Jill Richards Photography | Arizona Commercial and Editorial Photographer

Meet the staff at Phoenician Resort and Spa

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 16:00:00 +0000

Meet two of the many faces that make Phoenician Resort and Spa so incredibly special. Not only can guests enjoy this stunning resort and its many pools, they can take part in a traditional afternoon tea service at the Lobby Tea Court or the Hour of Joy wine tasting with a trained sommelier at Canyon Suites.

Canyon Suites sommelier Jared Sowinski. Canyon Suites. ©2104. Phoenix, AZ

The Phoenician Resort and Spa

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 15:30:00 +0000

Mother of Pearl Pool at Phoenician Resort. Phoenix, AZ. 2014. ©Jill Richards Photography

Surge Splash Pad. Phoenician Resort. Phoenix, AZ. 2014. ©Jill Richards Photography

Canyon Suites at the Phoenician Resort. Phoenix, AZ. 2014. ©Jill Richards Photography

Lobby of the Phoenician Resort. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Canyon Suites at the Phoenician Resort. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Phoenician Resort and Spa. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

S'mores at Phoenician Resort. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Canyon Suites at the Phoenician Resort. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Art director: Kevin Carnes of Air Integrated
Hair and makeup by Michele Lee

New work for Heckler Design

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 19:58:00 +0000

There is nothing more exciting than watching your client's business take off... in a big way. Heckler Design has come a long way since our first shoot back in 2012. Just this year, Dean Heckler and his team moved into a stunning historic Grand Avenue building. They've added a new line-up of products and have started building with partnerships with some huge names. You can read about Heckler Design on the biggest and best blogs devoted to design. These guys are on fire.

http://hecklerdesign.com

Ouanaminthe, Haiti with Global Family Philanthropy

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 19:55:00 +0000

Firewood. 2013. Ouanaminthe, Haiti. ©Jill Richards Photography

Mommy's School. 2013. Ouanaminthe, Haiti. ©Jill Richards Photography

Derac. 2013. Ouanaminthe, Haiti. ©Jill Richards Photography

Lori at Bon Samaritan Elderly Home. 2013. Ouanaminthe, Haiti. ©Jill Richards Photography

Bon Samaritan Elderly Home. 2013. Ouanaminthe, Haiti. ©Jill Richards Photography

Lunch time. 2013. Ouanaminthe, Haiti. ©Jill Richards Photography

Learn more about Global Family Philanthropy at www.globalfamilyphilanthropy.org.

On Assignment: Isabel's Amor

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 20:49:00 +0000

Isabel's Amor opened its doors in November. Located in Gilbert, this restaurant is something special — with a gorgeous bar, stylish decor and a welcoming outdoor patio. The food is made-from-scratch and the bar menu was created by local cocktail genius Travis Ness.

I was invited by Awe Collective (formerly SALT) to help Isabel's Amor create a bright, colorful and delicious look for their first marketing campaign. Owners Tim and Julie Vasquez were kind (and trusting) enough to let me loose to create images I thought would be fun. To help style this shoot I brought on my dear friend Jess Ruiz, who is a interior design and restauranteur. Armed with a bag full of props, we went to town.

Thank you Jess for being the most stylish person I know and big congratulations to Isabel's Amor for a successful grand opening.

Grand Opening. 2013. Gilbert, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Cocktails by Travis Ness. 2013. Gilbert, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Isabel's Amor. 2013. Gilbert, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Baja Shrimp Coctel. 2013. Gilbert, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Isabel's Amor. 2013. Gilbert, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Tequila. 2013. Gilbert, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Cheesecake in a jar. 2013. Gilbert, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Carne asada torta. 2013. Gilbert, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Jicama Fresca Salad. 2013. Gilbert, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Isabel's Amor. 2013. Gilbert, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Tequila. 2013. Gilbert, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Carnitas. 2013. Gilbert, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

http://isabelsamor.com. 2013. Gilbert, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Isabel's Amor
1490 E. Williams Field Rd. Suite 101
Gilbert, AZ 85295
Sunday-Thursday 11 am-9pm
Friday & Saturday 11am-10pm

Experience Scottsdale 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 17:23:00 +0000

Big thanks to Taliesin West for providing the perfect backdrop for a cover shoot for the Scottsdale Convention & Visitor Bureau's 2014 visitor guide — Experience Scottsdale.

Experience Scottsdale 2014. Scottsdale, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Model: Sam Diaz of The Agency Arizona

Styling: Diane Aiello
Location: Taliesin West

Exploring Bisbee with Arizona Highways

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 19:20:00 +0000

Ten minutes after parking my car along Main Street in Bisbee, I had made a friend — Nicole, a dress maker, artist, bodyworker and all-around good gal. In one brief conversation I had the lay of the land and a list of locals I had to meet.

Bisbee residents like to brag about their little town, and for good reason. With its steep, winding streets and patchwork houses, this old mining settlement is a place where it’s easy to feel inspired. People don't come to Bisbee to escape; they come to create. The town is crawling with artists and creative types, and not just in the galleries and studios. On a lazy Sunday I was invited to shoe-box bar for “Drink and Draw,”a weekly social gathering where artists and non-artists alike gather to fill sketch pads and drain beer bottles.

Locals in Bisbee are really good at welcoming you, but they’re even better at making it hard to leave their town. After four days of being invited into homes, studios and galleries, I was reluctant to hit the highway back to Phoenix. I'm grateful to all the folks who were so hospitable to me.

You can see the Arizona Highways feature on Bisbee here.

Retired miner Sonny Tovar & town of Bisbee. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Sonny Tovar was born in Bisbee in 1935. He was 40 years old when the Queen Mine closed. He is now one of several retired miners who give daily tours of the mine. He says he still loves the smell of the mine. "I enjoy the tours. I knew what I was talking about. I would put my heart into it. I felt proud to be a miner."

St. Elmo, Arizona's longest running bar. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Sue Sargent, St. Elmo bartender & 1948 Willys. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Sue Sargent has spent almost 25 years tending bar. These days you’ll find her at St. Elmo's Bar, the oldest continually operating bar in Arizona. Be sure to try one of her classic martinis. "I make them dirty," she said.

Artist Poe Dismuke. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Poe Dismuke is a big ol' kid and he's having more fun than all of us. He sketches, sculpts, designs Rube Goldberg machines and builds soap-box-derby cars. He is a collector of the coolest crap you've ever seen, including a fuselage. As if that wasn't enough, he's married to the amazing Sam Woolcott.

Artists Sam Woolcott and Poe Dismuke's work. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Painter and mixed media artist Sam Woolcott. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Sam Woolcott is married to Poe, and lately she can be found laying in a drainage ditch with a sketchbook, studying the pathways, power lines and house fronts of Bisbee from an entirely new perspective. She's an artist with an architect's brain, and she’s inspiring. I dare you to spend an afternoon at her old schoolhouse studio and not want to quit your job and move to Bisbee.

Poe Dismuke. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Pie from High Desert Market & Bisbee resident Nichole Welch. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

The Kenneth Brian Band traveling through Bisbee. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Optimo Hatworks. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

S. Grant Sergot with customer at Optimo Hatworks. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

S. Grant Sergot and his custom, hand-formed hats are a fixture on Main Street and a first stop for many visitors to Bisbee. Sergot is the authority on fitting hats for every type and his panama and fur-felt hats are a thing of perfection. Sergot was gracious enough to give me an afternoon tour of Bisbee and all its natural surroundings in his 1948 Willy Jeep.

Off Main Street. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Sculptor Art Herman. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Art Herman’s studio is located in a small dark room behind a garage-turned-gallery on Main Street. Art walks with a cane due to a bad back, most likely from years laboring as a commercial diver, a carpenter, an electrician and a plumber. He works with his hands. Always has. Now a full-time artist, Herman sculpts wood and bends metal and twists new life into found objects. Herman, a kind and soft-spoken man, is entering a new chapter in his life as an artist, and his political views are a big part of that. His latest work — wood sculptures of crows — is his personal statement against Nevada's open-season hunting of crows,highly intelligent bird that he refers to as “little darlings.” This activism isn’t a stretch for a man who discovered his passion for art while stationed in San Francisco during the ’60s at the height of the Beat Movement.

Artist Joe Klinger. 2013. Bisbee, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

If you've been to Bisbee, chances are you've seen Joe Klinger's place. It's a monument to found objects — mannequins, ice chests, benches, pipes, hoses, bed frames, etc. Bisbee's trash is his treasure. There's a certain freedom about his art. It carries over from his home and gallery to the makeshift dog park he helped create across the street. Joe’s art is not for everyone — including some city officials in Bisbee — butafter visiting with him I’ve found myself taking to second look at the discarded goods in the alley behind my house.

My first Arizona Highways spread vanishes in mushroom cloud

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 21:41:00 +0000

Back in May I was hired by Arizona Highways to venture down to Bisbee and shoot "anything that strikes your fancy for a six page piece that will run this fall." This was a dream assignment from a magazine I've loved for a long time.

But unfortunately, the October issue with my Bisbee spread won't make it to newsstands due to an error in one of the other articles — a mushroom was labeled as edible when it actually has unpredictable psychotropic and physical effects. In an effort to protect readers, the October issue will not be sold on newsstands. Magazine subscribers will still receive the October issue, as well as information regarding the error.

While this is unfortunate for my project, it's a great example of a publication doing the right thing. Arizona Highways has always been a class act. I feel lucky to work with them.

City Eats: Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Roasted duck. 2013. Flagstaff, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Crafted cocktails. 2013. Flagstaff, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Heirloom cauliflower risotto. 2013. Flagstaff, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Chef de Cuisine Logan Weber. 2013. Flagstaff, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar. 2013. Flagstaff, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Grilled rib-eye. 2013. Flagstaff, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar. 2013. Flagstaff, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Firefly Living: Oregon Avenue Home

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 00:51:00 +0000

The creative folks at Firefly Living are approaching real estate in a very cool way. They're the only real estate company I've seen to advertise a home as being "the ideal place to wait out the zombie apocalypse." Now, that's funny. They brought me on board in April to photograph one of their groovy remodels — a gorgeous home filled with natural light. As if it couldn't get any better, they hired a pretty, red haired model and brought in chickens.

http://fireflyliving.com. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Firefly Living Oregon Ave. home. 2013. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Charreada, A Mexican Tradition

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 19:46:00 +0000

Hiding behind a cinderblock wall off Broadway in South Phoenix is Rancho Ochoa Rodeo Grounds and just down the road from there is Corona Ranch and Rodeo. If you're lucky enough to get down that way on a weekend, then treat yourself to an authentic Phoenix experience — a traditional Charreada, a Mexican-style rodeo that shows off roping and riding skills. Everyone loves a rodeo, but this cultural event is truly something to be celebrated. Not to mention, you'll always find home-cooked Mexican food, cold cerveza and a crowd passionately cheering for its charros and charras. In April, I was lucky enough to catch a early evening practice, but I will be back for the main event. ¡Salud!

Rope Tricks. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Charros entering the arena. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Escaramuzas charras. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Charro in sombrero. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Rope tricks. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Escaramuzas charra and a young charro. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

The Charro Roping. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Entering the arena. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Traditional Charro clothing and sombrero. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Rope Tricks. Phoenix, AZ. 2013. ©Jill Richards Photography

Bryce Hiking Weekend — REI Signature Camping

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:58:00 +0000

I think my husband is going to regret inviting me on a hiking weekend in Bryce Canyon National Park with REI at one of their new Signature Campsites. Let's just say, from now on I'm going to expect a cold, scented towel and iced lemonade after all hikes.

I've experienced Bryce Canyon before, but never like this and especially not in a tent setup large enough for a closet, mirror and nightstand. The campsite is impressive with its spacious tents and wooden platforms. Did I mention they deliver French press coffee to your tent every morning?

While REI brings together all the comfort and style a camper could want, it's the beauty of Bryce Canyon that steals the show. Hikes in Bryce wind through incredible landscapes of red rock and hoodoos — tall, skinny spires of rock. The slot canyons of Escalante are sandstone playgrounds, filled with plenty of challenges. This place is amazing!

Not only did our weekend in Utah give us a much-needed break from the Phoenix heat, it gave my outdoors-loving husband a glimpse into our future as campers. I'd like to thank REI for that.

Bryce Canyon Signature Camp. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Bryce Canyon Signature Camp details. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Bryce Canyon National Park. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Bryce Canyon Signature Camp and Eno hammocks. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Bryce Canyon Signature Camp details. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Hiking in Bryce. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Geoff turns 50. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Campfire. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Bryce Canyon Signature Camp details. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

French press coffee in the morning. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Outdoor kitchen. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Trails and gourmet meals. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Outdoor kitchen. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Bryce Canyon Signature Camp. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Peek-A-Boo Loop Trail & Kodachrome S.P. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Geoff and Jane. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Slot canyons in Escalante. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Peek-A-Boo Loop Trail. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Guiding in Escalante. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Peek-A-Boo Loop Trail & Escalante. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Bryce Canyon Signature Camp. 2013. Bryce Canyon, Utah. ©Jill Richards Photography

Snapshots of Phoenix, part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 23:57:00 +0000

Please see my previous post of "Snapshots of Downtown Phoenix."

On Assignment: "This is Phoenix" campaign

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 21:53:00 +0000

Leah at The Phoenician. 2013. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Leah in yellow. 2013. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Leah at The Phoenician. 2013. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Leah in the morning light. 2013. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Heated pools in the winter. 2013. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Poolside martini. 2013. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Leah at The Phoenician. 2013. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Model: Leah Notebaert of Ford Robert Black Agency.
Styling, H&M: Diane Aiello.

This is one of several shoots I did with Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau for its new "This is Phoenix" advertising campaign. And really, nothing says "Welcome to Phoenix" like one of the city's finest resort pools. The Phoenician, with its perfect landscaping and gorgeous yellow cabanas, was the perfect location for our early morning shoot. Not to mention, the water was heated. I think our model Leah appreciated that.

A lazy Sunday in New Orleans

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 00:47:00 +0000

Live music on every street corner. 2013. New Orleans, LA. ©Jill Richards Photography

Sunday afternoon. 2013. New Orleans, LA. ©Jill Richards Photography

Locals. 2013. New Orleans, LA. ©Jill Richards Photography

Barkus parade. 2013. New Orleans, LA. ©Jill Richards Photography

Sunday Mardi Gras parade. 2013. New Orleans, LA. ©Jill Richards Photography

Tourists. 2013. New Orleans, LA. ©Jill Richards Photography

Locals. 2013. New Orleans, LA. ©Jill Richards Photography

Throwing beads. 2013. New Orleans, LA. ©Jill Richards Photography

Purple, green and gold. 2013. New Orleans, LA. ©Jill Richards Photography

Barkus parade. 2013. New Orleans, LA. ©Jill Richards Photography

I had big plans for my trip to New Orleans — being in bed with the flu was not one of them. Sadly, I only got one day out in the sunshine with my camera. Being sick in New Orleans is a special kind of torture, but then again, one day of shooting in The Big Easy is better than 10 days shooting in other towns. Cheers to New Orleans.

On Assignment: Ripe 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:52:00 +0000

The creative geniuses at Salt Agency hired me to photograph five Valley chefs to be honored at the first ever Ripe Awards held in January. I know these chefs. I adore these chefs, but this assignment felt a bit like a reality television show challenge. I had 20 minutes to photograph 5 chefs, on-location at a museum, but I could not photograph the art or move the furniture and I must include a prop...a pomegranate. Ready. Set. Go.

Ripe Award winners. 2013. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Ripe Award winners & Charleen Badman, FnB. 2013. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Bernie Kantak, Citizen Public House & Silvana Salcido Esparza, Barrio Cafe. 2013. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Josh Hebert, Posh & Greg LaPrad, Quiessence. 2013. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Ripe Award winners. 2013. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

Billboards: This is Phoenix.

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 19:12:00 +0000

Attention people of Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas and San Francisco, the sunny city of Phoenix is looking to lure you to the desert with a batch of new fancy billboards. Hope it works.

The billboard design ties in with the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau's advertising campaign using Instagram/Hipstamatic-type images. Basically we're saying to travelers, "If you come to Phoenix, these are the memories you will make."

This is Phoenix billboard #1. 2012. ©Jill Richards Photography

Golf at The Boulders. 2012. Carefree, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

This is Phoenix billboard #2. 2012. ©Jill Richards Photography

Poolside at The Phoenician. 2012. Phoenix, AZ. ©Jill Richards Photography

This is Phoenix billboard #3. 2012. ©Jill Richards Photography

Snapshots of downtown Phoenix

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:47:00 +0000

This is downtown Phoenix, through the filter of Hipstamatic and the vision of the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau. This social media-inspired advertising campaign grew out of the idea that visitors will want to come to Phoenix, not because of a slick advertising campaign with paid models, but because their friends shared groovy pics of their trip on Facebook and Instagram.

So went out to recreate those types of snapshots, while showing off the kind of hip spots that only Phoenix locals know about.

The ads will run in various trade and consumer magazines and on billboards, while the social media campaign is just getting started. The Phoenix CVB is inviting Phoenix photographers to submit their "This is My Phoenix" photo via Facebook for a chance to win an invitation to attend a 3-day media tour with professional photographers.

Mongolia, pt. 2

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 22:00:00 +0000

I started my adventure in Mongolia in Karakorum, which is a 10-hour drive, on dirt roads, from the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. We spent two weeks living with a family of herders in a ger (similar to a yurt.) During this time, our group ventured out on horseback to get a closer look at the Mongolian steppes, as well as meet other herding families. The scenery was breathtaking, the food was bizarre and the horses...well, they were a little difficult. Let's just say, we spent a day catching them before we road them. I named my horse El Diablo and I'm thankful he didn't kill me.

Western Mongolia, pt. 1

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Mongolia. Where do I even start? My month spent in the land of Genghis Khan was unreal — horse trekking, milk drinking, meat eating and lots and lots of photo taking. The landscapes were unbelievable and the people were as hospitable as described in each travel book I read. I traveled to Mongolia with Rustic Pathways, the same group that sent me to Costa Rica last summer. Like last year, I was hired to help the company with images for marketing, as well as assist high school students as they traveled. This year I was also invited to lead an Advanced Photography Workshop with high school photographers. For this two-week workshop, we traveled to Western Mongolia to the Khovd Province, which is where most of the country's Kazakhs live.

During our stay, we're were lucky enough to catch a Naadam celebration taking place in the village where we were living. A Naadam is a festival of sport. It celebrates the country's long-time love of wrestling, horse racing and archery. Here are a few images from my time in Khovd Province.

Nobuo Fukuda

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:30:00 +0000

I have a deep, unwavering love for Nobuo Fukuda and the food he so carefully prepares each night at Nobuo at Teeter House. So excuse me for this incredibly loose edit of redundant pictures — I couldn't help it. I dream about his beloved grapefruit and hamachi dish — four luscious pieces of hamachi folded around grapefruit and avocado, sprinkled with white truffle oil and a Kung Fu Girl Riesling and then gently, lovingly placed in spoons. Nobuo has been creating some of the most exciting food in Phoenix for a long time. He was the 2007 James Beard winner for the Southwest and named best new chef from Food & Wine. He is as kind as he is creative and we're so lucky to have him.

Hot in the City

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 19:11:00 +0000

Phoenix is hot as Hades in the summer, even in the evening. Yet, people still come out at night to sit in the grass, listen to live music and enjoy the urban parks. Downtown Phoenix is ever-changing. The skyline is growing upward and outward. New businesses are finding great success — restaurants, bars and even a small local movie theater. I love this scene at Civic Space Park. The modest crowd and local cover band are set against a backdrop of new and old buildings, each one filled with light and color. Janet Echelman's incredible art installation, made with steel, twine netting and lighting makes me thankful someone thought public art was important. It's all coming together. And that makes me happy to live here and excited to see what's next.

Vintage Charm

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 17:39:00 +0000

I own a pill box hat and I have my editor at Valley Guide to blame for that. I found this feathered gem while on assignment. My editor gave me a list of three vintage stores to pull product from. She then let me loose. Naturally, things got out of hand. I pulled enough product to cover my entire dining room with vintage goods and antique bobbles. I had to channel every gifted stylist I've ever worked with to pull off this product shoot. Here are the published pages. And if you need vintage shopping tips, I'm your girl.

Valley Guide Summer 2012

Ile a Vache, Haiti

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:55:00 +0000

I traveled to Haiti for the third time in nine months. And like each time before, the transportation is grueling, the air quality is atrocious and the days are exhausting. The kids, however, are always amazing.

I travel to Haiti with Global Family Philanthropy, a Phoenix-based nonprofit that operates a home for children in Les Cayes, about a 4-hour bus ride from Port Au Prince. I volunteer as a photographer and serve on the board. On this past trip, GFP founder Lori Goldberg wanted to deliver a $5,000 donation to the L'oeuvre Saint François orphanage on the remote island of Ile a Vache. For 30 years, Sister Flora, a French-Canadian nun, has cared for 70+ children at this orphanage, many of whom are physically and mentally disabled. Her charitable work includes the opening of a school located in her village, where her children and neighborhood kids attend.

Visiting her is one of my favorite ways to experience Haiti. Not only are her children wonderful, but the island is gorgeous. Many visitors stay on the island in one of the two resorts. They volunteer with Sister Flora during the day and then hike back to their hotel. The beaches are pristine and the water is clear and warm. Ile a Vache is really something special.

One man's junk...

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Richards) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 15:00:00 +0000

On a road trip through Jerome, AZ, I was lucky enough to meet this old guy — Don Robertson, owner of The Gold King Mine. His place is museum of sorts. A collection of rusted machine parts, broke down cars, mining artifacts and a menagerie of friendly animals. He said in an interview with the Arizona Republic, "This was what I was meant to do. I was put on this Earth to save this beautiful old machinery. This is the stuff that America was built with. There's no reason for it to be tossed aside or forgotten."