< PreviousIT’S A MATCH! BY SAVANNAH LEEDY Melton opened JOJO Coffeehouse in December of 2018 and has been welcoming each customer who walks through its doors with dignity and kindness ever since; focusing on building a connection with the community and embodying a mission of hospitality. Local entrepreneur Ali Matthews is the founder of Ali & Ariel, a company that makes custom sorority clothes and collegiate apparel for universities in the United States and Canada. With her love of fashion, art and branding, Matthews has been changing the Greek apparel industry and empowering women through her business for 15 years. During the pandemic, Matthews’s mother came across the Trendsetter article on Melton, and after learning about his work and character, believed he would be a great fit for her daughter. Persuaded by the enthusiasm of her mother, Matthews read the article herself and agreed that the two of them had a lot in common. She also couldn’t ignore that he was very handsome. Curious, she sent him a friend request on Facebook. To her surprise the next morning, Melton had accepted the request and sent her a message. As the couple says, the rest is history. “She reached out to me and I thought ‘holy cow’ this person is drop dead gorgeous and the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen,” says Melton. “She’s also just incredibly kind and talented and definitely beyond anything I could have ever imagined, and she’s just been such an amazing blessing on my life.” The couple recently got engaged in Paris over December right in front of the Eiffel Tower—everything Matthews ever dreamed of in a proposal. Since merging their busy lives together, Melton and Mathews are looking forward to getting married and growing their family while continuing to support each other and build their businesses. “You never know where you’re going to find the love of your life and the right person, and timing is incredible. It was definitely the right timing, it was the right person, I was open and ready for it. I had my heart open to meeting the right person and I knew that I really wanted that,” says Matthews. “I never in my wildest dreams would have ever expected to meet the man of my dreams that way and I just think it’s amazing how love stories work out . . . . It’s a wonderful, beautiful thing.” n Featured as an AZ Foothills Trendsetter in 2021 for his fun breakfast and brunch restaurant JOJO Coffeehouse in Old Town Scottsdale, Mike Melton couldn’t have imagined that an article highlighting his business would also bring the woman of his dreams into his life. AZ FOOTHILLS TRENDSETTERS SPARKS THE LOVE STORY OF 2 LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS 20 AZFOOTHILLS.COM , ALAIN A T PIC TRIP Mike Melton & Ali Matthews [TRENDSET TER S] @AZFOOTHILLS #AZFOOTHILLS 21 , ALAIN A T PIC TRIP RESTAURANTS Eat Your Greens: The Best Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants in Phoenix EARTH PLANT BASED CUISINE Enjoy delicious vegan Mexican and American cuisine at this trendy spot. Try the crazy shrimp tacos, which feature crispy beer-battered vegan shrimp topped with cabbage, fresh pico de gallo, pickled onions and a secret baja sauce, or the BBQ pulled-seitan sandwich served on a toasty ciabatta bun. 1325 Grand Ave. Suite 7 Phoenix, AZ 85007 earthplantbased.com FLOWER CHILD With a cheerful, vibrant environment and soul-satisfying mission, Flower Child offers a menu that caters to all lifestyles and diets. There are plenty of vegetarian options to choose from here such as the Thai Dye wrap and glow bowl, while most menu items are also customizable to fit your preferences. Multiple locations. iamaflowerchild.com FRESH MINT At Fresh Mint, Chef Mai Ly puts a Vietnamese spin on vegetarian dishes and guarantees fresh made-to- order meals. Try the delicious Spicy Lemongrass Noodle Soup and Golden Curry Vegetables along with the Fried Imperial Rolls appetizer. Fresh Mint also offers a complete gluten-free menu. 13802 N. Scottsdale Rd. #161 Scottsdale, AZ 85254 myfreshmint.com GIVING TREE CAFE The organic, vegan and gluten-free cafe is on a mission to heal and empower, serving clean, high-quality comfort cuisine and beverages that are made in house every day. In addition to its all-day menu, which features breakfast classics, soups, salads, signature Krunch Raps, sandwiches, bowls, delectable desserts and more, Giving Tree Cafe offers fresh cold-pressed juices, specialty coffees, cocktails and weekend brunch specials. 2024 N. 7th St. #111 Phoenix, AZ 85006 givingtreecafe.com GREEN NEW AMERICAN VEGETARIAN Find all your favorite comfort foods made with 100% plant-based ingredients, vegan cheeses and mock meats at Green. The vegan-vegetarian restaurant serves dietary-safe dishes influenced by many different cultures and cooking styles from around the world. From hand-held classics to home-made soft serve ice cream, Green offers a complete comfort-food menu. 2022 N. 7th St. Phoenix, AZ 85006 greenvegetarian.com 2240 N. Scottsdale Rd. #113 Tempe, AZ 85281 22 AZFOOTHILLS.COM Among the Valley’s vibrant culinary scene is a growing community of plant-based eateries serving creative and innovative menus that are good for body and soul. With a diverse range of cuisines and seasonal offerings, finding delicious vegetarian- and vegan-friendly options has never been easier at these plant-based restaurants in the Phoenix metro area. BY SAVANNAH LEEDY , FRESH MINT , GIVING TREE C AFE , GREEN NEW AMERIC AN VE GET ARIAN , F O X RES T A URANT C ONCEP T S , EAR TH PLANT BASED CUISINEVERDURA Centered around good music and great food, this plant-based and vinyl-themed eatery serves a full vegan menu with the best house- made dishes that change seasonally. This season, try their fried chickpea parm sandwich with marinara, cashew ricotta and basil, or grab “The Supreme,” a crunchwrap packed full of all the essential fillings. Be sure to also check out Verdura’s weekly pastry rotation, specialty drinks and fun cocktail and wine menus. 5555 N. 7th St. #108 Phoenix, AZ 85014 verduraphx.com TRUE FOOD KITCHEN True Food Kitchen’s carefully crafted menu highlights big flavor, fresh ingredients and crave- worthy classics as well as vegan and vegetarian options. Enjoy dishes that incorporate nutritious veggies and fruits of the season, plus creative, hand-crafted beverages and delicious desserts. Multiple locations. truefoodkitchen.com THE CORONADO Named by Thrillist as one of the best veggie restaurants in the country, The Coronado offers a full menu of vegan fare and a full bar stocked with locally sourced beer, wine and cocktails. Enjoy fresh pastries baked daily as well as new brunch specials every weekend. Happy hour is Tuesday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. 2245 N. 12th St. Phoenix, AZ 85006 thecoronadophx.com THE HERB BOX This unique eatery and market provides extraordinary vegan cuisine, impeccable service and beautiful spaces to make your dining experience memorable. The Herb Box offers brunch, lunch and dinner as well as full-service catering, private dining, and full restaurant and patio buyout for special affairs. Check out their signature cocktails of the month during happy hour from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or stop by the in-house pastry case for vegan and gluten- free desserts. Multiple locations. theherbbox.com PITA JUNGLE Celebrating almost three decades in business, Pita Jungle stands as the go-to restaurant for healthful but delicious food with 24 locations throughout Arizona. With the mission of helping guests sustain a healthy and balanced lifestyle, Pita Jungle serves up a diverse menu of tasty, fresh, wholesome foods, including a variety of vegetarian, vegan and gluten- free options. Pita Jungle’s menu is influenced by tastes from around the globe with the benefits of the Mediterranean diet always apparent through the use of healthy, lean proteins, veggies, legumes, nuts, grains and fruit. Multiple locations. pitajungle.com @AZFOOTHILLS #AZFOOTHILLS 23 , VERDURA , PIT A JUNGLE , THE HERB BO X , THE C ORONADO , TRUE F OOD KIT CHENPick Your Player: The Best Pickleball Spots at Valley Resorts NEWS 24 AZFOOTHILLS.COM Pickleball is giving Arizona’s luscious, green golf courses and its picturesque hiking trails a run for its money. Coined as the “fastest-growing sport over the last two years” by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong, making for a fun, but sometimes challenging and endorphin-inducing game. Whether you’re looking for a new sport to try or for a way to spend more time outdoors, take a look below at resorts in the Phoenix metro area that offer pickleball courts. BY ALYSSA GRABINSKI ADERO Scottsdale Looking for a sunset or nighttime pickleball session? You’re in luck. ADERO Scottsdale, with six pickleball courts to choose from, is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. everyday. And there’s no need to buy your own equipment. Resort guests and club members have the opportunity to rent everything needed for an effective match. 13225 N. Eagle Ridge Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85268 www.aderoscottsdale.com/the-club-at-adero Arizona Biltmore Feel like you need some guidance before challenging someone to a match? The Arizona Biltmore offers both private and semi-private lessons, as well as weekly round-robin tournaments. With four pickleball courts open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and professional equipment available for rental, you’ll be a pro in no time. 2400 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85016 www.arizonabiltmore.com/wellness/tennis-pickleball Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North All four pickleball courts at the Four Seasons Resort are “designed to keep cool and reduce stress on the body,” per their website, resulting in an exciting game suitable for all ages. Private lessons are also available for purchase. Go on— get your paddles ready. 10600 E. Crescent Moon Dr. Scottsdale, AZ 85262 www.fourseasons.com/scottsdale , ARIZ ONA BIL TMORE, A W ALDORF AS T ORIA RESOR T , F OUR SEASONS RESOR T SC O T T S D ALE A T TROON NOR TH , A Q U A-AS T ON HOSPIT ALIT Y@AZFOOTHILLS #AZFOOTHILLS 25 JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa features the most pickleball courts of any resort in the country, offering 17 new professionally-surfaced, world-class courts with gear and accessories available at the racquet center, as well as full-time, certified instructors. Groups can take their game up a notch with custom paddles by Recess Pickleball, created exclusively for the property. What’s more, the resort has a new pickleball membership (two different levels) that includes complimentary lessons, guest passes, 50% off guest rooms at the resort, discounts on resort dining, pickleball gear and more. A variety of packages can also be tailored for leisure guests and team-building events, with the courts providing a picturesque outdoor venue for private buyouts and special functions. 5350 E. Marriott Dr., Phoenix, AZ 85054 www.jwdesertridgepickleball.com Sanctuary Camelback Mountain, A Gurney’s Resort & Spa Located in Paradise Valley, this five-star resort has four pickleball courts—all with scenic views. Practice your pickleball skills while also immersing yourself in the world of sports history. According to their website: “Recognized as the Paradise Valley Racquet Club throughout the 1950s and renamed John Gardiner’s Tennis Ranch in 1965, our property continues a legacy of championship courts and professional coaches.” Views. History. Pickleball. Does it get much better than that? 5700 E. McDonald Dr., Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 www.gurneysresorts.com/scottsdale The Phoenician Not only does The Phoenician resort offer a dazzling view of Camelback Mountain, it also provides registered guests with one hour of pickleball every day, which is included in its resort fee. The general public can book a court as well for $50 per hour, with a rental fee of $20 for paddles and $5 for balls. Open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, there’s plenty of time to nail that perfect swing. 6000 E. Camelback Road, Phoenician Athletic Club Pickleball Courts, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 www.thephoenician.com/pickle-ball-basketball May the best court win! n Boulders Resort & Spa Scottsdale With both beginner and intermediate/advanced pickleball clinics (as well as group clinics) Boulders Resort will help take your pickleball skills to the next level. While the resort has previously been recognized for its tennis services, it also has a plethora of pickleball services, including equipment rental and private lessons. 34631 N. Tom Darlington Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85262 www.theboulders.com/pools-and-tennis , SANCTUARY CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN, A GURNEY’S RESORT & SPA , JW MARRIO T T PHOENIX DESER T RIDGE RESOR T & SP A , BOULDERS RESOR T & SP A SC O T T S D ALE, CURIO C OLLE C TION , THE PHOENICIANBY DAVID M. BROWN Irene Catsibris Clary: Irene Catsibris Clary’s favorite SOHO isn’t in London or New York City but in north Scottsdale. The developer’s five-acre mixed-use community, designed by the distinguished architect Bing Hu, comprises live-work townhomes, lofts and first-floor retail––creatively placed in the middle of a business park and commerce center with few other homes. Why? Because, she says, it’s a perfect concept, especially post COVID. SOHO Comes to Scottsdale 26 AZFOOTHILLS.COM , C OUR TES Y SOHO SC O T T S D ALE , P A UL GITELSON , C OUR TES Y SOHO SC O T T S D ALE , C OUR TES Y SOHO SC O T T S D ALEt the southwest corner of 92nd Street and Bahia Road, SOHO Scottsdale has the Chinese name for “small home office,” which the architect offered for the boutique community’s defining space. The sold-out first phase comprises 18 contemporary- style townhomes, 10 lofts and five retail spaces including Sugo Bistro, FROGS Physical Therapy Clinic, owned by Clary’s husband, Andy, BioFit Golf Clinic, Soho Fitness Studio, the just-opened Creative Tea Room and Coco’s Art Studio for students. Serving Italian food and wood-fired pizza, Sugo Bistro features an expansive outdoor patio where patrons enjoy the desert climate and serene views of the McDowell Mountains. The retail building has underground and surface parking in which visitors to the retail spaces and residents have separate areas, and semi-private elevators securely deliver homeowners to their respective floors. SOHO Scottsdale (“Live. Work. Play.”) has one white shell space remaining along the retail level of the loft building, and the community marketing team is searching for the perfect tenant/buyer. “It’s well suited for an ice cream shop, coffee/desert concept, wellness clinic and other ancillary uses,” says Clary, principal of Scottsdale-based Catclar Investments LLC. Catclar combines her Greek maiden name, Catsibris, and her married name, Clary. The three townhome buildings comprise three and four stories, providing owners an opportunity to work on the ground floor and live above. Some residents use their spaces for both functions, some only live in the community and others just work at SOHO Scottsdale. “We have attracted empty nesters, childless couples and professionals who home-manage their businesses, such as a hairstylist, an engineer, doctors, a comedy writer, a developer and others,” she says. “One common theme: They all love it at SOHO.” Residents can install elevators in their townhomes and Jacuzzi spas on their rooftop decks. “The views from the decks are spectacular! They’re the best seats in the house for looking at the McDowell Mountains or watching the fireworks at Westworld in July!” says Clary. Phases two and three will feature an additional 50 units, including a six- story, 22-unit loft building and 28 additional townhomes, as well as a pool and amenity space. Open-plan lofts and townhomes in both phases include two- bedroom ensuites that are 2,250 square feet to 3,900 square feet with three or four bedrooms and extensive storage space. A CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT SOHO Scottsdale Phase II aerial rendering; lofts 'elevated' living with optional elevator; Irene Catsibris Clary with architect Bing Hu at Rosedale opening; Phase II deck rendering with pickleball court, spa and firepit; McDowell Mountains from a patio at sunset; and Clary. @AZFOOTHILLS #AZFOOTHILLS 27 , C OUR TES Y SOHO SC O T T S D ALE , P A UL GITELSONSOHO Scottsdale’s pool and dog parkette are being built, and second-phase construction will begin this summer, with completion about a year out. The four-bedroom, four-bathroom penthouse suites are approximately 6,000 square feet and will include rooftop features such as Jacuzzis, splash pools and pickleball courts. Parking will be on level one, lofts on two, three and four and the luxury penthouses on five and six. “The penthouses are the ultimate lock-and-leave suites with their own guest quarters and elevators,” she says, noting that these offer as much as 2,700 square feet of patio space and rooftop decks looking out to the always-changing McDowells. Phase two units can be purchased now. LIVE-WORK LIFESTYLE SURGES The pandemic encouraged the popular work-from-home option, with many Americans doing that or choosing a hybrid situation. SOHO Scottsdale, the city’s first live-work design, is zoned for residential and commercial. “This concept allows for not only the convenience of working from home but also living in a boutique environment where people can actually get to know their neighbors,” Clary explains, noting that townhome residents in phase one have been holding small block parties to do just that. Live-work convenience also allows residents to enjoy the amenities at SOHO Scottsdale and nearby at Scottsdale Quarter, Kierland Commons and The Scottsdale Promenade. Within walking distance is WestWorld, site of the annual Barrett-Jackson Car Auction, the Stella Artois Polo Classic and the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. Nearby golf courses include TPC Scottsdale, where the WM Phoenix Open is hosted, Silverleaf Golf Club and McDowell Mountain Golf Club. The McDowell Sonoran Preserve provides some of the area’s most magnificent desert hiking trails. And, the community is conveniently near Loop 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard. A DEVELOPING HISTORY OF SUCCESS Clary has been in the land development industry for 35-plus years. Born in Toronto, she graduated from the University of Toronto with a bachelor’s degree in political science, expecting to attend law school. But the 24-year old accepted a job offer from a land developer working on a five-star resort hotel and “got hooked” into the development industry, eventually specializing in for-sale multi- family products. She married Andy five months after they met and moved to Phoenix in 2000; they have three children, one at home and two at ASU. One Sun Devil, Gregory, is continuing his mother’s charitable work with Teen Lifeline, which helps young people overcome internal obstacles. In 2003, she founded Catclar and began developing luxury townhomes and lofts. “In every community, I love to create quality and design that will withstand the test of time,” says Clary. “Each townhouse/loft is customized or upgraded to the buyer’s taste through our interior design team or one the owner chooses,” she explains. Energy-efficient elements, such as LED lighting and Low-E tinted dual-pane windows, are IGCC Green Certified by the city of Scottsdale, and SOHO homes are all base wired for Smart home functionality and electric vehicle charging. A double wall between homes delivers superior sound attenuation. High ceilings, quartz countertops, engineered wood flooring and top-quality cabinets are other standard features, with many upgrades available. As each home is different, so are the designs and design elements in each of the cities where Catclar builds. “We work very closely with surrounding neighborhood communities, municipalities and homeowners to achieve the best possible community within a particular municipality,” she says. At Rosedale, in the Arcadia community of Phoenix, for example, the townhomes incorporate mansard roofs, stylistically connecting them with some of the single-family homes in the area. And, in SOHO Scottsdale, artist Lauren Lee completed a mural and smaller wall vignettes highlighting the interconnectedness of man, technology and nature, which Clary says characterizes the high-tech community by the McDowells. She notes she needed 10 years of looking at the SOHO Scottsdale site before pinpointing its best use. She has become very involved in the construction process and carefully selects her contractors and sub-contractors: “I want to make sure that the people who honor me in buying my product are well taken care of from the ground up. They need to be very happy with their homes; if they’re not, I’m not.” Prices for the second phase at SOHO Scottsdale range from $1.5 million to $5.4 million. For more information, see Catclar.com and Sohoscottsdale.com or call 1-888-959-7646. n CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM At SOHO Scottsdale, lush trees decorate the courtyard spaces between the townhomes; open-space living room and kitchen; and expansive patio with mountain view. SOHO 28 AZFOOTHILLS.COM , C OUR TES Y SOHO SC O T T S D ALE , C OUR TES Y SOHO SC O T T S D ALE , C OUR TES Y SOHO SC O T T S D ALEwatch videoNext >