Podcast Content


Candelaria Design's 2021 MVPs - Janice Rantanen

Every year our company takes the time to nominate individuals our team for MVP of the year and then we each cast our vote for MVP and they receive a weekend staycation package at the resort of their choosing. It’s a great way, in addition to quarterly bonuses and our other incentives, to reward our staff for work well done. Well this year there was a tie, we had both Team Director and Project Architect Rebecca Roe and our Director of Lasting Impressions, Janice Rantanen take the top votes for 2021’s MVP, so they are each featured in their own podcast episode which you can listen to below!

Janice has lived in the Valley since 1982 and joined Candelaria Design as Director of Lasting Impressions early 2019. She does an amazing job of catering to our valued clients and design team members, as well as upholding the Candelaria Design Lifestyle brand throughout the office, client dinners, meetings, site visits, events and is currently crafting our newest Candelaria Tour France! 

Prior to joining Candelaria Design she represented a semi-custom home builder in selling many of Scottsdale’s finest communities. In addition to her real estate background she also owned one of Scottsdale’s most beloved home and garden stores specializing in farm antiques and accoutrements sourced from Europe. Janice has always had an interest in architecture and interior design; she enjoys antiquing, cooking, gardening and traveling the US as well as abroad.

And check out this past podcast from Iconic Hour where magazine Editor Renee Dee, Jamilyn Fournier founder of The Collector’s House, Architect Mark Candelaria  and Janice Rantanen discuss "living beautifully". https://iconichour.libsyn.com/living-beautifully

Page Knudsen Walks Us Through Willamette Valley

Our guest today is Page Knudsen and her and her brothers are second-generation owners and operators of Knudsen Vineyards, in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. In this episode she shares the rich history of their vineyard and the region that has grown to receive worldwide recognition for outstanding Pinot Noir grapes. We were fortunate enough to meet Page last summer on a guided Pinot Wine Walking tour that Page herself led that day. She told us all about the vineyards and the area’s history while walking us through the vineyards and sampling the wines along the way. We are so excited to include this wine walk on our first ever Willamette Valley Wine Tour this month with 16 of our friends and to have Page on our podcast today!

40 Years as an Architect: Then, Today & the Future

Today, March 4th, Mark celebrates his 40th anniversary of his first day working as an architect and has two special podcast episodes to commemorate!!

March 4, 1982 was my first day on the job in an architect’s office - that office being the offices and studio of my mentor and good friend, George W. Christiansen! Some 2000+ homes later and over 20 tours, it’s rewarding to look back and remember where this all started! I am SO grateful to all of my colleagues who helped me along the way, my clients who trusted in me and gave me the opportunity to create their dreams, and my family who put up with my endless efforts and hours in creating these homes and now our company, Candelaria Design! 

To celebrate and tell the story I have created two podcast episodes, the first episode is with the two people who were with me on that first day in 1982. These special guests are CCBG President and Architect, Brian Cassidy and Dianne Kleber who ran George’s office and called and told me I had gotten the job!.

Then we flash forward 40 years and the second episode is with my current partners at Candelaria Design, Evelyn Jung, Meredith Thomson, and our newest partner, Tim Mathewson! We look back at the nearly 23 years of Candelaria Design and then talk about what we see for the future of architecture and Candelaria Design! 

⁠⁠These are two fascinating episodes full of wonderful memories and exciting plans we hope you won’t miss!

Masters of the Southwest - Candelaria, Vallone, Spitz and Berghoff

Masters of the Southwest from left to right, Donna Vallone, Jeff Berghoff, Mark Candelaria, & Walter Spitz

This episode features three very special Phoenix Home & Garden Master's of the Southwest, Walter Spitz, of Creative Designs in Lighting, Donna Vallone of Vallone Design, and Jeff Berghoff of Berghoff Design. We all share how each of us got started in the design industry and then a revisit some of our earliest collaborations from the 1980's and 90s' to some of our current works underway some 30 years later. Many times referred to as "The Dream Team" this group has created 100's of homes including the historic El Chorro Lodge in Paradise Valley. 

In addition to talking about the past we look ahead to the future and the trends and new technologies that are changing the design industry. We also talk about the transition and our plans for the future of all of our firms. Jeff and Walter have been on prior Inspiring Living podcasts and you can listen to them below.


Masters of the Southwest Dream Team Websites

Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine

2022 Master of Southwest Feature

Being a Dad in Architecture with Erik Peterson

In this episode 42 of Season 2, Mark and “rival” architect Erik Peterson of PHX Architecture spend a weekend together with their daughters during the Xavier Father-Daughter Ski Trip in Durango, CO. We have a lot of mutual respect for each other and shared interests, so naturally we decided it would be fun and interesting for our listeners to hear us podcast together! We talk about architecture, being dads, and pick up on where Erik’s chat with Renee Dee on her “Iconic Hour Podcast” left off. Listen to that podcast to learn more about Erik’s personal and professional story here.

If you enjoy our podcast, I’d so appreciate if you’d take a minute to subscribe and rate this podcast, it makes a huge difference for our growth!

Erik is President of the award-winning PHX Architecture, he presides over the 30-person firm headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ with a second office in Beverly Hills, CA. Erik specializes in lifestyle design includ­ing luxury, bespoke res­i­den­tial, golf club­houses, boutique resorts and distinctive dining.

Inspiring Scottsdale Arts with Gerd Wuestemann

Rendering of the new Civic Center Performing Arts Center in downtown Scottsdale

Episode 41 of Season 2 features Dr. Gerd Wuestemann, President & CEO of Scottsdale Arts. I joined the Board for Scottsdale Arts about 6 months ago and that's when I first met Gerd and experienced his passion and vision for the arts firsthand.

After getting to know him better through prepping for this podcast, I cannot wait to learn more about his fascinating life story, starting in Germany as a Classical guitarist touring the world at an early age. In his mid/late 30’s tragedy forced him on another path where he built an academic career as professor of guitar studies at the U of Louisiana. After that he launched two successful companies before starting a career in arts administration and eventually becoming the President & CEO of Scottsdale Arts as we know him today.

Gerd also tells us all about Scottsdale Arts and its various branches, the importance of the organization in the community, the challenges of the past pandemic years, the improvements and visions for the future of Scottsdale Arts and all the exciting performances, events, etc. coming up this year!

Fashion and Art Repurposed with Laura Madden

Our featured guest on this episode is Laura Madden: artist, influencer, and sustainable fashion advocate specializing in abstract up-cycled art. Everything she creates has the purpose of creating “More Style. Less Waste”. Her passion for creating beautiful things and doing good for the environment led her to start ReFashioned Art in 2019, a certified Gold Level Green business. Her advocacy for sustainable fashion as well as her repurposed art have been showcased in numerous galleries and magazines since! Laura serves on the boards of Remake, the Arizona Costume Institute, Fashion Group International and San Francisco Fashion Community Week!

She is on a mission to demonstrate a mirroring of style and sustainability, which leads into everything I do. She has been making her own art her entire adult life and came from her not being able to find or afford the art or clothes she really wanted, so she started doing it herself! She points out there is no shortage of stuff and "trash", so the possibilities to repurpose all this stuff into something beautiful and "new" is endless! “I hope my art will bring beauty, positivity and a fashionable edge to your home and workspace.”

Inspired Cooking with Chef & Blogger Giangi Townsend

Our guest today is Giangi Townsend, creator of Giangi’s Kitchen, a top-rated food and recipe blog. Back in the 1980s, Giangi’s desire as a working mom to provide healthy and delicious food for her family has since grown into a full-blown business featuring tons of recipes, an online shop, virtual cooking classes and her favorite cookbooks, including one of her own, Back to Basics – Cooking 101.

Giangi's childhood was spent between Southern Italy in the Summer and Paris in the Winter with her French father and Italian mother, it's no wonder she ended up as a fabulous chef! We talk about the importance of food and gathering for dinner, what led her to become interested in cooking and blogging, her favorite recipes and cookbooks, and tips and tricks in the kitchen and in life!

Italian Cuisine in Oregon with Dario Pisoni of Rosmarino's

Today's guest is a fabulous chef from Italy my daughter Tiffany found while researching restaurants for our Candelaria Design Willamette Valley Wine Tour set for May of 2022. Chef Dario Pisoni is the Owner and Head Chef of the amazing restaurant Rosemarino Osteria Italiana in Newberg, Oregon. It has been rated one of the best restaurants in Oregon and the country just four years after opening in 2015 and I have had the pleasure of dining here now a couple times, including just last night where we enjoyed an incredible five course dinner and wine pairing with a sold out crowd of fellow diners.

We have fun exchanging memories of Italy and their fabulous food and wine, Dario shares his life story in Italy, how he gained his love for cooking from his Italian Grandma, and how he and his wife ended up moving to this small town of Newberg. Dario shares what it's like running a restaurant, his favorite recipes, cookbooks, and places in Italy and other interesting topics. We are so excited to introduce our group of friends who are joining us on our May tour to our new friend Dario and his incredible restaurant and if you are ever in the area be sure to make a reservation at Rosemarino Osteria Italiana!

https://www.osteriarosmarino.com/
https://www.instagram.com/rosmarinonewberg/

Exploring the Inspiring Life & Career of Artist Priscilla Nelson

Episode 37 of Season 2 features Contemporary Figurative Artist and fellow Scottsdale Arts Board Member, Priscilla Nelson. Together we talk about art, creativity, family, passion, motivation and upcoming art events. Priscilla’s art career spans over 40 years and the majority of her work falls under two categories, Figurative, which explores the figure, clothing, and water to capture "a poignant mood and the hint of a story that can be interpreted in many ways". In her more Contemporary paintings she takes a very organic approach with inspiration from reflections and movement.

At the High Point Market with The Collector's House Jamilyn Fournier

For today's podcast episode we are recording from the Alfonso Marina Showroom in Greensboro, NC during the annual High Point Furniture Market. It was so much fun to see all these showrooms and mingle with others in the design field from all over the country! Our guest today is Jamilyn Fournier, Founder and Curator for The Collector’s House, a beautiful design studio and store in Scottsdale, AZ. We discuss much more than design in this episode, we are going to dive deep into Jamilyn’s life journey, her inner work, taking risks and starting an interiors business.

Green Living with Dorie Morales

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Our guest on today’s podcast episode is the dynamic Dorie Morales, Publisher and CEO of Green Living Magazine. This monthly magazine has been around for 11 years now and is an eco-conscious lifestyle publication based in Phoenix that aims to educate, inspire and empower readers to make eco-conscious choices for a healthier lifestyle and planet.

In this episode we get passionate as we talk about eco-conscious living, Dorie shares her inspiring life story and we discuss why living mindfully is so important, and how our city and culture are doing as far as sustainability and how we as individuals and as a community can improve our eco footprint. I also share the details on our 3D printed home we designed for Habitat for Humanity that's nearly complete, check it out here: 3d-printed-home-first-ever-in-united-states

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"Friends of Build Magazine" Podcast with Guest Mark Candelaria

This week Mark is a featured guest on the podcast "Friends of Build Magazine" with Host and Founder Ted Bainbridge.⁠

⁠Mark and Ted talk about all kind of topics, from what inspired Mark to host his annual Italy & Spain tours and the power of travel to refill his creative tank as a designer. Life and business wisdom Mark has learned from his very successful clients, industry trends and how more clients have been gravitating back toward traditional architectural design. Lastly, Mark goes in-depth on his initiatives to pay-it-forward, as well as his desire to see more of his countrymen living out the American Dream.⁠

Recording at Mark’s office

Recording at Mark’s office

TOPICS DISCUSSED

  • [01:58] The origin of Mark’s recipe book on the Candelaria website

  • [05:06] Why Mark began hosting wine tours

  • [10:23] How travel refills Mark’s creative tank

  • [12:27] The challenges of working with different builders on projects in different locations

  • [17:33] Traditional vs contemporary architecture and the emerging “Mod-iterranean” style

  • [20:22] Encouraging aspiring architects to embrace traditional styles

  • [28:09] What Mark has learned from working with prestigious clients through the years

  • [30:00] Giving back

  • [38:30] Mark’s most memorable career moments

  • [39:30] Upcoming trends in the industry

  • [44:08] Mark on how anyone can live the American Dream

Iconic Hour: The Future of Housing with Mark Candelaria

“Renowned architect Mark Candelaria joins us to discuss a very special new project. Mark and his team are working with Habitat for Humanity to build a series of affordable homes using 3D printing technology from Peri 3D Construction. Follow along on social media to see the progress of the homes and learn how to get involved.”

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The Life of a Baller with Frank DeBlasi

Our featured guest on this episode is Frank DeBlasi, Founder of The Baller Dream Foundation, formerly known as Ballsfest, a non-profit organization that lifts the spirits of children and young adults affected by cancer. In our first Season, Frank shared how his struggle with cancer led him to create this incredible nonprofit to raise the spirits of kids with cancer through amazing personalized gifts, such as college funds, trips and once in a lifetime experiences. Since founding The Baller Dream Foundation in 2013, Frank has provided gifts of hope to 70 young cancer warriors. He has grown the organization to seven states (AZ, NV, CA, AL, FL, NY, NJ) and although he is based in Arizona, Frank travels to each of those states and visits with every "Baller" several times, cultivating personal lifelong relationships with them and their families. Listen to his first podcast episode here: frank-deblasi-of-the-ballsfest-nonprofiti

Mark and Frank talk about the incredible fundraising event held last month at a private home in PV where Mark and his daughters cooked and served Paella to the nearly 200 guests in attendance. At the end of each event, Frank gives each "baller" their time in the spotlight to talk about themselves and their hobbies, wishes, etc. before they are surprised with one of their big wishes being granted!! The look on the children's faces and their parents when these wishes are granted is incredibly heartwarming and it's no wonder Frank has dedicated the past 9 years of his life to keep this foundation flourishing… even despite the year-long pandemic!

Curating Collectible Art with Alex Trimper

Our guest today is Alex Trimper, co-owner and managing director of Isabella Garrucho Fine Art gallery located in Greenwich, Connecticut. Alex and Mark met just last year while working together on the design of football star Larry Fitzgerald’s Paradise Valley estate, currently featured on the cover of Luxe Magazine - view it here. Alex was selected by Larry’s designer, who is also based on the East Coast, to be an art broker and negotiator on behalf of Larry to decorate his walls in time for the Luxe Magazine photoshoot.

In this episode we learn about how art buying and brokering works, running an art gallery, branding and marketing a business and Alex and his mother Isabella’s incredible life stories.

Karin Candelaria - My Mom's Life Story

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This week's podcast episode features Mark's mother, Karin Candelaria as they spent Mother's Day together visiting, cooking, sharing stories, and recording this podcast episode!

Karin shares the story of her dramatic childhood leaving everything behind to flee their home in East Prussia, Germany during WWII. The family then spent many years in hiding on farms in the Baltic Islands, then their journey continued to a refugee camp in Munich, then in Mannheim.

One day in her late teens, Karin met Don Candelaria, who was there with the Army, at the town's cultural center just a couple months before he had to return to America. The following year, when Karin was 18 she moved to Calgary, Canada and got a job as a nanny, which helped her learn English. All the while, her and Don are still writing letters. About two years later in 1959, Karin was persuaded by Don to take a Greyhound bus to Durango, CO for a visit while she was on summer with the family she worked for in Idaho. . . well the rest is history, listen in to hear what happened from there in her incredible life story!

Discussing the Hustle with Matt Gottesman and my Wife Isabel Dellinger Candelaria

Today’s guest is the man who inspired Mark to start this podcast back in 2019, Matt Gottesman! Matt is a 3rd generation entrepreneur, an international business strategist and a brand architect with focuses on luxury, lifestyle, health and wellness, cannabis, tech, fashion, arts, music and entertainment. He has built, launched and created a series of online platforms that speak to the world on a daily basis through a variety of online media outlets to the tune of 10.5M per month. He brings creators from around the world to the forefront by documenting and publishing visionaries and their brands. “I feel blessed everyday to be doing this work. Put simply, I believe we all have genius talent and it’s up to us as individuals to express that to the rest of the world,” he says.

Matt also hosts a weekly podcast, Hustle Sold Separately, that aims to motivate and inspire by documenting the world's creative genius, makers, doers, talented creators and peers who are embracing the journey, building their brands, growing their companies, and evolving as human beings. He is a well of information, resources and wisdom that he generously shares with anyone interested across his various platforms and on our podcast episode today. Be sure to view his sites linked below to see for yourself!

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Finding Your Path, Fulfillment and Prosperity with Life Coach Aimee Teesdale

This podcast episode is a profound one, as I speak with international Success Coach and Author, Aimee Teesdale. Aimee talks about why she was inspired to become a life/success coach and how she went about making her dream career and dream life living on the Spanish island of Ibiza a reality in her early 30's.

Her work focuses on enabling purpose-driven business owners to get out of their own way of success to become the person they want to be and create the financial prosperity, freedom and fulfillment that their soul desires. We dive deep as she shares how to hone in on your calling, the profound power of love and forgiveness to transform ourselves, others and attract a life you love. And she explains her fundamental 5D Method™ for overcoming limited beliefs about ourselves and that dream life we want to live.

We have a wonderful discussion, you can learn more and follow her social media and podcast via the links below.

Springing into the Phoenix Home & Garden Tour with John Roark and Isabel Dellinger Candelaria

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Welcome to Spring! Today’s Inspiring Living episode celebrates Spring perfectly as our guests include Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine Editor-In-Chief John Roark and Interior Designer and my lovely wife, Isabel Dellinger Candelaria. We talk about the Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine Garden Tour coming up this Saturday, April 17. You can get your tickets by clicking here, you will not want to miss this as we have a fabulous Candelaria Design home with Gardens by Refined Gardens on the tour, pictured below.

Give our podcast a listen, give us a subscribe and review for a chance to win a custom Candelaria Design Pasta Machine!

We also have a fabulous feature in this month’s Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine showcasing a Candelaria Design ~ Earth and Images home that is one of our favorites, shown below. Visit our Press Page here for more on the April/May issue and our feature.