Jaime's Local Love Podcast

A lawyer with a love of art created a shop 17 years ago to support local artists. When Jane Reddin passed away from cancer, she left the store to an employee who she knew would love it as much as she did. Since then, former news photojournalist Lisa Olson, has poured her heart in making Practical Art a cornerstone for art in our community. If you're looking for wall art, prints, t-shirts, bowls, o...

The WM Phoenix Open is this week and Spring Training is close behind. We talk to two pros when it comes to Arizona events: our own Scott Pasmore and Ian Schwartz. They tell some wild stories from covering the events and give some recommendations on restaurants to try while out and about with your friends.  

From fresh off the fishing boat in San Diego to grilled on your plate in Arizona, we meet the couple behind Chula Seafood. Arizona native Jon Heflin’s family’s been in the fishing industry in San Diego for decades. His wife Mandy (who he met while at ASU) is from the Pacific Northwest and was craving fresh seafood here in the desert. They started by distributing to our Valley restauran...

We meet the inspiring Chrissy May. The serial entrepreneur, author and wellness advocate hosts Aligned and Alive podcast and holds Sacred Experiences retreats. She offers one-on-one coaching on creating breakthroughs and lasting transformations. May tells us about the power of resilience, the importance of self-love, and why we should get comfortable saying "no." 

Scott Keppel of Scott's Training Systems is celebrating 20 years of guiding healthy transformations in people's lives. The personal trainer and nutrition coach aims to simplify your approach to food and exercise. Scott's trusted reputation in the Valley has earned him the ability to train many Arizona pageant girls and women as they prepare for their competitions. Hear how it was a twist of fate a...

Mixela is a small plates and wine restaurant in Phoenix with an international flair. The chef, Gian Franco, is from Venezuela and his wife Valentina is from Mexico. We learn how the two met in Monaco years ago. Now the couple's created a neighborhood bar and restaurant for people to come and hang and share small bites. On the menu, you’ll find sushi, meatballs, empanadas, cheeseboards, and m...

Two feet, two wheels, off road, or on the streets. We gather the owners of three different tour companies who can show you Arizona from a different point of view. We are talking to the owners of Wild Bunch Desert Guides,  Stellar Adventures, and Detours of Arizona. They'll take you on hikes and bikes, in UTVs and hummers and in an air-conditioned van for a tour of the Valley or on a...

Chef Stephen Jones of The Larder & the Delta is moving Southern cuisine into the fine dining space in a multi-course fancy and fun culinary experience. Jones has been a prominent name in the Phoenix food scene for more than a decade, creating friendships and mentoring young chefs but he almost left Arizona after his first summer here. Learn how a meeting with Chef Mark Tarbell of Tarbell's cha...

A former bank president decided to change her career by filling a void. Susie Timm says she saw a hole in the industry for food and beverage experts who do PR and marketing in Phoenix and nationwide. She took what she knew about helping small businesses with finances from the bank and combined it with her husband Eric's M.B.A. in marketing and created Knife and Fork Media Group. They represent loc...

A makeup artist from Maine moved from New York City to Phoenix and found a new calling. She wanted to create a space for working artists to both work and sell their wares. Tennille Neilsen’s vision for the Hive on 16th was a collection of affordable studios for artists with open doors for the customers to watch them work. The Hive on 16th brings 13 businesses under one roof: from coffee and...

A Valley couple always loved visiting Verde Valley. On one such trip, they had a hankering for a margarita to enjoy with the view.  That craving changed their lives and would made a big economic impact on Arizona small towns.  Thirty years later, Michelle and Eric Jurisin of the Haunted Group own 9 concepts from restaurants to hotels in Jerome and Cottonwood including: The Clinkscale, Th...

At just 29 years old, Karla Meza opened her first store front offering furniture and home goods at affordable prices. She created Casa Lola at 5th Street and Camelback to give everyone an opportunity to furnish their home with fashion. The design lover started sourcing great products at huge markdowns then filling her store. She loves seeing people smile when they look at the price tags and realiz...

In this episode, we meet Lisa Banish, Executive Director of Community Food Connections, dba Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market.  The market started 19 years ago to connect the community to clean, healthy, locally grown food. They have 100 + local vendors, around 80% food and 20% artisan. The Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market is part of the Farmers Market Nutrition Program, providing extra SNA...

If you're looking for something to do with the family, this is it. W e meet Monica and Kirk Nicodemus of JoyridesAZ. They love Scottsdale so much, they created a luxury golf cart experience to show off their hometown. They are always learning, reading and exploring on their own, so they are chock full of Scottsdale knowledge for your tour. They promise you will  learn something new about the archi...

We meet Wendell Crow of Crow's Dairy.  Wendell grew up in Buckeye in the dairy farming industry. He raises goats and makes cheese to sell to big name chefs and clients all over Arizona. He delivers the cheese himself. Wendell says the key to success is to keep his goats happy. The animals are his life. If you're a cheese lover, you must try the Crow's Dairy chevre: It is so good! You can find it a...

You’d think the name ATL Wings stood for Atlanta, but this time it means all the love and that’s what this family pours into their delicious chicken wing recipes. We meet the Valley couple behind the creative sauces at ATL Wings, sauces so good, they’ve garnered a cult following! Mike and Cianna Kirksey grew their one business into 18 franchised stores. They have 18 to 22 wing sauces. For first ti...

We meet Sharon Cunningham of CC's on Central. She already owns a Creole restaurant in California, but with her two grown children living here, she decided to move to Phoenix and open a Southern comfort restaurant here—offering all the favorites like jambalaya, wings, and po'boys—so she could be close to her kids CC's on Central is a great space to host an event and they cater too, and can make any...

Kimberly Pak has a heart for the local maker. She throws some of the biggest markets in the Valley, bringing together hundreds of makers in one location for a celebration of everything local. She opened a storefront to provide a fulltime space for her makers to sell, then she opened another, and another. Now with two Scottsdale locations and one Phoenix location, Kimberly says she’s learning to tr...

Valley natives, Geri Hormel and Hunter Rodgers, are passionate about animals. At home, they have dogs, chickens, and goats. At work, Geri rescues pregnant mom dogs and puppies at Almost There Rescue. ATR has 19 kennels, offers a Puppy Preschool Program, and daily enrichment for the dogs in their care. Next door, Hunter is manning the 10,000 pound homemade Italian pizza oven at Pizza To The Rescue....

He's long been "The Festival Guy" around the Valley, throwing food fests focused on tacos and pizza. In this episode, we meet David Tyda of Taco Fest and Phoenix Pizza Festival, and now he owns a bar too. Barcoa Agaveria in downtown Phoenix celebrates the art of creating and tasting tequila but Tyda says he never set out to be a bar owner. Find out how he says the building the bar's in "found him"...

A former truck driver and a singer find romance online and go into business together. We talk to the owners of Old School Grub Cafe in Mesa. Frank and Carlotta Perla give you a taste of nostalgia with a restaurant filled with vintage toys and comic memorabilia, all with a huge menu of comfort food like meatloaf and homemade pie. When you visit Frank and Carlotta, they want you to feel like family....

The Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival and Scottsdale Fashion Week are two really big events that bring big names to the Valley. In this episode, we meet the local couple doing the legwork behind the scenes. Steve and Jamie Levine own Steve Levine Entertainment and Public Relations. Steve, a former DJ, and Jamie, a master of PR, combined their passions to create events that enrich the lives of Ariz...

If you love coffee and country music, you're going to love this episode. We talk to Aaron Lopo, the owner of Dapper and Stout Coffee and Horse and Hyde Barroom. The coffee shops came first, some eight years ago. Then a little over a year ago, Aaron opened Horse and Hyde which quickly became popular because of daily live country music. His parents owned food trucks when he was growing up, and Aaron...

Luke Irvin and Eric Walters of “A Taste of AZ” love telling stories about the Arizona restauranteur, chef, bar owner, and mixologist. They travel the state to tell their stories in print, in podcasts, and at festivals, where food lovers can connect in person. The work is something Eric felt was a long time coming as he'd searched for a career that just “felt good” and celebrated others. Luke, too,...

We meet the designer behind Lucky Star Jewels. Dawn Baiden created her jewelry line to be light and easy to wear, yet made with love that could go from day to night. You’ll find her beautiful necklaces, rings, bracelets and more in spa boutiques around the valley and the nation. She tells us about where she finds inspiration for her designs, the serendipitous way her business began and the way she...