of Cortez in Cabo San Lucas we have done it all.  From 1000 square foot condos, remodels and additions, to 55000 sf estates, from mountain lodges to formal mediterranean compounds, we have covered a wide range of sizes and styles.

Every project starts with a dream – it is my job as my client’s architect to fulfill and manifest that dream.  To do that I listen – and begin the search with sketches and concepts with the client virtually extracting the dream onto paper. My years of travel, combined with my repertoire of homes and clients, gives me an enormous portfolio of ideas, details, and solutions for how people want to live to draw upon.  Every client and home gets my personal attention. From the first meeting, to the initial sketches on paper to the day I actually cook dinner for my client in their new home, it is my passion to create a home that my client absolutely loves and a home that enhances the way they live and experience life every day!

A home is not created with a set of plans. The set of plans are only an instrument of intentions, dreams and ideas. A home is created by the collective and successful orchestration of the client, architect, builder, designer and vendors. It takes a TEAM and the better the team – including the client – the better the home that gets created. 

Our show Architainment will show you an array of the marvelous homes we have created over 35 years and the process, drawings, meetings, parties, trips, and passion that goes into creating them. 

Architainment ~ Showdown!

I love October! It's my favorite month of the year and of course my birthday is in October! The weather finally starts to change and it is like the whole outside opens up to our enjoyment! Football is starting the second quarter of the season, baseball playoffs are starting, hockey and basketball are getting underway....sports paradise.

And what better way to spend an October evening than at the Scottsdale Showdown http://scottsdaleshowdown.com on October 19th! See our blog from last week for all the details! Its all for a great cause so please join Isabel and I for some fun!







So - I understand there is a wonderful article about Candelaria Design and my career in the Arizona Republic this morning
http://www.azcentral.com/business/abg/articles/20131003drawing-client-skills.html .

Grab a copy and check it out. First and foremost, I want to thank EVERYONE  who helped me along the way. Especially my mentor, the late George W. Christensen, FAIA, who I had the pleasure to work with for over 18 years! Most people do not know that I never went to architecture school - I was fortunate to be the apprentice of one of the best professors of the ASU School of Architecture - and really learned everything the old fashioned way. I did take and pass all of the exams to get my license back in 1992 - so don't worry I am legal! In any event, there have been so many associates, clients, friends, and of course family that have made all of this possible. It's been quite a ride from driving the trains in Durango, CO to designing  amazing homes now all across the country! Hard work and a lot of luck and you know anything is possible.

Now onto another little project we are involved in - Architainment on The Design Network http://www.thedesignnetwork.com. Our show is about Design and Architecture and making the process of design entertaining. The Design Network is a broadband internet network - so you will not find us on TV, however by being on a broadband channel we are always available and anyone in the world can access us!  We are excited to showcase our work, our trips, our clients, builders, vendors, and friends. We really want to show people that some of the amazing ideas, concepts, and the way people live in many of our multi-million homes can be incorporated in the design and lifestyle of a 1500 sf condo - and we want to do this in an entertaining way.

We have been filming the last two weeks and have really been having some fun filming all phases of the design process from an initial client meeting on their lot to cooking with a client in their brand new home and then everything in between! I want to thank everyone who has agreed to participate and we are doing our best to get as many of you involved. We are committed to five shows this fall and then we will see if they pick us up for the spring season! SO we will need a lot of viewers so make sure you subscribe!!!

In two weeks Isabel and I will head to Highpoint, NC for the market and the gathering of all of The Design Network stars for some parties, filming and kicking off the fall season! It should be a lot of fun, a great opportunity for all of us to meet, connect, and of course cross market. Our first episode of Architainment https://www.facebook.com/ArchitainmentCandelariaDesign is scheduled to premiere towards the end of October and our banner page will be posted soon. So stayed tuned - we are going to have some fun!

Scottsdale Showdown!!!

Ok, we are back from our Candelaria Design Tour Italy and our fabulous finale' wedding at Villa d'Este on Lake Como and its time to get back into everything I love about fall in Arizona.

First, a sincere thank you to everyone from Isabel and I for our wedding! You can enjoy a quick video I put together if you care to enjoy our special day! https://www.dropbox.com/s/bpxikl5wv05ui3n/Mark%26IsabelWedding.mov
And some nice photos on Arizona Redbook at http://www.azredbook.com/partiesarticle?id=1368.


Now - onto something in totally the opposite direction... PRO BULL RIDING!  So who is ready to get the Tony Llamas on and get down to some real fun on a Saturday night?

Yes, as many of you know I am very proud to be a Grande member of the Scottsdale Charros! Founded in 1961 as a special activity organization of the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce, the Scottsdale Charros consist of 40 Active members and over 200 Life and Grande members dedicated to serving the community through the promotion and support of education, youth programs, and economic development that preserves the past while looking to the future. Many of you know the Charros for our Charro Lodge at the Scottsdale Stadium for Spring Training for the San Francisco Giants but now we are adding a fall venue that ties into our Cowboy style by adding Championship Pro Bull Riding! http://www.scottsdaleshowdown.com

CBR Bull Riding & Concert in Scottsdale

On Saturday, October 19th at 4pm we will kick things off at the Westworld Equidome with a Chevy Silverado tailgate party that will definitely get you ready for what will be an amazing evening. After a little tailgating the All Star Championship Bull Riding Event will begin inside the Equidome at 6pm. The event will be nationally televised on the Fox Sports Network. That's only the beginning....that is all followed up with the KMLE Country - Bud Light Bullpen Concert featuring a triple threat of country music, Maggie Rose, Jerrod Niemann, and then Montgomery Gentry. The concert starts at 8pm and will run until midnight!

Tickets are available at  http://www.scottsdaleshowdown.com 

SCOTTSDALE SHOWDOWN TICKET PRICES

·        Chevy Silverado Chute Out / CBR All Star Bull Riding Event                   $75 – 150 each

(General Admission VIP & Reserved Seating -Includes Tailgate Party, Chute-Out and Bullpen Concert ++)

·        Bud Light Bullpen Concert ONLY                                                             $55 each

(General Admission)

·        Bud Light Bullpen Concert Cabana Package                                             $10,000 

(Contact: Lauren Smith at lauren@agency210.com to reserve)

Isabel and I will be there and ready to enjoy a fabulous evening that should be a lot of fun all while knowing it is going to a great cause supporting the Scottsdale Charro charities! Please help me help my Charros make this a total success and get the cowboy/cowgirl attire on and let's go kick up some dust and throw back a few brews!

Candelaria Design Tour Italy ~ Day 10 ~ Last Day In Umbria and the Country

Well we have been going strong for nine days and on Day 11 we depart Umbria and drive several hundred miles to the northwest of Italy and Lake Como. So we make Day 9 a day to chill and just relax at the Country Houses and virtually everyone took advantage of it – including me.

I think Isabel and I slept in until 10 am had some coffee, relaxed, worked on the blogs, got some computer time in, got some laundry done, and then it was time for a two hour nap.

Others also slept in, hung out by the pool or went for little jaunts around the countryside as every couple ahs their own car. Some went to Cortona, some went to Lake Trasimeno, some to Preggio and some to Umbertide for a festival. That is the beauty of this trip – you have your own car and so although there is an itinerary you have freedom.

As the day wound down and we all realized we still had a lot of leftovers from the week it was Pot Luck Happy Hour in Umbria. Glen and Steve made their way into Umbertide and found a butcher and snagged an amazing 2” thick steak which they grilled on the grill we all mastered during our cooking class just two nights before. The rest of us all pitched in with different dishes and wow what a spread we created out of nothing!

You realize at that point the one, main, unique aspect of this trip and that is the bond that is created between my travelers on every trip. It is an amazing thing to see a group of virtually complete strangers at the start of the trip become such good friends so quickly that you would swear they had been friends for 40 years. I LOVE that part of this trip. I know now why it happens and why Italy and its culture is so special. It has to do with the preparation and enjoyment of food, wine and company over several hours. Not a rushed dinner with the TV on and no one really engaged. When we cook in these houses it is a 4-6 hour party filled with laughter, great smells, dancing, tastes, and magical conversations and images that imprint on your memory forever. I think it pulls a subliminal and primal part of our humanity that man and womankind have shared since the days we lived in caves and collectively hunted and gathered to survive.  It is special and only those that have been on this trip truly understand what I am talking about here – but it is real and it is most definitely lasting.

Candelaria Design Tour Italy ~ Day 9 ~ San Gimignano & Siena

After yesterday's dreamlike experience of our splendid wedding it was time to get up at 4 am this morning and fly home....ahhh what a slap back to reality.....

Well we are flying somewhere over the Atlantic and after two movies, three naps, and a horrible airplane panini, after two weeks of food heaven, it seemed like a good time to catch up on the blog and the missing days between our Day 8 and Day 13. So here is Day 9 our trip to San Gimignano and Siena.

As with all the other days of our trip I love this day too. We started about 10 am allowing a little recovery time from the 6 hour cooking class feast from the night before. We set up our convoy and we were off over the hill and onto the highway bypassing Siena first and off to the country medieval village of San Gimignano.

San Gimignano is a beautiful medieval hilltown set in the hills and vineyards north of Chianti. What's sets this town apart are the seven towers that are still standing from the original 34 that once were there. We parked after a little trepidation due to the traffic from this towns tourist popularity. We walked up the hill and to the main street lined with beautiful stone buildings forming a canyon only interrupted by two delightful piazzas that when we arrived were filled with vendors for the morning market. As we made our way from shop to shop and to a stop for a quick bite and then a gelato the market had ended and the vendors packed up and you could experience the piazzas in a totally different way.

It is always easy to stay on the main road and be enslaved by the shops and tourist shops selling wine and cheap Pinocchio puppets but what you really need to do is wander up a tower or off a side road to the perimeter of the village for an amazing view of the countryside and back at the town. I love the age and feel of the buildings and the smattering of these dramatic and stoic towers. Your mind wonders what this village must have been like back in the dark ages or during the black plague and what life and culture must have been like in those days! The preservation of the architecture and absence of cars made this very easy to do and for a moment you could almost transpose yourself back 700 years!

With San Gimignano explored it was time to return to the cars, do our best to reassemble the convoy and make our way out of San Gimignano and down the winding hills and southward towards Siena - the rival of Florence!

We Google mapped my favorite parking lot in Siena and we all gradually found our way  to the lot and some spots to park. About a 15 minute walk and we were in a walled city. I LOVE Siena! It is probably my favorite city in Italy...at least so far!  We walked down the main boulevard - all 20' in maximum width with 6 - 8 story buildings forming a winding canyon all leading to the exclamation of this city - the Piazza Del Campo. This is truly one of the best spaces in the world. Home of the annual Palio horse race held each July where each neighborhood in Siena challenges each other in a free for all horse race around the outer perimeter of this piazza.

We made our way to our final rendezvous spot, determined what time we would all meet here and then I led everyone to the Duomo for a tour of again, probably one of the best churches in Italy. Again, I love this structure and I am always in awe in the design and craftsmanship that was employed in its execution. It is truly a miracle and masterpiece of what man can produce when inspired. This year was special in that a series of the floor panels were uncovered for viewing and we were fortunate to have scheduled our trip during this period! Spectacular!!! This is definitely one of the must sees for any trip to Italy!

With the tour of the Duomo completed it was time to wander through town and back to the Piazza Del Campo and my favorite spot on the far Northeast corner of the piazza. Isabel and I sat down and ordered some grilled vegetables and mixed grilled meats and of course a bottle of wine. Then you just sit and enjoy life - people strolling around and through the piazza - no cars, just the background sound of people speaking Italian and the ever changing light at dusk was slowly descending on this Italian masterpiece of space and life.

Gradually all of our travelers trickled to our rendezvous spot and joined Isabel and I and the laughter and conversations became more and more amplified and animated as we consumed more wonderful food and wine and a cigar or two. The rest of the patrons of the piazza also shared the enhanced tempo and soon the entire space was filled with laughter and happiness!

We also were able to surprise one of our travelers, Barbara Murphy, with a little birthday celebration which was a lot of fun. With several hours of enjoying the slow sunset and then the lights of the piazza come alive along with the patrons it was time to pull ourselves away and start the walk back to the cars.... But first, one more gelato! 

Candelaria Design Tour Italy - Day 13 - The Grand Finale'

Ok - so I skipped a few days to get to day 13. I will catch up later......

I will post this now and add more pictures later as we are just heading to dinner and then I have to round up my travelers and catch our planes back home in just 10 hours..... so please bear with me. There are several pictures on my personal Facebook Page but more to come here later....so stay tuned.

I skipped to day 13 of our Candelaria Design Tour Italy as today is our final day here and we made it our best day of the trip - the day Isabel and I said our vows and formed a bond that we will share until the last days of our lives. Yes we tied the knot on our last day here in Italy at the Villa d'Este on the terrace by the lake with our Candelaria Tour Italy travelers as our witnesses and guests.

No one on the trip knew we had this on the agenda for the last day of the trip. Isabel and I had been talking about where and when to set our special day and we both realized that Italy is so beautiful, and we have shared so many great times and memories with our travelers, that this would be the perfect way to end the trip and start our journey together. So when we arrived, Evelyn and my staff had beautiful invite cards made that the hotel placed on each traveler's beds upon their arrival letting them know that they were all invited to our special day on their last day in Italy.

Yesterday it rained all day but the hotel staff promised me it would be sunny for the wedding. They made good on their promise and we had a beautiful day. The wedding was at 11 am under the sunshine of a beautiful Italian fall day! The breeze blew lightly and the leaves of the trees of Lake Como waved a soft tempo that set the tone for the day. All 20 of our guests arrived on the terrace and the quartet of violins and cellos started to play The Prayer by Andrea Botecelli and Celine Dion. Little did we realize, John Legend who was staying in our hotel, watched the whole event from his balcony while sipping champagne.

Isabel stroll through the garden led by her escort, Glen Wysel, who filled in for her father. I would say he did a terrific job. Walter Spitz, who flew in a few days before accompanied our good friend, Rebecca Curtis down the aisle and the ceremony was set.

We said our vows along the side of the lake and it was like absolute magic. My Isabel is so beautiful, and add the flowers, the sunshine, the fall breeze and the sound of the water and it was truly magic. One of the most spiritual moments of my life.

Once I kissed the bride we all went and took pictures in the beautiful gardens of Villa d'Este and then had cocktails and appetizers on the terrace under the sunshine with the lovely music of the string quartet. From there we adjourned to the dining room for a lovely 3 hour lunch in the most amazing setting and the food was out of this world.


With lunch enjoyed, it was back onto the terrace for cake and more prosecco and then a three hour boat ride on Lake Como with my bride and a trip to Bellagio for more champagne, a cappuccino, a cigar and views of the villas of George Clooney, Sir Richard Branson, Versace, and many others. What a way to spend the day.

We returned to the hotel for a little relaxation and then it was off to dinner with our entire group for our final evening at the lovely restaurant, Gatto di Nero, with none other than John Legend! What an amazing and lovely day.

I cannot express the gratitude I have for everyone on this trip and my friends who have all stuck by my side through the last 5 years. I must also send special thanks to Evelyn who organized the most spectacular day you could ever imagine! And finally, I must thank the special woman who has made all of my dreams come true...my Isabel. I have truly found my soulmate, my lover, but most importantly my best friend. I love you my dear and this day will live forever.

Ciao from all of us here in Italy.

Candelaria Design Tour Italy ~ Day 8 ~ Farmer’s Market, Lacole’ and Cooking in Umbria

This is always one of my favorite days of the trip. It’s basically a simple day in Umbria and then the 6 hour cooking and eating class at our country houses hosted by Elizabeth Wholey, our house host and author of her new book, Sustenance – Food Traditions in Italy’s Heartland.

We start the day with a quick drive into our nearby town of Umbertide right on the Tiber River. Once we got everyone parked we made our way to the main piazza and the scene of the weekly Farmer’s Market in Umbria. I love this whole experience – food and people! It is definitely as much a social event as a food and shopping event. The little coffee bars are packed with locals and tourists all conversing with their voices and hands in typical Italian fashion.

 

My first, and most decadently, my last stop here in Umbertide, was the porchetta sandwich truck! I think just about everyone grabbed one either on the way in or the way out of town – as I said I made the most of both coming and going! I love these sandwiches – basically a couple slices of meat and a couple slices of the crispy fat from a whole roasted herb infused pig laid in a French roll. Heaven in Umbria.

From there we made it to the main piazza for a walk around the food vendors and to the coffee bar for a cappuccino. We all caught up and discussed our shopping strategies and we were off for more shopping. At the main piazza where the food vendors are located you can find meat, cheeses, fish, flowers, fruits, herbs, plants for your garden, etc., etc. Then outside of the main piazza and off to the side of the main part of the old city are the street vendors selling everything from shoes, to kitchen ware to under garments!  A quick stroll through that part and it was back to the rendezvous spot and that second porchetta sandwich! 

Some of the travelers then ventured back to the country houses and some ventured with me to Lacole’. Isabel took the day off and relaxed at the houses and caught up on a bit of work. Others returned and went on their own little explorations around the area. Many went to the village of Preggio up on the hill.

My group went to Lacole’ – an amazing and huge showroom and outside garden full of everything from antique furniture, to fireplaces, to doors, to tableware, urns, roughs, gate, reclaimed tiles, fountains, etc., etc. It is pretty endless and all salvaged from old villas and farmhouses throughout Italy.  On virtually every trip to Lacole’ we have been met with a torrential downpour and this year was no exception. Fortunately it was during the drive and upon our arrival the rain stopped, the clouds broke, and we once again had brilliant sunshine.

We spent about an hour at Lacole’ exploring the rows and rows of treasures.  We grabbed a soft drink and some snacks at the next door gasomat and then we rendezvoused with Gabrielle who took us to their two new antique door showrooms and warehouses.  We are designing a home for one traveler couple, Glen and Lisa Wysel, and they said they would love to see some doors….and doors we saw! From 15^th Century salvaged antique doors to reproductions they have created from reclaimed wood. All spectacular!!!

With  the door and antique shopping completed it was a quick 40 minute drive back to the country houses in Umbria for our cooking class! This is always one of the best moments and one of the most bonding moments on the trip! This year proved no different.

As we arrived, Elizabeth, Paula and Fausto were getting things ready and prepped!

We did the same by getting the wine bottles opened and our aprons on.  We started with stuffing little sweet peppers with ground sausage and cheese. We prepared deviled eggs stuffed with tartufo. We made a ricotta dip and prepped veggies for dipping, then cut up fennel, zucchini, and sage and got those ready for some frying! Then it was time to make our tomato sauce and our pasta fresca – fresh home made pasta! Yes the party had started!

Meanwhile the men were getting the coals ready at the grill! We prepped the pork shoulder and the sausages for the grille and kept the fire stoked while we enjoyed vino and a cigar. It was then back up to the pasta table to knead the dough and start feeding it through the pasta machine. Then grab some more wine and back to the grille to keep the fire burning.

 

By then the appetizers where done – the stuffed peppers, the ricotta dip and veggies, the fried sage, fennel and zucchini and the food coma began! Nothing better than fennel dipped in flour salt and fizzy water then fried in 350º oil just like in tempura – amazing!  Then the pasta was cooking stuffed with ricotta and spinach and then the Fausto had the sausages and pork shoulder grilling! Wow what an assortment of amazing smells.

We had been cooking since 4pm and now, 4-1/2 hours later it was time for dinner! Antipasti, wine, salad, wine, pasta, wine, pork shoulder and sausage and more wine! I love Italy! After some toasts to our chefs, a few songs and a little dancing it was time to wind down this wonderful day in our little piece of heaven in Umbria!