Spain 2019 - Here we Go and THANK YOU!!!

I am SO excited to be kicking off our 3rd Candelaria Design Tour Spain! 16 of my 22 total travelers will be departing Phoenix this Wednesday afternoon, May 29th, and we will be arriving in Barcelona, Spain the afternoon of Thursday May 30th. Five of my travelers are already in Europe. My wife, Isabel, and two of our best friends and clients we are currently designing a home for just arrived in Rome and will be near Positano on the Amalfi Coast sourcing materials. Two more of my travelers couldn’t wait to get started so they left for Barcelona and are already there exploring. The five of them will all meet us in Barcelona on Thursday.

Needless to say, we are so excited and I have an amazing itinerary with tours of the works of Gaudi, Tapas and culinary tours in Barcelona, Granada and San Sebastián, Turkish Baths in Granada, tours of the Alhambra, cooking classes in San Sebastián, and Flamenco dancing in Adalusian caves just to name a few adventures on this year’s journey. 

Follow us right here on our blog and on our social media. We have two amazing photographers/videographers coming so we will be sharing some spectacular content along the way. 

Today is a very special day also in that it is the two year anniversary of when Isabel and I heard the doctors say those words know one ever wants to hear….”I’m sorry, but you have cancer.” So much goes through your mind when you hear that but the first thing we said to each other was let’s keep living and we will just do our best to follow God’s plan whatever that may be. Our first Spain Tour was just a few weeks away and the docs said to go ahead and go and Isabel could start chemo when she returned. That proved to be great advice as we realized it was in fact important to keep living and living we did. Despite 16 chemo treatments, surgery, and 33 radiation treatments, including treatment number 30 where they told Isabel she now had a brain tumor we kept living our lives. On treatment 33 they did a radiation mega zap and eliminated what was left of her breast cancer and hit a bullseye on the brain cancer. 

Now two years later, Isabel actually just arrived on the Amalfi Coast in Italy with our two best friends and clients who are building a new home virtually a block away from where we live. My angel keeps going and keeps  #inspiringlivingas we like to hashtag all the time. Thank you to all of you for being there for both of us and for praying for my Isabel. 

To celebrate and to keep this fight going I volunteered my time and my team’s time to the Arizona Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and their annual fundraiser Man and Woman of the Year. This is the last week to give and their Gala is next week so I hope you find some time to GIVE to this amazing organization that makes such a difference in so many lives. The progress we have seen in the two years this became a part of our world is astounding. 

https://pages.mwoy.org/az/az19/mcandelari

I want to thank my Assistant, Stacey Payne, who has really done so much to make my campaign go and operate! Her brother was fighting cancer he same time Isabel was and her brother also survived. We had many mornings together wondering what was ahead for those that were so dear to us. We both feel honored to have a chance to say thank you.

Thanks to David Neishabori and Azadi Fine Rugs  https://azadifinerugs.com/?keyword_session_id=vt~adwords%7Ckt~%7Cmt~b%7Cta~324572288331&_vsrefdom=wordstream&gclid=CjwKCAjw8qjnBRA-EiwAaNvhwCAGdNqF80b8lNqmFWWaLerH-VN8acJpVrGXA75DVLXC7hDk-cEi-hoCBwIQAvD_BwE

for the full page add in this month’s Phoenix Home and Garden Magazine on behalf of this fund raiser. Man, you are an amazing friend and a good person to have in our design community. God bless you. 

Thanks to all the others who have donated silent auction items, including a beautiful handmade jacket from Evan Delaney, an amazing painting from artist, Kathy Henneman, a signed jersey from Larry Fitzgerald, and we are auctioning off two spots flying business class to and from ITLAY for this year’s 2019 Candelaria Design Tour Italy. We will be sending out the link for this auction item this week with all of the proceeds going to the fundraiser. 

As you can see I have a lot of “THANKS” – so much to be grateful for that is for sure. We have been busy too. Check out our videos on our Candelaria Design Channel on YouTube and on our website. We have posted some fun videos of our homes and our cooking including last weekend’s trip to Flagstaff where we did some cooking in our Mountain Lodge at Pine Canyon. 

Another thank you to Phoenix Home and Garden Magazine for our feature of our Candelaria Design home in Montecito in the June Issue https://indd.adobe.com/view/8c3250a0-8c92-40c4-a03c-147fbdf1ce2d. More to come on this one but such an amazing story. This is the second home we have designed for this amazing couple who have become true lifelong friends and in fact were at Isabel and my wedding at Lake Como. How’s that???? Also, so proud to have made the cover with this truly memorable home. Special thanks and kudos to my associate and Project Architect, Jeff Kramer AIA, Donna Vallone and Shane Mehrer of Vallone Design https://www.vallonedesign.com and Landscape Designer Puck Erickson of Arcadia Studio http://www.arcadiastudio.com for their masterful collaboration on this beautiful legacy project.

Finally, I will close with a thank you to LUXE Magazine and our second RED award in as many years for Best Classical Architecture in the Arizona Region https://luxeredawards.com https://luxeredawards.com/2019_regional_winner/candelaria-design-associates/#.XOroTi_Mwn0 for a home we took over during framing and converted the design from a ranch style to a classic French Revival. The home was built by Brimley Development http://www.brimdev.com/#home.html

with Interiors by DeCesare Design Group http://decesaredesigngroup.com

Ok time to go pack, get a couple renderings done, and get the Traeger fired up for some short rib red chile enchiladas tonight! See you in Spain! Adios. 

Exploring Milan and Napa April 2019

Las Alcobas - Napa Valley

Well 2019 is off to the races. I cannot believe I have not written a blog in over four months! What the heck. I guess it means we are busy – which we most definitely are!

I write today’s blog from the Napa Valley and I want to start off with wishing everyone a very Happy Easter and Passover! It’s time to start fresh, to rejuvenate, and rejoice and I cannot even begin to express the gratitude and joy I have with the news we received this week from my wife, Isabel’s doctors, that all of her tests came back cancer free! We cannot be more filled with humble happiness and we want to thank all of you who have been there for both of us and our family through this journey. Every day, every moment, is an absolute miracle and gift so please remember that as you go through each day and don’t sweat the small stuff in life. Love at every opportunity, give back wherever and whenever you can, and take time to savor life…and we are doing just that here in Napa!

Speaking of Napa, we are here this weekend putting the finishing touches on our first Candelaria Design Tour Napa set for October 3 – 8th, 2019! This will be our 20thCandelaria Design Tour! There are a few spots left but for the most part, this tour is virtually sold out with repeat travelers! Thank you!!! 

Our view from the Las Alcobas Luxury Hotel in St. Helena

We depart for our 3rd Candelaria Design Tour Spain on May 29th which is SOLD OUT, and then we have our 16th Candelaria Design Tour Italy set for September 11th and we have room for three or four on that tour. Don’t wait to book your 2020 Tours as they are filling fast. 

Candelaria Design Tour Spain 2018 San Sebastian

San Francisco 2019

Our Napa Tour is going to be fantastic. Five days of wine tours, tastings, amazing cuisine experiences, shopping, spa and oh yeah, maybe some architecture! We were going to start the tour in San Francisco, but after our visit there this week we decided to bypass this stop as frankly I was appalled as to what has become of this once beautiful city. I won’t go into the details, but the aromatic blend of urine and marijuana doesn’t inspire me and does not set the tone for the kind of experience we want to create or promote…and we were in the luxury part of the city! I hope San Francisco wakes up and gets their city back!

Las Alcobas Hotel Pool

After our San Francisco experience we were really happy to come to the Napa Valley. We checked into the Las Alcobas Hotel https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sfola-las-alcobas-a-luxury-collection-hotel-napa-valley/?scid=bb1a189a-fec3-4d19-a255-54ba596febe2and right away we were mesmerized and transported to another world! This will likely be our home for the five days we enjoy the Napa Valley. 

View from our suite!

Patio heaven.

We have enjoyed several wineries, including Rombauer https://www.rombauer.com, Mending Wall https://www.mendingwall.com, Orin Swift http://www.orinswift.com/index.cfm, Caymus https://www.caymus.com, Cakebread https://www.cakebread.com, and V. Sattui https://www.vsattui.comamongst others….there is only so much time!  

Then add our dining experiences from Bouchon https://www.thomaskeller.com/bouchonyountville, Press http://www.pressnapavalley.comand Bottega https://www.botteganapavalley.comwe have been enjoying the amazing farm fresh cuisine. 

After enjoying the wine and cuisine of Napa Valley you need to recharge and rejuvenate and so for Easter Sunday we spent the afternoon at the Atrio Spa at our hotel Las Alcobas. Now I designed the Enchantment Resort and Spa in Sedona and the Atrio Spa is definitely worth the visit. Definitely a recharging and rejuvenating experience and we are looking forward to our Tour travelers enjoying an afternoon of food and wine recovery! https://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/fitness-spa-services/details/sfola-las-alcobas-a-luxury-collection-hotel-napa-valley/6040989/

Now people ask me aren’t you worried about giving your tour ideas away and the answer is no because not only is it about the places, but it is about the order we move the group and more than anything it is the group of people we put together for these tours and the lasting friendships that come from these journeys. So Napa 2019 is off to a great start and we look forward to sharing Spain, Italy and then Napa for our 20thTour Anniversary. 

Lisa and Dave Matthews with Isabel at the Galleria in Milan

So Napa was this week and last week Isabel and I were joined by  Project Architect, Lisa Matthews, and her husband Dave in Milan, Italy for Design Week! What a great trip as we joined with DeCesare Design Group and Tom Argue of Argue Custom Homes to meet our client from Munich, Germany for some shopping and design time. Milan was fantastic and the Design Week show was great. Isabel and I even had a little time to escape to our wedding spot at Villa d’ Este on Lake Como https://villadeste.grandluxuryhotels.com/en/h/163/villa-d-este?gclid=CjwKCAjwzPXlBRAjEiwAj_XTEeAZmBf6bZKPlZdjNbOIMbPypuGw7wSONWj5yhQ2RFbkD85mcNo3uBoCLZkQAvD_BwEfor cocktails and dinner at https://www.ristorantegattonero.it/it/Plenty of things to see and experience at Design Week in Milan from the classics to modern and well worth the trip and experience. Milan is great and we truly enjoyed our time there. 

MC and Caroline DeCesare in Milan at Design Week

Mark and Isabel at their wedding spot at Villa d’Este on Lake Como

Ok besides travel we have been working like crazy and we have amazing projects on the boards and being built and completed. 

We were proud to have a number of our homes featured on ABC 15 Sonoran Living a couple weeks ago and we used the spot to kick off our Leukemia and Lymphoma Arizona Society Man of the Year fund raiser. Isabel and I look forward to working with this organization in raising funds and awareness for something that obviously means a great deal to us. Our fundraising campaign is underway and we ask you help us make a difference by making a donation to our campaign. https://pages.mwoy.org/az/az19/mcandelari



We are also always happy to have several features in local magazines. First, thank you Southwest LifestyleMagazine for featuring our Paradise Valley Hillside Contemporary home built by Schultz Development In fact, we have 29 pages of our content throughout the magazine so thank you! 

We thank Scottsdale Modern Luxury InteriorsMagazine for featuring our October 2018 Client Appreciation Party, Ranking Arizonafor ranking Candelaria Design Number 1, Paradise Valley Magazinefor featuring one of our Arcadia homes built by Santorini Homes, and Troon Livingfor a beautiful feature showcasing all the styles of homes we do!

 We thank Modern Luxury Magazine for featuring our three Principals, Vivian Ayala, Meredith Thomson and Evelyn Jung in their Dynamic Woman feature!

Actress Rita Wilson, MC and Mrs. Mohammad Ali at Fight Night

I also had the amazing experience of singing the National Anthem at this year’s Celebrity Fight Night on March 23rdat the JW Marriott at Desert Ridge https://celebrityfightnight.org. Thank you, Jimmy Walker, for this opportunity – no pressure singing with Quincy Jones sitting right in front of you and hanging out with actress Rita Wilson and Mrs. Muhammad Ali backstage. I guess I did ok but Quincy didn’t sign me so I guess I’ll keep drawing! 

MC with Celebrity Fight Night Host Jimmy Walker

 We are also proud to announce that we have two new licensed architects on staff, Lisa Mallas Matthews and Peter Ekama, both longtime members of our Candelaria Design team passed their exams and now are officially “Architects”! This is no easy process and we are so proud of their efforts and commitment to themselves and the profession. 

Lisa Mallas Matthews - ARCHITECT

Peter Ekama - ARCHITECT

Moving on, we have a lot of amazing projects underway both on the boards and under construction. We are starting several projects throughout the Valley, the state of Arizona, and have several going across the country and several new projects brewing that are over the top. 

Candelaria Design home with Santorini Custom Homes and H Ryan Interiors in Arcadia

Candelaria Design home in Montecito, CA with Vallone Design

Of course, we are always looking to give back and the Candelaria Team just recently donated our time and services for a new expansion at The Ryan House and our team volunteered several weekends to paint a fantastic mural on the side of the addition! Special kudos to Architect, Peter Ekama who spearheaded the project and Candelaria Design artist, Hector Medina for orchestrating the mural.  https://www.ryanhouse.org

We also were proud to work with Santorini Homes on the design of a Designer PlayHouse for Panda and their event last month! Thanks again to our on-staff artist, Hector Medina, for his work on this creation!  https://www.azpanda.org

On May 20th, I will be speaking to the homeless at St. Vincent De Paul. This will be my second time speaking and I have had a lot of time to think about my message this time especially in light of my recent trip to San Francisco. So much needs to be done but everyone, including the homeless, need to make an effort and contribution no matter how small and that will be the essence of my message. https://www.stvincentdepaul.net

 Vivian Ayala and Samar Kattan kindly attended the Central Arizona Habitat for Humanity Blueprints and Bluejeans fund raiser of which I am proudly a Board Member. We were blessed to have our client and good friend, Jerry Colangelo and his lovely wife Joan be the keynote speaker and we heard the evening was a smashing success!

Thank you Jerry Colangelo

Ok - stay tuned to our Sketch Daily’s as we post new videos each week featuring the activities, tours, and projects of the Candelaria Design Team spreading the Candelaria Style! Subscribe and catch them all!

http://www.candelariadesign.com/sketch-daily/

I hope everyone is having a great spring and let’s get ready for summer! Follow our travels to Spain here starting on May 29th. I’ll do my best to do some blogging along the way!

Happy New Year - 2019...Here we GO!

And so we are charging into 2019 and wow what a January so far! I hope everyone had wonderful Holidays and their 2019 is off to a great start!  We are very excited to begin this year – so many things in the works and so many things to look forward to!

For starters, those of you who missed our Christmas Eve feature on Fox 10 Cool House here is the link: 

I want to thank our client for opening up their home which was one of three homes featured in Patricia Hart McMillan’s book Christmas by Design, available on Amazon. Thank you to Fox 10’s Syleste Rodriguez who is always a joy to work with. We are looking forward to sharing more Candelaria Design Cool Homes in 2019. 

We are also proud to have several features in local magazines. First, thank you Phoenix Magazine and writer Jenna Ortiz for the feature in the December Issue on our Candelaria Tours. We are excited for our 2019 Tours, with our third tour to Spain in June, our 16thtour to Italy in September, and now a new Napa tour that we are co-hosting with Your Iconic Life.

Tiffany Candelaria

Check out the article written by my daughter, Tiffany Candelaria, for Iconic on our time in San Sebastian’ https://iconiclife.com/san-sebastian-culinary-capital/ 

Next, thank you LUXE Magazine for your feature on our Candelaria Design home in your current January/February 2019 Issue! We have 12 pages and 12 fabulous photos in the feature. Fabulous work by interior designer Jana Parker Lee of Wiseman & Gale, Lighting by Creative Design in Lighting and Landscape Design by Berghoff Design Group. Special call out to fellow Candelaria Design Principal & Architect, Meredith Thomson, AIA for leading this project from start to finish. 

Then, thank you Arizona Red Book Magazine and writer Karen Fernau for the wonderful feature in this month’s magazine on Isabel and I and our wonderful dinner parties and our love of cooking and hosting our friends, clients, and family to dinners at Casa Candelaria. We love having this important aspect of our personal life featured and we look forward to many wonderful dinners ahead. 

Moving on, we have a lot of amazing projects underway both under construction and on the boards. We are starting several projects throughout the Valley , the state of Arizona, and have several going across the country! It is really exciting to see the expanse of our market and the opportunity to work in so many new markets.

Project Manager, Damon Wake and I are off to Greensboro, NC next weekend to start on a wonderful new home on a 13.5 acre estate, with Salt Lake City, designer Anne-Marie Barton http://annemariebarton.comand local landscape designer, Jeff Berghoff http://www.berghoffdesign.com. Stay tuned for more on this project. 

We are excited about the Southeast Market and Isabel and her associate, Nikka Bochniak, and I were in Atlanta a couple weeks ago and had a great trip and I was able to have lunch with LUXE Sales Director, Sibyl de St. Aubin, to meet and get up to speed on what is happening in this market. Apparently, LUXE Magazine is launching a new SE United States edition and going head to head against Veranda, and Atlanta Homes. It is an exciting region with a lot of growth and potential and with a project underway in Nashville and now Greensboro we are excited to see where this all goes. 

Speaking of Atlanta, we had a great time. Isabel and Nikka hit the market and I enjoyed dinner with the ladies every evening and some of that amazing Southern cooking. Can’t say enough about the food and hospitality in Atlanta and although it was quite cold it didn’t slow us down. Thank you to our friend Chris Meek and his wife Zeni for hosting us at a fabulous restaurant for dinner – definitely check this place out next time in Atlanta - https://www.chaiyoatl.com

Finally, last week we did some cooking in a fabulous Candelaria Design contemporary hillside home we recently completed with Schultz Development http://www.schultzdevelopment.org, Interiors by Anita Lang of IMI Design Studio  https://www.imidesignstudio.com, lighting by Creative Designs in Lighting http://www.cdltg.com, and landscape by Greey-Pickett http://www.greeypickett.com.  We made our signature Spanish paella and enjoyed a spectacular evening and dinner under a full moon. Definitely more to come on this home!

Thank you Julianne Harrison McKay of Pearl Blossom Photography for the fabulous photos, Jessica for the video and Rob and Maxi for serving and assisting in an amazing dinner!

Of course, we are always looking to give back and while Isabel and I were in Atlanta, Candelaria Design and Earth and Images sponsored a table for the Gigi’s Gala which we support every year and of course we were both proud designers for Gigi’s Playhouse, Café and University! I urge you to support this amazing organization. 

Finally, I am proud to have been nominated for the 2019 Man of the Year by the Lymphoma and Leukemia Arizona Society! http://www.mwoy.org Isabel and I look forward to working with this organization in raising funds and awareness for something that obviously means a great deal to us. More to come on this as the campaign kicks into gear in March with the Gala set for June 1st. 

Stay tuned to our Sketch Daily’s as we post new videos each week featuring the activities, tours, and projects of the Candelaria Design Team spreading the Candelaria Style! Subscribe and catch them all!

http://www.candelariadesign.com/sketch-dail

 And please wish my Dad, Donald Candelaria, a Happy 84th Birthday on January 31! Love ya Dad and looking forward to having an Old Fashioned with you on your day!

Ok, here we go! I wish everyone a fantastic 2019. Stay positive, stay healthy, and remember to enjoy life and every day is a gift. Love you all! 

Merry Christmas - 2018

First, I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah and here is to a wonderful, healthy and prosperous 2019. In many ways, 2018 was a tough year but at the same time one of the best years ever at Candelaria Design and my life personally. I guess that’s life – there are ups and downs – and the key is to persevere and always strive for good health, creating beauty, giving back and spreading love. 

Syleste Rodriguez of Fox 10 and MC on Cool House for the Holidays!

Make sure tomorrow morning, Christmas Eve, between 9am and 10am you tune into Fox 10 and Syleste Rodriguez as they feature a Candelaria Design home decked out for the Holidays. This home is beautifully decorated for the Holidays and is one of three Candelaria Design homes featured in Patricia Hart McMillan’s book, Christmas by Design, now available on Amazon. I am looking forward to sharing this beautiful home built by Brimley Development, http://www.brimdev.com, Interior Designer, Caroline DeCesare, http://decesaredesigngroup.com, and landscape by Berghoff Design Group, http://www.berghoffdesign.com. 

What a year…. A year ago today, my wife, Isabel, came home from her breast cancer surgery and then got ready for 33 radiation treatments to start the year. At treatment 32 she was diagnosed with brain cancer where by at treatment 33 the docs did a mega blast and we were hopeful their aim was on target. In June we were relieved to find out that they had hit a bullseye and Isabel was cancer free after her year long battle all the while running her design firm, Earth and Images, with the phenomenal help of her amazing team. 

This week we received great news that her blood markers were perfect, her hair is growing like crazy, and she gets stronger every day - and so we obviously have so much to be grateful for this Christmas and we are both looking forward to the New Year. 

For Candelaria Design is has been a great year too, filled with many exciting projects, meals, events, tours, and new additions to our Candelaria Design family. We currently have projects in 13 states with a couple new ones pending across the country not to mention many right here in Arizona! So exciting to know of so many homes completed this year whereupon our clients are enjoying their first Holidays in their new Candelaria Design Homes. We have come a long way since that first year in 1999! 

Prime rib on the Traeger for Christmas Day and time with family before we head to Coeur d’Lane, Idaho the day after Christmas to relax and chill at the invite of one of my clients and good friend at their Candelaria Design log home overlooking the lake. I am looking forward to cooking, relaxing, and planning the year ahead with my Isabel up in the cold north country next to a cozy fire, a glass of Brunello, and maybe I’ll sneak in a cigar or two. 

Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Well, Merry Christmas everyone. Thank you for all your support and most importantly your prayers this year. They make such an incredible difference and we are definitely saying our prayers for all of you. We look forward to working hard and creating beautiful homes and projects, tours and experiences, giving back to our community, and of course, some amazing meals! Happy New Year and God Bless! 

Candelaria Christmas in Italy 2015

Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving - 2018

The Candelaria Clan Thanksgiving toast!

Smoked herb crusted prime rib!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving. I know our family sure did! So nice to have my Mom and Dad, Isabel’s Mom, and my brother, James and his wife, Beth, and two of their kids with us for the Candelaria feast! We had a fabulous day smoking a turkey and prime rib along with all the other goodies our two moms put together. The best part was just hanging out, talking, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. 

Smoked Turkey stuffed with fennel, orange and garlic

The Candelaria Ladies plus Isabel’s mom Alette!

The Candelaria Clan

MC and Tiffany

Also nice to have the long Thanksgiving weekend and enjoy a little downtime. I’m writing today’s blog from Denver, Colorado, my hometown! I brought my daughter, Bella, with me and we are visiting and spending a little time with my oldest daughter, Tiffany! This afternoon we will make our way through the mountains for a quick visit to Vail where I have a couple pending projects brewing!

Downtown Denver

Denver Union Station Tree Lighting

Tiffany and Bella in Denver

Time with my girls in Vail, CO

 So much happening with the Candelaria Design crew too! Isabel and I spent a nice extended weekend in New York where we attended the New York Boutique Design Fair which was fabulous. Of course, Isabel and I worked in a little quality time enjoying with a stop at our good friend, Christopher Peacock’s showroom  http://peacockhome.com/homeand some great food in one of our favorites cities on earth.

Nick May of the Chaise Lounge Blog

Nice walk through Central Park

Isabel at the Roc

The Christopher Peacock Cabinetry Showroom in New York

During the same weekend, my partner, Evelyn Jung, and one of Isabel’s associates, Nikka Bochniak, enjoyed some time in Napa, California compliments of GE Appliances and our friend, Jason Monczka who extended the invite. I know Ev and Nikka had a great time and enjoyed the GE demonstrations and of course what wine tours. 

And at the same time we were in New York and Ev was in Napa, Meredith was overseeing our participation in the Phoenix Home and Garden Home Tour. We were so proud to have a fantastic Candelaria Design ~ Kimberly Colletti Interiors ~ Berghoff Design home built by Schultz Development on this year’s tour! The attendance was great and we send a special thanks to our clients for opening up this amazing home complete with a cat moat for the tour!

And we always work in some cooking of course! From a Candelaria Design home kitchen christening party covered by Iconic On-Line Magazine to a three silent auction paella dinner donations a couple for Gigi’s Playhouse and one for Panda we made eight paella’s in just 30 days! Always such a great way to raise money for these fantastic organizations and well there is nothing better than cooking for a client in a Candelaria Design kitchen! 

Silent Auction winners for Panda

Silent Auction winners for Gigi’s Playhouse

Then add some family cooking at Casa Candelaria! So wonderful to prepare a dinner for four of my all-time favs of Phoenix, Jerry and Joan Colangelo and Jimmy and Nancy Walker. Talk about a fun afternoon relaxing, sharing stories, watching Italy videos, and of course enjoying some Candelaria Osso Bucco. We also worked in a dinner with our dear friends and clients, Kirk and Zhanet Kaprelian. We designed a beautiful home for them in Silverleaf and have become even better friends over the years. Then a couple weeks later we geared up for a group of gentlemen visiting from Ireland and so we gathered some of our Irish clients for a wonderful home cooked barbecue all covered by Redbook Magazine – stay tuned for this feature!

Hosting the Colangelo and Walkers at Casa Candelaria

Ribeyes Candelaria Style

Dinner at Casa Candelaria with our clients and friends the Kaprelians

Dinner at Casa Candelaria with our visitors from Ireland

Irish barbecue at Casa Candelaria

We were also proud to have one of our Candelaria Design ~ Earth and Images ~ Berghoff Design homes featured on Fox 10 Cool House by the lovely Syleste Rodriguez. Always fun to have our homes featured and Fox 10 did a great job capturing this home. 

Ok – so much more from a group of my crew attending the Heart Ball of which my partner, Vivian Ayala, served on the committee, and we proudly purchased a table – more to come on that one, and then to the Not My Kid breakfast hosted by one of our good friends and client, Debbie Moak, to the Brophy Fashion Show, and our yearly participation at the TGen Walk for Team Lee Hanley! Yes, we stay involved that’s for sure. 

Tim Mathewson and Damon Wake at Not-My-Kid

T Gen Walk - Team Hanley

Team Hanley - T Gen Walk

Let’s not forget the Candelaria Design Client Appreciation Party! Thank you to all of you who attended! We had such a great time and it was the perfect venue and evening to say THANK YOU  to so many, of course our clients, my partners, my staff, our builders, designers, subcontractors and vendors and yes our friends – all who support us in so many ways!

Finally, we do make some time to create and produce architecture! So many amazing projects under construction and on the boards and my team is working hard creating beauty wherever they can. From contemporary, to mountain modern, to modern farmhouse, to even Moroccan, we love it all – not to mention all the remodels which by the way makes up over 2/3rds of our body of work! We don’t just do mega mansion! 

Candelaria Design ~ Sticks and Bricks Modern Farmhouse Spec home in Paradise Valley

Meredith holding court with our Rossland Spec Team

Rossland Spec Home Concept Rendering

Candelaria Design Mountain Contemporary Spec Home in Pine Canyon

Ok so that’s November – off to December we go! Make sure to vote for us for Best of the Valley – just one week left so you can vote every day up till November 30th. Also remember to pick up your copy of Christmas by Design featuring three spectacular Candelaria Design Homes! Happy Holidays everyone!

Back from Italy - Loving October

Great to be back to Arizona! Love all the rain and enjoyed a wonderful morning hike this morning. 

The 2018 Candelaria Design Tour Italy Crew

We had an amazing Candelaria Design Tour Italy – our 15th Italy Tour and our 17th Tour overall. Starting our trip in Florence we spent two amazing evenings in this Renaissance masterpiece. We then made our way to our farmhouse compound in Umbria where we spent the week exploring both Umbria and Tuscany! From there our base trip finished in Venice. Then a few of us went on to Lake Como and the Villa d’Este where we celebrated Isabel and my wedding with a small ceremony. Overall, one of our best tours ever and always nice to leave Phoenix when its 107º and come back to October and the 60’s!

Candelaria Design Tour Italy 2019 - Treviso and the Palladio Villas

Our Italy Tour next year will feature Florence, Umbria, Tuscany, and the northern Italian region around Treviso. That tour begins September 11ththrough the 25th http://www.candelariadesign.com/blog-content/2008/09/italy-trip-day-1.html?rq=trevino. Our Spain Tour will begin on May 29ththrough June 11thand will feature Barcelona, Granada, and finish in San Sebastian. Both tours are filling fast so get on board quickly! 

Join Isabel and I on our 2019 Tours!

Candelaria Design Tour Spain 2019 - Barcelona

Candelaria Design Tour Spain 2019 - San Sebastian

Tomorrow tune into ABC 15 and Sonoran Living at 9am as I will be speaking about the hot trends in Kitchen remodels. LIKE our Candelaria Design Facebook Page and post a picture of your kitchen and we will select one kitchen for a design consultation! This will be my second appearance and I’m excited to be featured once again.

Lot’s of great projects on the boards and under construction right now and my first week back from Italy was busy! A special thanks to my team while I was away! We are cranking on so many great projects and have a busy Fall coming our way. My partner, Meredith Thomson, AIA is off to Cincinnati, Ohio this evening for the American Institute of Architect Custom Residential Architects Network AIA CRANS https://www.aiacincinnati.org/cran/and Principal, Vivian Ayala will be off next weekend to the BOND Custom Forum for America’s Leading Custom Home Architects http://www.bondevents.com/en/2018/07/20/introducing-the-bond-custom-100/. We are proud to be ranked Number 14 in the entire country for 2018. Both will come back with a lot of info from these events on the trends in custom home design!

Of course, one of my favorite things to do besides designing and architecture is cooking. We got busy in the kitchen this week for sure. Sunday night, I whipped up a wonderful grilled swordfish – see the recipe below.  Then Monday I welcomed my project team from one of our Paradise Valley projects who had flown in from across the country come over for dinner at Casa Candelaria. Nothing like Hatch Red Chile shortribs over homemade pasta. No pressure cooking for likely the top cabinetmaker in the world and probably the person who has designed and installed some of the most beautiful kitchens anywhere, Christopher Peacock. Fun evening for sure! http://peacockhome.com/home

Hatch Red Chile Short Ribs with a Fennel and Arugula garnish

Then Friday night we fulfilled our silent auction donation for a Paella dinner for 8 for Gigi’s Playhouse https://gigisplayhouse.org/phoenix/. Tons of fun and so fulfilling to donate this dinner for one of our favorite charities. 

Then last night I got back to my Traegers and smoked some ribs and roasted a chicken over a cast iron skillet of golden potatoes for Mom and Dad and a few close friends. Add a grilled artichoke and some of our wine from Italy and you have the makings of a wonderful evening. 

I’d like to make a couple call outs of new books available written by two of my good friends. The first is Glam Italia! How to travel Italy: Secrets to Glamorous Travelby Corinna Cooke https://www.amazon.com/Glam-Italia-How-travel-Italy-ebook/dp/B07FN7R8K5/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1538956015&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=glam+italia&psc=1. Corrinna runs her own Glam Tour and I love her passion for Italy! Dinner is long overdue my friend. 

The second is Chopping Woodby my good friend, Jim Steg! Love your zest fir simply going for it – relentless!!! https://www.amazon.com/Chopping-Wood-School-Mentality-World/dp/1719888353/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538956122&sr=8-1&keywords=chopping+wood+jim+stegYou definitely want to pick up both of these books.

Then the book we are featured in by Patricia Hart McMillan, Christmas by Design – Private Homes decorated by leading designersis coming out soon in time for the Holidays! We have three Candelaria Design homes featured so get your copy now as the perfect gift for the Holidays. https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Design-Private-Decorated-Designers/dp/0764356542/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538956227&sr=8-1&keywords=christmas+by+design+private+homes+decorated+by+leading+designers

Welcome Maverick Woods Mathewson

Finally, our Candelaria Family continues to grow, as our long-time associate, Tim Mathewson and his wife Amber gave birth to their new son Maverick Woods Mathewson! We wish them both endless happiness and love with their new family! 

Grilled Swordfish

This is a real easy way to enjoy a swordfish steak. I picked up a nice swordfish filet from AJ’s. Let it come to room temperature and then brush it with olive oil and I squeezed a little lemon over the top then sprinkle a little paprika on both sides and set it on a hot grill pan that you pre-brushed with olive oil. Just leave this on the pan for about 5 min and flip and get the grill marks on the other side – again about 5 min or just enough time to get the grill marks as the finsh will finish in the sauce. 

Then for the sauce, I get a non-stick skillet and add a couple tablespoons of butter and melt that over medium heat. I halve as many cherry tomatoes – I like the multicolored tomatoes – and add those to the melted butter along with a couple tablespoons of capers, three or four chopped cloves of garlic and one diced shallot. Then as that starts to cook I squeeze the juice of one lemon and about a cup of white wine. Let that all cook down and as it cooks and your swordfish gets its grill marks add the swordfish to the tomato sauce and bath the swordfish in the wine and tomato sauce until the tomatoes are softened and the swordfish is cooked through. Add chopped thyme, basil, salt and pepper along the way and serve with the tomato / caper sauce spooned over the swordfish and garnish with fresh cut Italian parsley. Pour a glass of Pinot Grigio and add a baked potato with butter, sour cream and chives and enjoy!

Welcome Back to Italy 2018

I never tire of coming to Italy. This is my eighteenth visit and our 15th Candelaria Design Tour. I would have to say, Italy does now feel like home, as I have probably been here more than any other place other than home! We have a beautiful tour this year, starting in Florence, a week in Umbria and Tuscany, and then we will finish the tour in Venice with a small group of us on to Lake Como for a special celebration of Isabel and my wedding – our fifth anniversary right at the spot we tied the knot, Villa d’Este!

It has been quite a journey to come back here as we had to miss last year due to my Isabel’s fight against breast cancer and then a brain tumor. I promised her we would return and that she would conquer this battle and be the victor which she has done and she returns now cancer free. We again, thank all of you for your prayers, meals, gracious deeds, etc. that you all did for the two of us during this difficult period. It meant so much to us knowing we were not alone in this fight. It has brought on an awareness of how prevalent cancer is out there and how precious every moment one has as you never know what lies ahead in the road. All we know, is that for NOW, now is all that matters and so we are celebrating every moment of every day and in particular this year’s tour to one of our favorite places on earth, ITALY! 

I have so many memories that rush back to me while on this tour, in particular here in Florence. Such a magical place and over the course of the last 18 years I have been coming here it is somewhat awe inspiring to notice the change in technology from those first trips with no cell phones to how easy it is to travel here and navigate around compared to then. It is also reflective to look back at how I have changed since that first trip in 2000. Many of those memories come back to me while walking down the streets of Florence remembering the first time I saw the Duomo or crossed the Ponce Vecchio. It makes me wonder at age 57 if I really have more trips ahead of me or in back of me. 

I love sharing this journey with my travelers, this time 22 travelers, many having this tour their first experience traveling to Italy. What an honor it is to share this with them. I have had so many rookie travelers from past journey’s go on to become amazing world travelers because of this Tour. I love that. Travel is amazing – it wakes you up and gets you out of your comfort zone and I love seeing my travelers bring parts of this trip home and into there everyday lives. Americans are always in such a hurry to get to the finish line and Italians celebrate the journey. They are marvelous and beautiful people and truly one of the best joys of coming here. Over the years, I have made so many wonderful friends here and that too I cherish.

Our Phoenix 2018 Crew is ready to go!

Our trip here went without a hitch thanks to the impeccable planning and execution done by my business partner, Evelyn Jung! She makes this tour and all of our tours click! She is our mission control and she is a master at it. We traveled all day Wednesday and arrived Thursday afternoon to the Hotel Brunelleschi to a champagne welcome and check-in. Bravo – that is the way to check in. I love this Hotel and have been coming here for years. They treat us like family and it was wonderful for a number of my travelers already tell me “they feel like they are home” here. 

After settling into our rooms, unpacking and freshening up, we all met at the hotel terrace for a welcome cocktail and then we were off to dinner at the Buca San Giovanni Restaurante right in front of the Duomo! What a great spot to kick off our tour with the stars overhead and the Duomo as our backdrop. How can it get any better…..well it does as my travelers will all see. 

Following dinner, many returned to the hotel to battle the jet lag and a few of us wondered down to the Westin on the Arno for some rooftop cocktails and then I enjoyed a cigar and some gelato on our walk home. Fantastic start to our 15thTour and I know how special every single moment is. 

Announcing New Partners at Candelaria Design

Evelyn Jung & Meredith Thomson

So much happening and it’s all exciting for sure! 

Probably the most exciting news is that I am proud to announce the official addition of two new principals / partners in our firm, Evelyn Jung, and Meredith Thomson who will now join myself and Vivian Ayala as our team of Candelaria Design Owners!!! We are finalizing the paperwork but for all intentional purposes, this is a done deal. This is not an Elon Musk publicity stunt – this is the real deal! I cannot tell you how proud I am of these ladies and what they have done and what they will bring to the future of this firm. I am not retiring….yet! I still have some miles left to travel, however, it is great to have the added support, creativity, and productivity at the Principal level! My goal is to continue to market, design, provide client relations, and bring management wisdom to our team with my 37 years of experience in architecture along with continued effort with our Candelaria Design Tours, cooking, a new book in the works, and continued production of our show Sketch on The Design Network and Sketch Daily showcasing our team’s work!

Vivian Ayala, MC, Meredith Thomson and Evelyn Jung - The Candelaria Design Top Brass

Evelyn Jung, has been with me for nearly 12 years and has been an Associate of the firm for over three years but will officially become a vested partner this Fall. Evelyn runs the business operations of our company freeing us to focus on being architects. She is a hard worked, mother of two boys, a lovely wife and one of my best friends in the world. She has been there for me through the great times, but more importantly through some of the tough times too. I am so proud to have her be a part of this company and shows that EVERY position has a vital importance to the success of our company and very position has the OPPORTUNITY in our company to allow that person to rise to the top. 

Meredith Thomson joined us in the Spring of 2013 and has proven herself to be one of the best additions to our company over the course of our 19 years in business. A Phoenix, Arcadia native, Meredith graduated from Xavier High School and went on to Norte Dame where she graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor’s of Architecture and went on to work in New York and San Francisco then returning home to Arizona. A licensed Architect, Meredith brings her amazing sketching and design skills, along with her wonderful likable warm nature all which add to the fabric and soul of our company. Her ability to bring a vision to reality in an enjoyable and positive manner embodies what Candelaria Design is about – Inspiring Living!

Vivian Ayala and I are proud to have these two on board and so our INITIAL team is set but I am thrilled to add that our operating agreement is so established to allow more to join the team which I fully expect to happen with our continued growth and success. I have an amazing crew and I can see the opportunities right there in front of me so there is a LOT more to come! 

Please welcome both Evelyn and Meredith to the Candelaria Design Management and Ownership Team!!! We will celebrate this magnificent milestone with a Client Appreciation Party set for October. We expect to have one heck of a good time – so stay tuned for details to follow!

Meanwhile, make sure to follow our Candelaria Design Tour Italy departing September 12th! We have our biggest group ever going on this year’s tour – 24 travelers all ready for the experience of a lifetime! Follow us here on our blog, on Instagram, Facebook and our Sketch Daily episodes which will be returning on a weekly basis soon with the addition of our videographer and social media director, Jessica Seifurth. She is providing our filming, editing and production of the Sketch Daily episodes and our SKETCH episodes for Season 3 coming soon to The Design Network https://www.thedesignnetwork.com/series/sketch/

This morning I am typing my blog from the Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. What a beautiful place and city. Wow, I have been to Vancouver many times, but never here to Victoria and I have to say I really dig it here. Not as big as Vancouver, Victoria has charm and a small town feel yet with plenty of wonderful restaurants and sights to see, especially the Butchart Gardens – amazing.

The Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC

Victoria Parliament Building

I ended up here purely by a last minute audible by me and my assistant, Stacey Payne! I was supposed to be in Laguna Beach for meetings with the Vail Project Team, but they had to cancel at the last second so Stacey hightailed me up the coast to rendezvous with my wife Isabel and her Mom, Alette who had already planned a mother-daughter trip to Victoria and so I decided to crash their little party and surprised them when they landed in Seattle switching planes. What fun – and what a great time we are having. Basically, this trip was a thank you to Isabel's mom for all she did in the last year and a half being there for both Isabel and I during her cancer battle. I fly home today, but the two will stay until Tuesday so they will still get some one on one time together.

We enjoyed some wonderful time together, some fantastic meals, and of course a cocktail here or there and just some nice quiet time together. 

High Tea at Butchart Gardens

Isabel's Mom, Alette, enjoying the evening on the Terrace at the Empress Hotel

Enjoying the sunset in Victoria

Finally, I will end on a somber note as I got word, as many of us did on this past Thursday of the passing of our good friend and a client for me, Art Cunningham. We were all shocked to learn of this sad ending to his life – a life filled with creativity, good times, and ALWAYS that famous smile and laugh we all loved. I loved working and collaborating with him and we had a nice project in the works – in fact I had just sent him a proposal Thursday morning for the next phase of a project we had started in 2015. So many wonderful memories and especially some of the best on Lake Coeur d’Alene on his Stancraft boat. We will all miss you Art as you were well loved, and well liked, by so many! I especially want to send my heartfelt condolences to his lovely wife Janet whom I have known for 36 years and is just the sweetest gal ever. We are all there for you Janet in our thoughts and prayers and if there is anything Isabel and I can do just say it. 

Ceremonies will be this coming Thursday at Brophy Chapel at 10 am. God bless you my dear friend. 

Dog Days of Summer - August 2018

Well we blazed through July and now we are into August and two of the toughest months of the year if you are in Arizona. Summer is just half over by August 1st as we have really until Halloween before we truly erase the 100º temps. We all know that, but never want to fully acquiesce to that fact and hence why we schedule our Candelaria Design Tour Italy for September. It’s the perfect time to escape. 

Our 2015 Candelaria Design Tour Italy Travelers in Assisi

Our 2018 Tour Italy Pre-Trip Dinner at Tomaso's

Speaking of our Italy Tour, this will be our 15th Tour Italy and our 17th Candelaria Design Tour overall now that we have added Spain. This will be our biggest group ever with 23 travelers making this year’s journey. We have travelers coming from Long Beach, Denver, and as far away as Orlando, Florida! Our tour departs on September 12th where we will fly into Florence for two nights and then we will take our convoy to Umbria and our agritourismo farmhouse compound which will act as our hub for a week of exploring Umbria and Tuscany. From there our convoy will drive across Italy to Venice where we will ditch the cars and get on a water taxi to the Hotel Danielle switching from the rustic farmhouses to utter luxury. Three nights in Venice and then its by train to step it up even one more notch with a grand finale at the Villa d’Este on Lake Como where Isabel’s and I will celebrate our 5 year anniversary at the very spot we tied the knot on the last day of our Candelaria Design Tour Italy 2013! You never know what might happen on this year’s tour but I can tell you we have a real exciting group going! Follow us here on our blog, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. We are planning quite the coverage of this year’s journey.

Candelaria Design Tour Italy Pre-Trip Dinner 2 for those that missed Dinner 1.

Italy 2018 Travelers Tina Majerle and her mother Leslie with MC at the pre-Trip Dinner

I am typing away from 30,000 altitude somewhere over Kansas on my way back from a weekend in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin where we are just starting the long range master planning process on an amazing property right on the lake for clients we did work for in Cupertino, California. Such a cool project and wonderful people How about someone that cooks for me!!! Now we are talking! My Associate, Damon Wake joined me and we measured, sketched, and ventured in basements and crawl spaces to get all the data we needed. Of course when you work hard, you have to play hard so we made sure we did get some down time in! 

Class of 1978 Durango High 40 Year Reunion

Meanwhile, in July I did make it to my 40th High School Reunion in Durango, Colorado! What an kick that was. Reconnected with a lot of wonderful classmates and was able to say a final farewell to one of my all time favorite teachers, Mr. Bruce Branson. I was fortunate enough to visit him Saturday morning before our reunion picnic and he passed on the following Thursday. Again as I have said so many times in these blogs every moment is to be cherished and that visit was one I will never forget. The reunion was another great memory and had the wonderful opportunity to reconnect with a lot of classmates I had not seen in years. Very special for sure and I even had the opportunity to prepare my paella for a group and their mothers the night following! Again – all great lasting memories!

Great to spend some time with my 1978 Classmates!

....and of course do a little cooking for some of them!

Plenty going on at Candelaria Design that is for sure. It has been one of the busiest summers I can remember and I get the feeling this fall will just keep it going. We currently have projects going in 8 states and all over Arizona from Tubac up to Flagstaff and some unbelievable projects right here in Phoenix and Scottsdale. 

Candelaria Design ~ Schultz Development Home in Pine Canyon. Flagstaff

Make sure to check out our beautiful home in the summer edition of Country French Magazine now on the newsstands nationwide. We are also excited to have been ranked #14 in the nation and number one in Arizona for luxury residential architectural firms by Bond Custom using a criteria of cost per square foot of projects, total square footage of projects, number of awards received and gross billings. Very proud of my amazing, and unbelievable hard working team. They have been cranking all year and especially all summer. It seems I can swing by the office any time day or night and there is someone there burning the midnight oil. They are all proud of their work and the WOW’s prove it!

We look forward to what we have under construction, especially several just wrapping up – some in design and construction for over twelve years, and wait until you see what we have on the boards! Get ready – its going to be an exciting and very productive second half of the year!

Happy 4th 2018 & 10 Years of Blogging

Happy 4th of July from Park City, Utah

Park City 4th Parade

Happy Fourth of July! Definitely one of, if not my favorite holiday of the year. No gifts, barbecue, parades, fireworks, and everyone is included. What is there not to like about this holiday. 

We always try to do something or go somewhere for this holiday. Last year it was the high country of Colorado where we rolled our Highlander and nearly died, the year before that we were in San Diego, and the year before that right here where we are today, Deer Valley and Park City, Utah. Always such fun to chill with the family and since my clients are all doing the same, I find it to be one of the quietest weeks of the year so I always make a point of getting away somewhere. Even though I am technically “on vacation” I did manage to squeeze in six meetings yesterday but enjoyed lunch on Main Street in Park City with the family and then a Los Lonely Boys concert enjoying the mountain sunshine and fresh air. I love it!

4th of July 2017 - Platoro, CO

4th of July 2017 - We got a little carried away.....

Hotel Del Coronado, 2016

Park City July 4th 2018 - photo by Alette Thompson

Isabel with her cousin Ember Conley and her classic Thunderbird in Park City at the Los Lonely Boys Concert July 2018

Bella and I on Main Street Park City 2018

Cranking away on a GOTO meeting from my Deer Valley Headquarters - 2018

Fun times with Bella at the Los Lonely Boys Concert, Park City 2018

Ember Conley, Alette Thompson and Isabel at the Los Lonely Boys Concert - Park City 2018

This week also marks the 10 year anniversary of this blog! This is my 250thblog! Amazing and we have had 106,285 views of our blog as of this morning! First and foremost, thanks for all the views, posts and comments. Very appreciated for sure!

Candelaria Design Modern Farmhouse 2017 Photo By Pearl Blossom Photography

So, it’s not like my blog is some viral blog with millions of viewers or anything, and so why do I do it? I enjoy it – it’s as simple as that. Some guys golf, I blog, write, paint, sketch, travel, and of course cook – oh and once in a while work with my amazing team and design a house or two….actually we have now designed over 2500 homes in my 36 years, so let’s just say, I like to stay busy. My mom and dad will attest to the fact I have always been this way and have been writing and drawing since I could hold a pencil. I was the Sports Editor of my school paper (40threunion in Durango, CO in just three weeks) took drafting as early as I could and have always had a multitude of little projects of some nature always going. Thank God we had a basement where I could build mega cities with my legos and matchbox and hot wheels cars. Then I started drawing cities and those that know me from my high school days will remember those city drawings! So, it is who I am as I like to say.

Varsity Football Team Durango High School 1978

I am always amazed at how many times someone will ask me a question or for a recipe and I simply send them the link to one of my blogs that has everything they need. I find them fun to look back upon and see what we were doing or what I was cooking or thinking at the time. So, in essence it is kind of a public diary/journal I am more than happy to share.

MC's seafood boil

Cooking with my best cooking buddy!

Wedding Day 2013 Villa d'Este, Lake Como, Italy Photo by Scott Jung

I have been through a lot over these past ten years and a lot of it is revealed either directly or indirectly in these blogs. Many ups and amazing moments like getting married to Isabel in 2013 and the tough times of 2008 when I started the blog through the great recession and the struggles we all fought our way through. Of course, there was our experience last year supporting my wife Isabel with her so far successful fight against breast cancer. So many experiences, so many fantastic recipes, trips and travels – it’s all there. It really doesn’t matter to me how many read it or who reads it but I love sharing what me and my amazing team are doing and thinking. It’s our story and we are happy to share it! I hope you continue to read and share your thoughts on my thoughts – I love the exchange of thoughts, feelings and dreams. That’s what it is all about. 

Isabel's last Chemo treatment, November 2017

So what lies ahead in the next ten years??? 

Jr. Partner-Vice President Vivian Ayala, MC, and soon to be partner and CFO Evelyn Jung

Well, I will be 67 years old…. That’s kind of hard to grasp and digest. My company, Candelaria Design will be nearly 30 years old. I currently have one junior partner, my dearest and sweet friend and collaborator for nearly 20 years, Vivian Ayala, and it is my hope to have several more partners in the firm in the next ten years and that is all in the works. WE have built a vibrant, prolific and inspiring organization and I am so excited to see where it all goes in the next ten years. The team coming on are full of energy and vision to carry my passion and dream onward and that so rewarding to me and why I am so proud of what we have created. 

Candelaria Design Crew March 2018

Candelaria Design Crew March 2018

Enjoying a sangria in Spain 2018

My hope, God willing, is to continue to be a part of Candelaria Design as the founder, and spend my time on design, more travel, speaking, writing books – several in process now, writing music, painting – several paintings underway now, cook, and of course enjoy more time with my lovely bride, Isabel and my girls and family and dear friends and cook for you all! Oh, how I wish I could cook for you all!!! I will keep trying J.

Houzz Kitchen of the Year 2017 - Interiors DeCesare Design Group, Builder Schultz Development

Al fresco dining with the Anderson Window execs at Casa Candelaria, March 2018

MC's lemon and herb rotisserie chicken, baked potato, and caprese salad.

Dinner at Casa Candelaria June 2018

San Sebastian, Spain 2018 Photo by Pearl Blossom Photography

I have to say, I am more excited about these next ten years than any of time behind me, which I wouldn’t change as they have all shaped and molded me into who I am today. The ups and downs, the loves and loves lost, all of the projects and people I have met along the way… it’s all been more than I ever imagined when I graduated from high school and thought about a life as an architect. It has been beyond my wildest dreams and I know the next ten will far surpass then last 57 years especially with all I can see on the Candelaria horizon.  

Traversing through the Madrid Airport 2018, Photo by Pearl Blossom Photography

So, get ready, this ride is only beginning and these blogs will only get better and better. Ok Blog 250 is done and I am looking forward to the day I write my 20-year anniversary blog! 

Have a great fourth of July everyone! Love ya’ all!

Christmas 2015 Rome, Italy 

Spain 2018 - Final Thoughts from this Journey

There are no guarantees in life. Thank God – that’s what keeps life exciting. We just finished our 16th Candelaria Design Tour, this time Spain, and frankly our best tour ever, and what was so reinforced in me was the belief that there truly are no guarantees. A year ago, the love of my life, Isabel, was diagnosed with breast cancer that later metastasized to her brain. We were on our Spain Tour last year at this same time, and the experience this time from last was so different yet so similar and for different reasons. 

On our pintxos / tapas tour with Devour Tours in San Sebastian

The Spain 2018 Travelers in Sevilla

In both cases, we celebrated life and the fact we are even able to do tours and trips like this. We celebrated the time we have together and the chance to share the experience with our travelers. This trip my travelers understood this and embraced this. We all knew how special the time together was at each and every moment. They got it. I love how we are all still texting on our group texts a whole week later. You become a family on these tours – a real shared experience that no one else has – it is an experience to be cherished and it forms a bond that is hard to describe. That is what I love most about all 16 tours we have now been fortunate to orchestrate and be a part of. 

The Spain 2018 Travelers at Akelare

Pintxos in San Sebastian

Spain was marvelous and magical. From the beaches, tapas and pintxos of San Sebastián, to the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Madrid, and finally the Moorish mystery and delight of Sevilla, we experienced a wide gamut of what Spain is all about yet we know from my six past visits to this country, there is so much more. Frankly, I love Spain and I love it more and more each time I come. The food, the people, the culture, the architecture….it grows on you and it pulls you in like a soft blanket – you pull it over you and you slip into this beautiful dream you never want to leave. 

Puerta del Sol - Madrid

Madrid

Isabel in Madrid

Walter Spitz at the Alcazar, Sevilla

Alcazar - Sevilla

Tiffany and MC at the MIMO San Sebastian School of Cooking

Travel refills my soul – it refills my creative tank. From architecture to cooking to simply how to live and enjoy every detail of every day. You realize how easy it is to fatigue into your every day experience that you can virtually do on automatic pilot and how many of us do just that. You get up, you see your same house, you get in your same car, you drive the same route to work, you work at the same job with the same people, you come home to your same house and go to bed in your same bed. Yes there is a comfort to all of that and I fully understand there is “no place like home”. But it is so awakening to step off this truly zombie repetitive route of life and wake up each day not knowing what is in store and what awaits you in terms of sights, smells, sounds and tastes. Your senses and mind are truly aroused from their numbed daily existence. 

The Spain 2018 Travelers in San Sebastian

Becky and Dave Stockett enjoying some refreshing sangria in Sevilla

So my takeaway as with all trips and journeys is to make sure every day becomes more of an adventure. Anyone that knows me, especially, my wife, Isabel, and my Assistant, Stacey, know I live and breath this way of thinking and living. No two days are every the same.. Every project is different, there are endless new recipes to prepare and meals to share with new and different people, new paintings to work on, new places to share, new ways and moments to spend with the people I love. Travel keeps me cognizant of how life needs to be an awakening experience and not a repetition rewind of one chosen recording that just happens to be safe and comfortable. 

Bella and Denise enjoying pintos in San Sebastian

The Spain 2018 ladies in San Sebastian at the Hotel Londres

Yes, more travels to come, more architecture and details to absorb, more delicious meals to experience and recipes to learn and later share, and most importantly, more ways to simply live and enjoy life and love each moment and each person along what is my unique and adventurous journey. 

Tiffany and Isabel at the Alcazar in Sevilla

San Sebastian 2018

Stair detail at the Hotel Alfonso XIII, Sevilla

Madrid - The Start of My Travels

My first trip to Spain in 1990 making my first paella with Mama in Luanco!

My friend Laurie in 1978 Durango High School

My first real travel abroad as an adult was in 1990 when I came to Spain at the urging of my lifelong friend, Laurie Clauson, who during high school was an exchange student with a wonderful family from the small northern Spain seaside village, of Luanco, in Asturias Spain. I was 29 years old, had a two year old daughter, and had just gone through a separation and divorce of my first marriage and was searching for my soul and a reconnection of who Mark Candelaria was and is. I found Mark Candelaria’s soul here in Spain.

Visiting our friends in Luanco Spain 2017

Luanco - Asturias Spain

Laurie Clauson, MC and Isabel in Spain 2017

One of our visits on that trip was to Madrid and so it is especially powerful and reflective to return here some 28 years later and spend time here and look back at my life and all that has happened. From getting my license as an architect in 1992, to remarrying in 1999, to then starting my own firm that same year, the birth of Bella in 2002 and then Sophia in 2005 and then separating from my second wife in 2010 and divorcing again in 2012 but then marrying the true angel of my life, Isabel, in 2013, -  let’s say life has had its ups and downs. 

Our wedding day on Lake Como, Italy 2013

Isabel in Madrid 2018

Here I am now in Madrid in 2018 with my wife, Isabel – who also came here her first time when she was 29 – and my two daughters, on our 16thCandelaria Design Tour and our second Tour in Spain. Funny how the journey of life can take you on a ride. Mine has been tremendous. So as I walk the streets of Madrid on this trip it is not very difficult to pause and think back on all that has happened over the course of the last 28 years – really the second half of my life since that first trip here when I was 29 years old. 

Travel will do that to you – especially return trips to places you have not been in years. Now, if I break the 28/29 years into thirds I wonder what the next 29 years will bring. I will be 87 years old…. Isabel will be 76, my daughters will be 59, 45 and 42. Maybe they will wheel me through Madrid and the Mercado de San Miguel for paella and a sidra?

Bella and Tiffany in Madrid 2018

MC, Tiffany and Bella at the Prado Museum - Madrid 2018

I cannot thank my lifelong friend, Laurie Clauson, for the thirst for travel, cooking and life in general she gave me some 28 years ago. It lives on my friend and now I am sharing that with my girls and friends and all those who have been on my 16 tours. Who knows what life holds – all you can do is try to live each day to its fullest which I always try to do. We have five days in Madrid and we will most definitely make the most of it!

Laurie Clauson and MC in the Basque Country 2017

Madrid is a total contrast to our first stop San Sebastián. San Sebastián is a beautiful sea side town with amazing basque cuisine and architecture. Madrid, with its 6.5 million people, is the third largest city in Europe and is a combination of New York and Washington rolled into one but of course with its Spanish culture and flair. 

Dining at Sobrino de Botin - the oldest restaurant in the world!

Madrid Royal Palace and Cathedral de Santa Maria 2018

Madrid 2018

Madrid 2018

Plaza Mayor, Madrid 2018

Madrid 2018

Becky and Dave Stockett with Isabel in Madrid 2018

This trip we are staying at the Palace Hotel which is spectacular. Elegant and sophisticated its guests have included the likes of Picasso, Einstein, and Hemingway – not bad company. We arrived at the hotel at about midnight and still had time for a fabulous dinner consisting of short ribs and a perfect Manhattan. So let’s see what adventures await us in Madrid!

At the Mercado de San Miguel, Madrid with my peeps!

Enjoying a cappuccino at the Mercado de San Miguel, Madrid

Welcome to Spain - 2018

Time to reflect on San Sebastian with a good cigar!

Plane change in Madrid

Welcome to Spain and our 16thCandelaria Design Tour – our second in Spain. We have a great group with us this year – nearly all repeat travelers with a few newbies which I love.  

Arrival in San Sebastian

The view from our hotel room in San Sebastian

We are on a bus from San Sebastián to Bilbao this morning to tour the Frank Gehry Guggenheim Museum and enjoying the lush and green Northern Spain landscape. Farms with vineyards interspersed and just vivid green everywhere you look. Such a nice contrast from the brown we are so used to in Arizona especially this time of year. 

The Basque Countryside

Frank Gehry Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao

Having some fun with Wally in Bilboa

Before I begin this blog I would like to just say a few words about one of my idols and influencers in my life, Anthony Bourdain, who sadly took his life on Friday. Ironically, our group was at our cooking class at the Mimo San Sebastián School of Cooking when we received the shocking news.    

Anthony Bourdain in San Debastian

Bourdain’s shows, Parts Unknown andNo Reservations, were always a joy to watch and the perfect escape when I was busy and could not travel. His shows and his brilliant commentary inspired me many years ago to travel and cook and both are two of my favorite passions for sure. His episode featuring San Sebastián, where we are now, inspired me to put this venue on our tour and it will always be the way I start any tour of Spain. 

Our Candelaria Design Travelers at the Mimo Sn Sebastian School of Cooking

Tiffany Candelaria and Dad

Although I didn’t always agree with every aspect of Bourdain’s political views, I definitely could connect and embrace his love of humanity and how food, cooking, and a good meal shared by a group of people from different cultures had the unique ability to dissolve both geographic and cultural barriers. I love how food and preparing and sharing a meal does this and how we have made sure this aspect is incorporated into everyone of our tours, not only with our travelers but with the people we meet from around the world on our tours. A good example has been our tour this year where we met a lovely couple from Oslo, Norway while having tapas and they expressed a desire to find a cooking class. I mentioned that we had a reservation at the Mimi Cooking School and that we might have room for two more! They said they would love to join us if it was ok and of course we said let’s do it. What fun it’s was to share the 6 hour cooking class and then lunch with our new friends from Oslo and who knows, I can see a Candelaria Design Tour Sweden in the works!

Lunch at Mimo

Anyway, I got the chills when we heard the news of his loss but at the same time I now feel like I need to carry on his passion, spirit, and soul. I love travel and of course great food. Spain is such an amazing an beautiful land and my ancestors left this country in the 1600’s for the New World so my DNA feels at home here. We are now on Day 5 and today is our last full day in the Basque County. San Sebastián has been fantastic – as always. Beautiful architecture, food, wine and wonderful people. My ravelers are loving it from tapas and pintxos on the street, dinner at the Michelin three star restaurant, Akelare,  cooking the next morning at the Mimo School of Cooking, to something as simple as just enjoying a sidra – a fantastic fizzy apple cider with a nice kick – some flavorful cheese, and olives on the Plaza de la  Constitucion and just watching life go by!  Mr. Bourdain would be proud of our journey and his spirit and inspiration will always be a part of my soul.

Out on the town in San Sebastian

Tiffany and Bill Stankovic cooking away at Mimo.

Anchovies in oil and garlic

Walter Spitz at Mimo School of Cooking

Plaza de la Constitucion

Beautiful view of San Sebastian

Spain - Here we Come!

The Phoenix Crew ready for departure - Dave and Becky Stockett, Walter Spitz, Denise Lewis, Isabel, MC and Bella! Tiffany is meeting us in Miami and the Stankovic's are already in Spain!

This Tuesday we embark on our 16thCandelaria Design Tour and our 2ndCandelaria Design Tour Spain! Isabel and I are excited to be going on this trip as it was about this time last year, in fact just before our Tour Spain last year, that we found out about her breast cancer diagnosis. Our thought then was, let’s go on the Tour and enjoy ourselves as who knows what lies ahead. And boy was that true – we are so glad we did the tour and now a year later here we are going back to Spain for our second tour this time knowing Isabel is cancer free. 

Not only did she get through breast cancer, but just as she was finishing her radiation treatments for that she was diagnosed with brain cancer. On mega radiation zap to the head and we just found out last week that at least for now there is no trace of cancer in her body – AMEN. Thanks to all of your energy, prayers, meals brought to the home, etc., etc. etc. WOW how blessed we are to have such wonderful friends and family such as all of you. Amazing and so powerful.

So you can only imagine how excited we are to be going back to Spain this year and we have an all repeat group of travelers on this Tour so all seasoned veterans and just the best group I could assemble including my two oldest daughters, Tiffany, who is visiting Spain for the first time and will be flying from Denver and meeting us in Miami and Isabella who will be on her second trip to Spain and flying with Isabel and I.  This trip is going to be off the charts!

We start with a 1:30 departure from Phoenix today and we will switch planes in Miami this evening. Then its off to Madrid where we arrive around noon local time tomorrow and then switch planes again and we are off to our first venue, San Sebastián where we arrive around 5pm local time – 8 am Arizona time so nearly 22 hours later….. Small price to pay for where we are going to spend two weeks!

After checking into the hotel we will freshen up and then its off for Tapas – Pintxos as they call them in the Basque language. I cannot wait for that very moment! 

We have five days in San Sebastián where we will enjoy a Michelin three star preset dinner and wine pairing at Akelare on Thursday, cooking at the San Sebastián School of Cooking, a day trip to Bilbao and the Frank Gehry Guggenheim Museum, amongst other sites and adventures. 

From San Sebastián we will return to Madrid by train where we will spend the next five days with our home being the Grand Palace Hotel in the heart of Madrid. So many amazing sites and places to dine in Madrid and during our five days we will take a quick train trip for a day trip to Toledo, followed by another day trip to Segovia. 

The Royal Palace Madrid

Segovia

Segovia

Toledo

Toledo

Seville

Finally, we will finish our last five days in Seville and our home the Hotel Alfonso right in the heart of Seville. We will visit the Alcazar, the amazing cathedral – third largest in the world and of course enjoy paella and flamenco. This will be my first time to Seville and Isabel’s second so she will take over as the tour guide. 

Seville

So this will be my 6thtrip to Spain and my 25thoverall trip to Europe – its hard to believe I have been there now that many times yet I am as excited as anyone….maybe because I know how amazing the experience truly is. I’m probably most excited about watching my travelers and their first experience here – that is always the best part of the trip for me! 

London for Two!

I hope you got a chance to enjoy the Royal Wedding this weekend! Isabel had a few of her girlfriends over and I worked some magic in the kitchen and we enjoyed watching the Royal Wedding replay! It was especially enjoyable having just returned from a long weekend jaunt with Isabel. Romance was definitely in the air and London was the perfect spot for just the two of us for a little romance of our own. 

First, we would be remiss without thanking one of our clients, who will remain nameless, for sending us the first class round trip tickets as a gracious gift for Isabel’s fight. Thank you!!!! You know who you are and all we can say is – Amazing!

We left Phoenix on Thursday afternoon and arrived in London on Friday around noon. A short drive from Heathrow into the center of London just a few short blocks from Buckingham Palace and the quaint and so British, Duke’s Hotel, https://www.dukeshotel.com.  I have stayed here before at the recommendation of another amazing client and this place never disappoints. The hotel is small, quaint, but so elegant and the service and friendliness of the staff all add to the pleasant experience. 

We checked in and went right to the hotel restaurant for afternoon tea for Isabel and for me a cold cider beer with fish and chips – how else do you start a trip in London?! Although tired from flying, as usual, the adrenaline kicks in and we were off for our first walk of the trip.

A quick walk through Piccadilly Circus https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piccadilly_Circus, then a few blocks to Trafalgar Square https://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/our-building-and-squares/trafalgar-square. They were both packed with people as it was a Friday afternoon and the weather was beautiful! 

From the north side of the Thames, we made our way down Whitehall to Parliament Street passing 10 Downing Street, by Big Ben which is under renovation and scaffolded so barely visible, across the Westminster Bridge to the south side of the Thames and the London Eye and the Southbank river walk. 

We found a nice spot to enjoy happy hour with the locals and just chill and enjoy the wonderful weather – we were in London – just the two of us with three full days ahead and no itinerary! 

We made our way back across the Thames on the Golden Jubilee Bridge with a little shopping along the way, a walk down the Mall along the St. James Park and back to our hotel – we were done for the day. We racked up several thousand miles in the air and a nice 13,000 step walk to finish our first day. 

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Saturday morning started with us both waking up at 4am and so by 6am we were off on our early morning walk! Anyone who has traveled with me on our tours know I love to do that early morning walk and get out with the streets empty and the city just to ourselves. London was no exception – quiet, peaceful, and completely empty! 

We strolled through an empty Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square which just hours before were teaming with people! What a different experience. From there we made it back across the Thames to the southbank river walk and made our way east all the way to the Borough Market which sits just under the shadow of the Shard!

I love these open air markets and the Borough Market did not disappoint. Fabulous diversity in the various vendors and a very friendly atmosphere. From breads, flowers, vegetables, meats, fish, to paella being made on the spot the array of sights and aromas were sensational and not a bad way to start the day. It was only 8 am and our day was already off to a great start. 

From the Borough Market we hopped on the London Underground and took it clear across London to Marble arch at the far northeast corner of Hyde Park. We then walked along Hyde Park and the Kensington Gardens to Notting Hill and Portobello Road for a little breakfast and some shopping. Portobello Road was quite lively and the quiet of the day we had started with was now long gone and this place was packed with locals and tourists from all around the world! From engaging with the vendors to watching a lady who went out of control get arrested there was plenty to keep the mind moving. 

We then hoped a double decker to the Ladbroke Underground and rode that back to Green Park Underground at the far northeast corner of Green Park – a short walk through the park and back to the Duke Hotel. 

We freshened up, took a power nap and when we awoke the rain had moved in. So, we grabbed the rain jackets and headed out for a nice evening stroll through Piccadilly and Trafalgar and the surrounding shopping areas. What amazing shopping and as a guy all I can say, London has the best men’s clothing stores I have ever seen! 

With all the walking, we had worked up an appetite and we found a fun little Pinxos bar that had really tight quarters but fantastic tapas. Not a bad appetizer to start the evening, but then it was back out for a little more shopping in the Carnaby district and then we made our way back to out hotel with a nice stop for dinner at Ciccheti on Piccadilly – it was fantastic – nothing over the top, but very good Italian food in a very nice and friendly atmosphere. Some oysters on the half shell followed by a grilled duck salad accompanied by a refreshing stem of prosecco and our Saturday night was set. http://www.sancarlocicchetti.co.uk/ Definitely a wonderful Saturday and the rain didn’t slow us down. We racked up 26,482 steps and 11.27 miles. Not bad!

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Sunday morning and our second full day in London and we started with tea brought up to our room while we both got a little work done. Then it was off for another morning walk. We stopped for a quick breakfast at Duck and Waffle  https://duckandwafflelocal.com/for a duck eggs benedict. Amazing!!! Powered this time to Trafalgar Square and as we arrived the church bells were ringing at Saint Martin in the Fields Church so we thought we would go check it out. Well our timing was perfect and they were just beginning the morning service so we stayed for the entire service and enjoyed the amazing choral performances and the intense music from the pipe organ. Great way to reflect, give thanks for all of our blessings and the fact we were sharing this amazing weekend together!

With the service ended it was just a walk across the street to the National Gallery which is free and open to the public and contains endless art treasures from Leonardo to Van Gogh to Picasso https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk. Fantastic and between the morning service and enjoying the art our Sunday was off to a great start. 

From there we were ready to do some walking. We walked eastward to the Covent Gardens and enjoyed the live music and a little shopping. The down Fleet Street – I remembered to check it out Fred Fleet – and made our way to St. Paul’s Cathedral which is simply glorious and always worth a stop. This part of London is so interesting as you can experience the old architecture right next to the extreme modern and celebrate and appreciate the contrast. London has pulled this off magnificently and it is one of the reasons I enjoy this city probably more than any city in the world. 

As we kept walking eastward we made it the Tower of London for a quick lunch and quick walk by, across the London Bridge and back to the Borough Market and the Shard. A quick stop into the  Southwark Cathedral and then we walked westward along the southbank of the Thames and grabbed another bite, beverage and a rest. We made our way back across the Thames and down the Mall along St. James Park which was now closed off in preparation for the upcoming events for the Royal Wedding. At the terminus of our walk was the regal Buckingham Palace where we took in a few moments made our way across the east side of Green Park and back to our hotel. 

We freshened up and went down to the Duke’s Bar for cocktails and by now it was getting close to 9:30 pm and we needed to find a spot for a quick yet romantic dinner and we found the perfect spot not far from our hotel at the 45 Jermyn St. Restaurant https://www.45jermynst.com/. It appeared they were closing when we arrived but we convinced them to serve one more party and so Isabel and I, with the exception of a few stragglers, pretty much had the restaurant to ourselves. Such a great way to finish another amazing day in London. We outdid Saturday by racking up 27,428 steps and 11.37 miles. 

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Our last full day in London we slept in and enjoyed our last dull day off. It was Monday and one more day to explore what we could of London. Today we headed to the King’s Road shopping and design district to do a little shopping and research of some of the stunning showrooms. A nice lunch, some more shopping, and we walked back along Buckingham Palace and back to the Dukes Hotel for our final evening. 

I love the Duke’s Bar, thanks to the fine recommendation of client and friend, Bill Franke, who they all know well, this venue is as British as it gets. The head bartender at the Duke’s Bar Alessandro Palazzi, is world renown and treats you with utmost dignity making you feel like maybe you are a royal! https://sacredspiritscompany.com/index.php?route=blog/post&post_id=6What I love about a venue such as this, you never know who you will meet and tonight’s visit was no exception. From a lovely couple sitting across from us from Charleston, South Carolina who knew our clients the Speakermans to another group right behind us who was the brother of local Arizona developer and acquaintance, Rick Andreen, …. Needless to say, it’s a small world out there. 

A quick stroll to Franco’s for one more cocktail and some wonderful Italian food and our trip had come to a close. We definitely dialed it back on our last day and only got in 16,658 steps and 7.15 miles. 

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For the trip we racked up 83,694 steps for a whopping 35.45 miles. Not bad for four days! 

What a great trip and in the course of enjoying and exploring this fabulous city we determined to make London the destination for our 2019 Candelaria Design Tour next June. This will take Spain’s spot next year and we will still have our Candelaria Design Tour Italy in September. We will take between 12-18 travelers for a two-week tour featuring 7 days in London and 7 days in the England countryside where we will book a manor house complete with cooking classes. We will be putting together an amazing trip and you will want to get your spot quickly. Email me at mark@candelariadesign.com for details. 

Ok stay tuned for the Candelaria Design 2018 Tour Spain as we depart in just 10 days on June 5thfor a two week tour featuring San Sebastian’, Madrid, Segovia, Toledo and Seville. 

Have a nice Memorial Day weekend everyone!