Weekend Getaway to Santa Fe 2023

Isabel and I love going to Santa Fe - first off, Isabel was born just north of Santa Fe in the town of Espańola and my Candelaria ancestry were one of the first of seven families to settle the Rio Grande Valley in 1690. So our DNA just jumps for joy when we are here.

Northbound on I-25 from Albuquerque to Santa Fe

There are several blogs from the past I have written about our Santa Fe trips so please check them out. This trip was specifically for our visiting Isabel’s Aunt and Uncle as they were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends. Isabel’s mom, Alette Thomson, joined us for just a quick three-day getaway where we flew into Albuquerque and made the approximate one our drive to Santa Fe where we enjoyed the afternoon.

Enjoying that delicious green chili martini at La Casa Sent.

Our first stop was supposed to be The Shed https://sfshed.com/ but they had a two hour wait, which is pretty normal, but we thought we might get lucky. Our fall back was just one courtyard over where we enjoyed a lovely lunch and a tasty green chile martini in the courtyard at La Casa Sena https://www.lacasasena.com/   Following lunch we did a little shopping around the Plaza and then made our way to our AirBnB just outside of the little artsy village of Tesuque, New Mexico.

Just off the Old Santa Fe Trail we had to take a gravel road through a wash and past an alpaca farm to our little adobe casa. What a lovely and quaint place this turned out to be. Old brick floors, wood casement windows, hand painted tiles and totally appointed with antiques from France and Spain. We settled in and all took a nice long siesta.

Our little Casita in Tesuque, New Mexico

Loved our Casita Cucina

Once we awoke, we piled back into our car and took off for Isabel’s Aunt and Uncle’s compound north of Espańola where we enjoyed reuniting with her family and a good old fashioned fish fry with of course some good New Mexican salsa and green chile. How nice to just chill on their front porch and really not have to do anything but relax – something I do not do very often.

Rancho de Chimayo

The next day was Sunday, and we were craving New Mexican food of course and so we were off to Rancho de Chimayo for some amazing enchiladas, eggs and margaritas….we were on vacation might as well get into the flow.  http://www.ranchodechimayo.com/

We picked up some goodies in their gift shop including of course powdered red chile, blue corn pancake mix and several other necessary provisions we always pick up when we come here. We tried to visit the famous church here in Chimayo the Santuario Chimayo, but the parking lot was completely packed so sadly we moved on. https://www.holychimayo.us/

Next stop was Abiquiu, New Mexico which is the home to the artist Georgia O’Keefe. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_O%27Keeffe I always love coming here as you can totally feel the spirit of this artist here and experience and enjoy the landscape that inspired her. We stopped at the Abiquiu Inn for a coffee and worked in a cat nap in the parking lot and then it was off to the 50th Anniversary party.

St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Abiquiu, New Mexico

Abiquiu Resevoir

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary to Terry and Randy Conley

Saturday night was a fish fry but tonight it was authentic New Mexican food, enchiladas, tamales, beans, rice, chips, salsa…it could not be better. Again, another evening to enjoy the cool outdoor New Mexico weather including a brief rain shower that cooled things off perfectly. I even got the chance to sing the Sweet Caroline and the National Anthem on the Barbie megaphone/karaoke machine! How special to be a part of this celebration of 50 years of marriage of Isabel’s Aunt and Uncle. Isabel and I will be celebrating our 10-year anniversary on the 16th of September and so its truly something to shoot for – I’ll be 103 years old but anything is possible.

Our lovely little chapel on our AirBnB property

Our third and final day, Monday, started with us all sleeping in as we were enjoying the cool air. I slept until 7:30 and which is quite the record for me! I got a little work done and slowly the ladies started moving. Isabel’s mom was reading about our AirBnB and discovered that there was a small chapel on the property that we were totally unaware of. We went out back and sure enough there it was! We all took the opportunity to stop and take some quiet time to say some prayers and just enjoy this lovely found treasure literally in our backyard.

Lunch at The Shed in Santa Fe

We then made our way back to the house, loaded up and headed to Santa Fe for the afternoon before our flight home. This time we did get to The Shed early enough, actually an hour early, to be the first in line. It was definitely worth the second effort as we enjoyed a fabulous New Mexican brunch.

Following brunch, Isabel and I made a 20-minute walk to the Inn of the Turquoise Bear to scout out our venue for our newest Candelaria Design Tour~Santa Fe which we have slated for the Fall of 2024. It appears we will be able to buy out the entire Bed and Breakfast venue as we did with The Setting Inn for our recently completed Willamette Valley, OR Wine and Food Tour. Isabel and I will host this five-day 2024 tour along with world renown photographer, Wes Johnson https://bendingthelight.com/ with the goal of combining photography, sketching and cooking! More details to follow and message us for more information and to get on the list as this will be an amazing artistic and culinary experience!

We finished our three-day getaway with a little more shopping on the Plaza and area surrounding and then it was back to Albuquerque and the flight home. Isabel and I both love coming here for a number of reasons. First, it is only a 45-minute flight from Phoenix. Second, we both share so much personal history with this place. Finally, we love the architecture, landscape, cuisine, people and culture of Santa Fe and this region of New Mexico. It is truly like leaving the United States and going to another country.  Isabel and I are looking forward to more of these long weekend escapes and our 2024 Tour, so stay tuned.

2021 Review & On To 2022!

CDA staff photo in front of football great Larry Fitzgerald's home we recently designed. Click photo for a full article in Luxe Magazine showcasing the home.

So who is ready to kickoff a fresh, new year? Well every year is a fresh start that is for sure. It’s nice to look back but it’s also great to think of all the possibilities that lie ahead and how we are the writer of our story. Each day truly is a gift and needs to be lived like its your last, or as Isabel tells me, lived as if it your first! Great perspective.

Let’s hope we have all learned some good lessons from these past years, like to appreciate our health, all that is good in our lives, how important our homes are, and to stop delaying on those things you've been wanting to do. For us at Candelaria Design, we always strive to live life to its fullest and inspire ourselves and others to do the same.

We have an exciting 2022 in the works with three Candelaria Design Tours; Oregon in May, Spain in June, and Italy in September. Then add in plenty of client dinners, fund raisers, site staking and house warming parties and 2022 will not be short of exciting events filled with #CandelariaStyle.

We have been so fortunate to have stayed busier than ever this year! Our work was published in numerous publications, we won two Luxe Red Awards, two Masonry Council Awards, and were named as a top architect firm by various outlets! Our Candelaria Design Team has really done a stellar job, especially given the unforeseen changes in the world, the housing market, the supply chain and even internal company changes this year.

So now, let’s take a look back at all we accomplished in 2021 at Candelaria Design! We all wish you a joyous, prosperous and healthy 2022.

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“Inspiring Living” Podcast

Mark's Inspiring Living Podcast has been going strong since September 2019 and has nearly 100 inspiring episodes! Take a look at our website's Podcast Page by clicking the image above to see all the past episodes and listen to some amazing stories.

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Recipes

As you know, Mark loves to cook and entertain, but did you know we have a wide variety of recipes on our website, many of which have YouTube video tutorials featuring either Mark or professional chefs! Click the image above to see for yourself and learn something new!

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To stay inspired and up to date on all our designs, events, podcasts, etc. follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

What to Look For When Designing or Shopping for a Luxury Home

When designing or shopping for a luxury home, there are many considerations. Location, size, architectural design, and privacy are a few of the reasons people are willing to pay a premium for this top tier of properties. However, it is the quality of materials that can truly set luxury homes apart. While high-quality materials are paramount, few buyers know exactly which materials to look for when searching for the home of their dreams. The following breakdown delves into the most sought after features in today’s home design and how to locate them when shopping for or designing a luxury home.

Dedicated Spaces

The prevailing trend in modern design over the last decade has been to tear down walls to create open and inviting spaces. And while the open layout is likely here to stay for kitchens and living rooms, contemporary luxury homes feature a good share of specialty rooms and partitioned areas.

Game hubs, workout rooms, and contactless delivery spaces are some of the most prominent dedicated spaces requested by luxury home shoppers. In this new era of remote work, even the home office is getting taken to the next level, with multiple work areas featured in some houses. Zoom walls, modular partitions, and acoustic ceiling clouds are ways that homeowners can ensure that more than one party can work or study simultaneously.

Operational Windows

The widespread virus has emphasized the importance of air quality and circulation. As a means of protecting health and wellness, luxury homeowners are eschewing fancy decorative windows in exchange for windows that can be easily opened. Casement or sliding glass windows with operable louvered shutters make for a great way to maximize air circulation while enhancing curb appeal.

Durable Kitchens

With more meals being prepared at home and casual get-togethers shifting from the bistro to private residences, it is more important than ever that the kitchen be able to withstand significant traffic without showing signs of wear. Features such as quartz countertops, rustic engineered wood flooring, and stainless steel fixtures are highly durable and require minimal maintenance.

Energy Efficient Features

There are more ways to create an energy-efficient luxury home than by having solar panels installed. While solar roofs are undoubtedly a strong option for reducing nonrenewable energy consumption, buyers are also interested in features such as Energy Star appliances, radiant floor heating, LED lighting, and smart glass windows as means of reducing the home’s energy consumption.

Exterior Living Spaces

As people spend more time at home, it is important that they be able to break the monotony of sitting inside all day. Therefore, contemporary luxury homes invest heavily in functional exterior spaces.

Covered decks, outdoor kitchens, and louvered pergolas are all some trendy features that are highly desirable to home shoppers. In addition, pass-through windows are becoming popular due to the accessibility they lend between the home’s interior and exterior, with some homes even choosing to feature café-style exterior seating on the deck or patio that opens directly into the kitchen.

Insulated Concrete Framing

As people are spending more time than ever at home, insulation has become a primary concern as a means of controlling utility consumption, with shoppers asking about foam board and fiberglass batts in the walls and polyiso insulation in the ceilings. For the more environmentally conscious, recycled denim rolls and batts are becoming a popular insulation trend and one we used in the first LEED Restaurant in Arizona, El Chorro, designed by of course, Candelaria Design.

Insulated concrete forms (ICF) is also becoming a staple as a modern luxury framing choice. In addition to elite weather resistance and thermal mass, ICF offers the highest quality protection from fire and insects, making it highly desirable in parts of the western United States that have been ravaged by wildfires in recent years.

There are many factors to balance when shopping for or designing a luxury home, with high-quality building materials being at the top of the list. However, the most contemporary trends in quality may be difficult for some buyers to stay ahead of. By considering the aforementioned points, buyers can gain a firm understanding of what to look for when shopping for a luxury home. 

Roger Marx is a contributor to the Innovative Building Materials blog. He is a content writer for the construction and home improvement industries . Roger is focused on educating homeowners, contractors, and architects on innovative materials and methods of construction that increase property value and improve sustainability.

Mark's Summer Escape in McMinnville, OR

Summer’s in Phoenix are the hottest, longest time of the year, a time when most people try to leave for a cooler climate. For my family and I, we started spending our summers in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho when my friend and client Patrick Murphy hired me to design his family a second home on stunning Lake Coeur d’Alene in 1999. In fact, we purchased a home there in 2004 and enjoyed many years of both summer and winter fun overlooking that magnificent lake. Fast forward nearly 20 years, my oldest daughter Tiffany urged us to “explore” and spend this summer somewhere else. So, I tasked her with finding a place that provided all of the following: a cool climate, a weekly farmer’s market, a small town but with fun things to do nearby, good food, and within reasonable driving distance from Phoenix. Well, she managed to find not only a town with all of that, but situated in a lush, rolling hills wine region! Needless to say, this is our new favorite summer spot.

McMinnville, Oregon is a small city of 34,000 people (10,000 less than Coeur d’Alene) an hour southwest of Portland and 45 minutes east of the coast, situated in the heart of the Willamette Valley. This region is known for its Pinot Noirs and there are literally hundreds of wineries to visit, serving much more than Pinots. Lucky for us, the wineries and tasting rooms were just starting to re-open to the public when we arrived on June 30th, along with dine-in restaurants, state parks and the weekly farmer’s market!

Mark enjoying a Pinot Noir at Domain Divio Winery

We rented a house on Airbnb about a mile from “main street” for the month of July. With the pandemic going on, neither myself nor my wife and daughter are working in the office, so we took all our work with us and my drafting table, cooking appliances, three bikes, and made the two-day drive to Oregon. We all got plenty of work done along with lots of walks through the woods, wine tastings, cooking and dining out, podcasts and rest. One podcast episode we recorded there featured one of the wonderful wineries we visited, Domaine Divio, and the owner and head winemaker there, Bruno Corneaux. Bruno grew up in Burgundy, France and went on to work in wineries around the world, before ending up in Oregon and starting Domaine Divio in 2014. Listen to this podcast episode here.

Tiffany & Isabel Candelaria at Domaine Serene Winery

We were so impressed by the wines, the landscape, the restaurants, the friendly people and the whole experience in and around McMinnville, we not only want to return as soon as possible, but we want to give all of you the opportunity to join us! Given everything I just mentioned, plus plenty of airports nearby and an array of accommodations, yet still relatively small and unknown, we decided this is a perfect location for a new Candelaria Design Tour!

The charming “main street” of McMinnville

Fresh berries from farm stands all around town.

Peruse the photos below we took during our month in Oregon and you’ll see what a charming place this region is and all it has to offer. We are planning the McMinnville/Willamette Valley Tour to take place in April 2022, with our Spain Tours remaining in June and our Italy Tours in September. 

We hope you all managed to get away this summer and have some fun in these challenging times. We look forward to welcoming you into our office and new demonstration kitchen as soon as it is safe. In the meantime, comment below to let us know your favorite summer destinations and connect with me on Facebook and Instagram @markcandelaria. 

Sliding Into Summer

CDA Team in Newport Beach, CA for MAPS training last Summer.

Well this has been an interesting year so far and as we continue in these uncertain times, Candelaria Design wishes everyone good health and prosperity. 

We have always felt it important to learn from difficult situations and to find or create positivity out of any negative obstacles. Our team started working from home on March 13th and we are so grateful to be able to serve our clients despite the 'stay at home' orders. We understand the value of everyone's safety and time, which is why we have decided to continue working remote for a few more weeks and will continue to encourage virtual meetings in the future. We appreciate everyone's cooperation and have found our clients appreciate the efficiency and convenience of these virtual meetings. 

We are fortunate to be staying very busy and now that our office expansion has come to completion, we are very excited to add talented additions to our already dedicated team! Our first hire is Architect Jeff Innes, AIA, who has rejoined our team after a few years away. Jeff Innes brings enthusiastic experience and his joy for architecture has already added energy to our remote office culture!

After completing our office expansion, we know firsthand how a remodel can change a person’s wellbeing, which is why we encourage anyone to contact us with any remodeling work or questions! Check out the Before & After kitchen photos below and our Before and After page on our website for further inspiration.

It is also apparent to us the ways we adapt our homes and way of life after this event will change. Check out this article from Houzz - we could not agree more! Mud Rooms are becoming receiving, decontamination, and sterilization spaces. Our Home Offices are taking on a whole new level of sophistication and home schooling/homework areas are taking on new responsibilities. Dining out has changed and many people are now looking to update their kitchens.  As staying at home has be come a new way of life for many of us, we will keep you updated on the latest remodel trends and ideas.  Remodels and Additions make up the majority of our workload and many completed remodels have been added to our marquee portfolio! 

As we slide into the summer, it is clear change and making adjustments are inevitable. Whether you are interested in remodeling your home, your business needs help getting the word out, or you're interested in adding a new recipe to your routine, Candelaria Design is here for you and we couldn't do this without YOU! Stay positive and know that as the world slows down, it presents a great opportunity to try something new!

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Press

The current May issue of Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine features a Spanish-Colonial Candelaria Design home which also graces the cover. The project is a 10,000 sq. ft. home in Silverleaf - was lead by Candelaria Design’s Tim Mathewson with interiors and furnishings by the Earth and Images team.  The home was built by Schultz Development. Check out the feature by clicking here.

Arizona Foothills digital publication has begun a series of articles featuring Candelaria Design Associates. This first article was written by Mark Candelaria looking back on the past, speaking about the present, and giving us his vision for the future of the firm as he slowly segues into retirement. Click here to read the article.

Arizona Foothills Magazine has named us Best Architecture Firm of the year in their May issue “Best of the Valley” - we appreciate it!

Luxe Magazine Arizona’s March/April issue featured this gorgeous Santa Barbara-style remodel lead by Mark Candelaria and Damon Wake “combining coastal elegance with desert tranquility” in Paradise Valley. Visit our Press page to see more of this article.

Also in April, this gorgeous Candelaria Design estate designed a decade ago just sold for $17.5 million, that’s the second highest property sale in Arizona history. The highest was the $19.25 million sale generated late last year by the sale of Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver’s estate nearby.

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Inspiring Living Podcast

Our podcast continues to grow as we release a new episode every week featuring an inspiring guest! If you have not yet listened to our podcast, what are you waiting for? The podcast is not specifically about design and architecture, but more about the interesting people we know and work with, their story, and how they Inspire Living. To see all of the past podcasts and learn more about each, visit: https://www.candelariadesign.com/inspiring-living-podcast

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Recipes

Did you catch our Instagram Live/IGTV Virtual Cooking classes this month?! In the first Saturday class, Mark & his daughter Tiffany walked viewers through how to make fresh pasta dough and then use their pasta machines to roll out the dough and turn it into fresh Fettuccini! Visit our Instagram page or website’s Recipe Page to see the recipe and video, or click here!

And you can order your own Candelaria Collection pasta maker right here: https://www.candelariadesign.com/candelaria-collection

The second virtual cooking class, Mark and Tiffany made the classic Italian dessert Tiramisu for Mother’s Day. Visit our Instagram page or website’s Recipe Page to see the recipe and video, or click here

Our third virtual cooking class will be Saturday, May 30th live on Instagram at 10am AZ time. Mark and Isabel Candelaria will be teaching you how to make Paella along with some special guests with them in our new showroom kitchen!

Thank you for following us and enjoying our Candelaria Style! We encourage you to follow us on Instagram and Facebook and our weekly Podcast and now our YouTube Virtual Cooking Classes. A lot more to come so Tune In!

March Madness

Well, this is a month we will not soon forget. . . and I’m alright with that. Times like these make us reassess what’s truly important in life, things like family, friends, your team, and your home! Reach out to your friends and family, take time to improve and enjoy your home, spread kindness at every turn - not panic and fear! So much of getting through the tough times has to do with your mindset. Taking positive actions and small steps add up to miles and if we all move in this direction the outcome will overcome any adverse scenario!

Here at Candelaria Design, we received five calls for new projects just this week! Our team is cranking remotely and we are in contact with all our clients and conducting lots of virtual meetings!

The opportunities that are waiting once this storm clears will be unprecedented - trust me. This is the 6th economic crisis in my lifetime and I have made it through all of them and we will make it through this one too! Stay safe, be smart, lay low, be positive, pray for others and save these posts to re-read them when the good times return so we never take the simple days and joys for granted!

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Recipe: Spatchcock Grilled Jerk Chicken

Use this extra time at home to make some delicious meals. Here I have a zesty grilled Jerk chicken recipe for you that’s easy, filling and makes great leftover options.

Ingredients

6 Servings per chicken

• 1 medium organic whole chicken

• 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

• One New Mexico dried red chili, de-seeded, de-stemmed and chopped/crushed.

• 2 tbsp of Caribbean jerk seasoning

• Fresh Italian parsley, coarsely chopped as needed.

• ¼ cup of olive oil as needed to cover the chicken

• 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp pepper

Preparation

• To spatchcock the chicken – wash the chicken and pat dry. Then lay the chicken breast side down on a cutting board. I like to use a set of kitchen shears and cut along both sides of the chicken backbone and remove the backbone. Turn the bird over and flatten the bird out by cracking the breast bone.

• I then sprinkle some olive oil over the chicken and use my hands to rub it all over the chicken – then wash!

• Then squeeze lime juice all over the chicken and then generously sprinkle the jerk seasoning combined with the garlic and red chili all over the chicken, along with salt and pepper.

• Then place the chicken on the grill breast side up (if grilling on a Weber or similar grille, grill the chicken indirectly) and grill the chicken for about 30-45 minutes before flipping to the other side and grill another 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the chicken until the chicken comes up to a temperature of 165º. I love to grill the chicken on my Traeger grill and so I set mine to Smoke until I see the smoke and then I crank my Traeger to 450º.

• After grilling, let the chicken rest by covering with foil for 10-15 minutes. Cut the chicken into the pieces you like and garnish with more freshly squeezed lime juice and sprinkling of parsley. Serve with grilled vegetables, or rice, potatoes, risotto etc. Save the leftovers for topping a salad, tacos, whatever – ENJOY.

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Inspiring Living Podcast

We recently released our thirtieth podcast of Inspiring Living and our subscribers have been growing steadily. Thank you for all the listens and subscribes! We have had many amazing guests on our first 30 podcasts and have many more forthcoming! If you have not listened to our podcast give it a go and let us know what you think by giving us a subscribe, a rating, and/or comments. Our podcast is not specifically about design and architecture but more about the interesting people we know and work with, their story, and how they Inspire Living. To see all of the past Podcasts and learn more about each, visit: https://www.candelariadesign.com/inspiring-living-podcast

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Candelaria Design Tours

Sadly, due to the spread and future uncertainty of COVID-19 we decided earlier this month to suspend our June 2020 Candelaria Design Tour Spain and our October 2020 Candelaria Design Tour Italy this year.

We plan to resume next year with a France/London Tour in 2021 in lieu of the Spain Tour and an incredible Croatia/Italy Tour in 2021.

Ciao for now~

Getting 2020 in Gear

Welcome to the New Year – well ok, the second month of 2020 is already over! I have not posted a blog since September, so that gives you an idea of how busy it has been. Let’s just say – it’s definitely busy!!! Nonetheless, it’s good to take some time to share some of the fun we’ve been having here at Candelaria Design!

We started January with a fantastic evening at Gigi’s Playhouse Gala at the JW Marriott Hotel at Desert Ridge. We are very proud to be a part of this event every year and along with Earth and Images Interiors we have donated our services since their inception in creating Gigi’s Playhouse, Café and University for children and young adults with Downs Syndrome.

This all was the result of the collaboration of Candelaria Design and Earth and Images designing the home for the Founder, Jennifer Gage, which was featured on the Phoenix Home and Garden Magazine Home Tour in 2017. We put together a fun group at a Candelaria Design ~ Earth and Images table and had a fabulous evening. We encourage you to listen to our Podcast Inspiring Living Episode 21 where we feature the fabulous Founder, Jennifer Gage! (Past podcast links below)

Mid December, Mark put his chef’s apron on for client and friend, Phyllis Lerners’ birthday celebration at their newly completed, gorgeous 11,000 sq. ft. Rural Mediterranean Candelaria Design home built by Manship Builders. Mark, daughter Tiffany, who recently joined the CDA Team, and two assistants cooked, cleaned and served an elaborate five course meal for 30 of Phyllis’s closest friends.

A few weeks ago, Candelaria Design hosted a private tour and dinner at the famed Taliesin West on January 16th and in the process raised roughly $4000 for Taliesin West and The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Taliesin West is a UNESCO World Heritage site and National Historic Landmark nestled in the desert foothills of the McDowell Mountains in Scottsdale, AZ. It is also the home of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and the School of Architecture at Taliesin. The evening was hosted by Candelaria Design, with Taliesin West graduate and CDA Project Manager, Jochen Walther, giving our 30 guests a private tour followed by cocktails at sunset and then the dinner served in the infamous Cabaret Room.

What an honor it was to have Taliesin all to ourselves and feel the vibe of Frank Lloyd Wright from the fabulous stories by Foundation President and CEO Stuart Graff. We want to thank all of you who donated to the Foundation by enjoying the private tour and dinner with us at Taliesin.

Inspiring Living Podcast

We have just completed and released our thirtieth podcast of Inspiring Living and our subscribers have been growing steadily. Thank you for all the listens and subscribes! We have had many amazing guests on our first 30 podcasts and have many more forthcoming! If you have not listened to our podcast give it a go and let us know what you think by giving us a subscribe, a rating, and/or comments. Our podcast is not specifically about design and architecture but more about the interesting people we know and work with, their story, and how they Inspire Living. To see all of the past Podcasts and learn more about each, visit: https://www.candelariadesign.com/inspiring-living-podcast

Check out these past podcast episodes since December and to stay up to date, subscribe!

Bringing The Bling To Living With Scott & Marla Berger

Building The Ultimate Dream Home With Habitat For Humanity

Photographer Julianne Palmer Talks Perspective

The Art Of Living With Art Featuring Niki Woehler

AV & Home Automation Revealed With Deric Andre

There Is Always A Way With ASU Football Legend Juan Roque

Our Angel On Earth-Jennifer Gage Of Gigi's Playhouse

No Reserve On Balance - Auctiontainer, Letitia Frye

Power Couple Elliot Barkan & Corinne Hale - They Launch Real Estate

Actress, Fashion Model & Entrepreneur - Clarissa Burt

Evan & Christian Delaney Inspire Men's Fashion

Mid-January I did a “podcast swap” with my friend, Founder and Publisher of the luxury lifestyle magazine ICONIC LIFE , Renee Dee. Check out Mark’s podcast about Renee and her life in media here: Living Beautifully With Renee Dee and then Renee’s podcast featuring Mark: Mark Candelaria Exemplifies Inspired Living On Iconic Hour

Last week, I got to be the guest on an amazing, national podcast I’ve been listening to for months called “The Hustle Sold Separately” by Matt Gottesman. We discussed how I get and stay inspired, energized and aligned and that whole concept of work-life-balance. “The Hustle Sold Separately” is aimed at the emerging creative entrepreneurial class, new-economy doers and global non-conformists. It focuses on humanizing the entrepreneurial journey by providing actionable advice and interviews from global creators and peers who are embracing the journey, building their brands, growing their companies and disrupting the industry, along with their own personal/professional journey.

Press

To kick off the new year, Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine featured two of Candelaria Design’s homes. The January 2020 article highlighted the project I got to team up with my wife, Interior Designer and now Master of the Southwest, Isabel Candelaria, of Earth and Images for the transformation of an outdated house in Paradise Valley, Arizona. This remodel/makeover was featured on the Phoenix Home and Garden 2019 Fall Home Tour and featured great work by Candelaria Design Project Manager, Damon Wake and Earth and Images Jr. Designer, Nikka Bochniak.  The home was built by True Performance Construction. Check out the feature here: https://www.candelariadesign.com/press/2019/12/13/phoenix-home-and-garden-features-candelaria-design-in-the-january-2020-issue

The following month, Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine featured a home I designed with now Principal and then Project Manager, Vivian Ayala over a decade ago in their “Art and Artist’s” February edition highlighting homes with spectacular works of art. The home was built by GMHunt Builders and landscaped by Berghoff Design Group.  Check out the feature here: https://candelaria-dev.squarespace.com/press/2020/1/17/enjoy-our-newest-beautiful-feature-story-in-the-february-edition-of-phoenix-home-amp-garden

Candelaria Design was named as a LUXE Magazine  2020 Gold List Honoree and Mark Candelaria attended the Hot List party in Miami, Florida on February 13th along with recipients from Arizona and across the country. https://luxesource.com/candelaria-design-associates/?year=goldlist2020

Also, Home Builder Digest listed CDA as one of the Best Residential Architect in Scottsdale, Arizona. https://www.homebuilderdigest.com/the-best-residential-architects-in-scottsdale-arizona/  

And last but not least, my wonderful wife Isabel was awarded the honor of Master of the Southwest 2020 by Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine this month! Take a look at the lovely magazine feature here including another Candelaria Design ~ Earth and Images collaboration featuring the work of Candelaria Design Project Manager, Damon Wake and Earth and Images Jr. Designer, Nikka Bochniak.

The Earth and Images Crew - Congrats!

Candelaria Design Tours

Last Friday we got our 2020 Napa Travelers together for the Pre-Napa Tour Dinner at the Herb Box in Old Town Scottsdale. Our first Candelaria Design Tour Napa will kick off on April 3rd where we will enjoy 5 days and nights at the Las Alcobas Hotel in St. Helena, CA. This tour is sold out so follow us here and on Instagram and Facebook.

We also hosted two Candelaria Design Tour Italy Reunion Dinners and a Candelaria Design Tour Italy Spello Wine Tasting evening. Our reunion dinners were from our 2015 and 2016 Tours and the Spello Wine Tasting was from two trips whereupon the Angelina family from Spello, Italy and Enoteca Properzio prepared a fabulous beef tenderloin dinner and choreographed a phenomenal wine tasting at Casa Candelaria. Based on how much wine our 20 guests ordered, it was well worth their effort!

Sadly, due to the potential complications and uncertainty of the coronavirus which has now hit Italy and Spain, we are suspending our June 2020 Candelaria Design Tour Spain and our October 2020 Candelaria Design Tour Italy this year. It is just too risky to take the chance of getting there and travelers getting sick or being quarantined for unknown lengths of time. We will try and resume next year with a France/London Tour in 2021 in lieu of the Spain Tour and a Croatia/Italy Tour in 2021. We are also looking to add a Santa Fe Tour in 2021 to alternate years with our new Napa Tour – but we will see what transpires in the weeks and months ahead and remain flexible.

We wish everyone a strong finish to the first quarter and continued good health! I think it is important we all work together, take care of each other, stay calm and be smart. We are fortunate to be working on amazing projects here in Arizona and across the country, so stay tuned and follow us on our social media, podcasts and blog! Thanks for living your life in Candelaria Style!

Super Bowl Sunday Tiramisu

Let's get the dessert started so it can chill and set up while we watch the big game.

Here are the ingredients:

Zabaglione

1/8" cup of heavy cream

1/4" cup of semisweet chocolate chips

4 large egg yolks

1/3 cup of sugar

1/3 cup of Marsala wine or Vin Santo

Pinch of salt

I start by warming up 1/8" cup of heavy cream in a sauce pan just so its warmed over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Keep warm.

Then in a metal bowl add the sugar, egg yolks, pinch of salt, and Marsala wine and whisk them together. While doing this I get a large pot with about 2" of water heating up. Get this hot but not boiling - just steaming nicely. Place the metal bowl over the pot and keep whisking the mixture. Use a candy thermometer and keep whisking until the mixture is thick like a custard and the temp of the custard is around 160º to 165º. Don't let the eggs scramble! Whisk away. When you hit 160º take the metal bowl off the heat and whisk a bit more so the custard is nice and thick like a soupy pudding.

Fold in the chocolate chip mixture so they are all combined and chill the metal bowl in the fridge.

This is a great dessert on its own with fruit in a dessert cup!

Tiramisu

1- 8 ounce tub of Marscapone Cheese

3/4 cup of heavy cream

2/3 cup of sugar

2 cups of coffee or espresso

32 Savolardi ladyfinger cookies.

Unsweetened Cocoa powder sifted over the top.

Take the heavy cream and 1/3 cup of sugar and whip this into stiff peaks.  Then stir in the Marscapone Cheese and mix. If you have an electric mixer that is the way to go for perfect consistency. Then add the Zabaglione and mix that in. Get it all smooth and incorporated.

Line a 9-1/2" x 5" x 2-1/4" meatloaf pan with saran wrap. Then take the coffee and dissolve 1/3 cup of sugar and combine. Dip one cookie at a time very quickly so they do not get too soggy and line the bottom of the pan with the sugar side down. Line the entire bottom with the dipped cookies and then spread half of the Zabaglione mixture over the top with a spatula. Then add another layer of dipped cookies. Add the final half of the Zabaglione mixture and then a final layer of dipped cookies.

Wrap with saran wrap and let the whole thing sit in the fridge for about 6 hours to set up.  When ready to serve, unwrap the top, flip the pan over on a decorative plate and unwrap the saran wrap from the bottom (now the top). Sift some unsweetened cocoa over the top, slice and serve.