Latest news with #ParadiseValley
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
First Tee, PGA TOUR Superstore host 40 teens for Montana Leadership Summit
National youth development organization First Tee is proud to host the 2025 First Tee Leadership Summit in partnership with PGA TOUR Superstore, taking place over the next two weeks at West Creek Ranch in Montana. Teens will spend an impactful week in the Paradise Valley, where they'll experience leadership development, outdoor adventure and personal growth. Actor Michael Pena and Olympic medalist Kellie Wells-Brinkley will be guest speakers for Week 1 and Week 2 respectively. Leadership Summit is designed to equip participants with the tools and mindset to lead with character, overcome challenges and make a meaningful influence in their schools and communities. The immersive program encourages participants to step outside of their comfort zone and experience activities like horseback riding, whitewater rafting, ropes courses and archery. Throughout the week, leadership development experts and PGA TOUR Superstore staff lead reflective sessions to help participants identify their leadership strengths and values. First Tee and PGA TOUR Superstore have a long and impactful history. This is the fifth year they'll team up to host Leadership Summit at West Creek, a working ranch owned by PGA TOUR Superstore chairman and owner and First Tee board member Arthur M. Blank that borders the Yellowstone River and Gallatin National Forest. During the event, PGA TOUR Superstore staff will facilitate sessions on topics like communication and growing through challenges.'The Leadership Summit is one of the most memorable and meaningful experiences these teens will have at this stage in their lives. They learn about themselves, working with others, face challenges and build lifelong friendships,' said Ralph Stokes, Vice President of Social Impact, Partnerships and Community Relations, PGA TOUR Superstore. 'At PGA TOUR Superstore, we are committed to investing in programs like this that empower young people to grow – as individuals, as leaders and as engaged members of their communities.' 'At First Tee, golf is just the beginning of what we do,' said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. 'During Leadership Summit, teens will explore who they are as individuals, who they want to become and how they can lead with purpose. It is one of our most impactful opportunities, and we are grateful to PGA TOUR Superstore and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation for making it possible.'All participants must complete a leadership training course hosted by their local PGA TOUR Superstore before applying to Leadership Summit. This year's group was selected from a competitive pool of applicants and represents 21 First Tee Chapters from across the Tee offers a full slate of participant opportunities, including Leadership Summit, to further its mission of building game changers through golf. For more information, visit
New York Times
17-07-2025
- New York Times
Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte's home burglarized during MLB All-Star Game
Scottsdale police are investigating a 'high-dollar' burglary that took place Tuesday night at a residence owned by Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte. Marte was at the MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta at the time of the incident. Police said no one was at the home in Paradise Valley. There were signs of forced entry, and numerous personal items and jewelry pieces were missing, police said. The investigation remains active. Advertisement Making his third All-Star appearance, Marte started for the National League and batted third. In his first at-bat, he belted a two-run double down the right-field line, becoming the first player in Diamondbacks history to drive in multiple runs in an All-Star Game. Marte went 1-for-2 in the contest, which the NL won in a home run swing-off format after the score was tied after nine innings. It's been an eventful summer for Marte. During a game against the Chicago White Sox last month, he was brought to tears after a fan near the dugout shouted at him about his mother. His mother, Elpidia Valdez, had died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic years earlier. The Diamondbacks return from the All-Star break Friday to host the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field.
Forbes
04-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Forbes
Playing Casa Blanca Again At A Reinvented Riad-Style Retreat In Arizona
Playing to the Casa Blanca development's original Moroccan-inspired design, the Paradise Valley townhome's current incarnation could have been uplifted from North Africa. A decades-old, black-and-white print advertisement, complete with a vintage-scrolly font reads 'Casa Blanca, Near Majestic Camelback Mountain – A Desert Paradise Where Summer Spends the Winter'. The Casa Blanca in question—an iconic Moroccan-inspired construction in Arizona's Paradise Valley —pre-dates the Oscar-winning, Morocco-set Casablanca (1944) by some stretch. Built in the 1920s by architect R.T. (Bob) Evans, the script for this Casa Blanca meanders through a fascinating past and present. Paradise Valley sits in the shadow of Camelback Mountain—a fitting landmark for Casa Blanca. Originally a private home, it was converted in the 1940s into a corporate retreat, mainly used by the Borg-Warner automotive company. The 1950s ushered in a new guise—as a hotel for stylish guests to see and be seen in for the next few decades. Eventually the entire property was divided up into private residences designed by Arizona architect George Christensen, with phased renovations starting in the 1980s. Thoughtful, not theme-y. The home's natural color palette is a cool mix of sand, sesame and unbleached linen. Even a crumb of traditional Moroccan tea biscuit. Two years ago, Phoenix-based Haute House Design and Interior's Jessica Ellingford and Jasmine Gray purchased one of the enclave's townhomes with full intention to renovate, remodel and sell. This 2,125 square foot fully redesigned home is now on the market and creating quite a stir, listed for $3.25 million by agents Jennifer Burgess and Siena Koppelman of RETSY. 'Buyers' agents have consistently told us that in all their years of selling homes in the Casa Blanca development, no one has taken a remodel to the level of this listing,' says Burgess. The complete remodeling of 5101 N Casa Blanca Drive 223 has been "taken to another level" by Haute House Design and Interior's Jessica Ellingford and Jasmine Gray. Quite the compliment, considering some of the area's most discriminating designers and prestige realtors have chosen to call the community home, she says. 'This is a real credit to Haute's thoughtfully planned design,' Burgess adds. 'Jasmine and Jessica really pay attention to existing structure when they incorporate their own design elements-they make it a passion project to honor the architecture.' That results in what she describes as 'a finished project that doesn't have what we call in the real estate business an identity crisis.' The property's designer-owners worked with Phoenix-based Lab Design Collaborative to transform what had been an outdated galley kitchen while honoring the home's existing internal architecture. The design duo hired architect Lab Design Collaborative to gut outdated areas like the galley kitchen, open up closed-off spaces and maintain the integrity of the Moroccan-Mediterranean style as created by the gated community's original architect. The residences of Casa Blanca remain whitewashed desert beacons, true to the original landmark. In the case of Casa Blanca, the original gate, with its "White City" whitewashed walls and domes, is somewhat of a landmark in Paradise Valley, proudly marking the entry into this storied property. Approaching the grounds, you notice rose and cactus gardens lovingly tended by professional landscapers, three heated swimming pools, plus tennis and pickleball courts—amenities you'd expect at a resort. All set against the dramatic tableau of Camelback Mountain. Highly textured lime-washed walls were achieved with a long-bristled brush application. "The imperfection is perfection." Throughout the townhome, or riad as these types of homes are referred to in Marrakesh, the Moroccan-style décor is thoughtful without being theme-y. A Mediterranean color palette mixes tones of unbleached linen, warm sand, sun-weathered terracotta, sesame and a Moroccan tea biscuit known as ghriba. A lime wash on ceilings and textured walls creates a soft, relaxing cocoon. 'The trick is finding a true artist to do the application,' says Gray. 'The paint can't be rolled on, it must be applied by a long bristle brush. It's like a painting—the imperfection is perfection.' Material selection for the refurbishment was meticulous. In the bath and shower areas, hand-cut Zellige shimmer with texture and patina. Materials were discerningly sourced—hand-selected limestone from Moroccan quarries for the bathrooms, Taj Mahal quartzite counter tops for the kitchen and laundry, and traditional Zellige hand-cut mosaic tiles in the showers. Then there are the striking creamy wooden elements. 'We love white oak and used that in the floors, cabinets, handrails and closets—it has such a warm texture,' notes Ellingford. Palecek lighting fixtures add texture in natural materials like seagrass and rattan—fitting for the atmospheric intentions of the designers. Outdoor living, lounging and eating beckons under the vibrant bougainvillea. Each flagstone tile was hand-selected and placed. Outside in the private courtyard, save for the exterior walls, the entire space was reimagined. A whitewashed built-in seating nook and outdoor kitchen with its cascading Bougainvillea inspires curling up with a verre beldi of mint tea. A flagstone pathway involved Gray and Ellingford going through 'crate by crate to choose every stone we were happy with, and where to place each one. It was a process.' Still, cool, quiet. But for the gentle sound of the fountain, a converted antique watering trough imported from Indonesia. And the fountain, essential to any Moroccan riad and often considered the center of the home, 'is our favorite piece in the house—it's a 100-year-old antique from a company in California that brings them in from Indonesia. They are watering troughs converted into fountains.' Another imported detail that feels right at home in this 'Desert Paradise' ready to turn the page into its next fascinating vignette. 5101 N Casa Blanca Drive #223—a turnkey property in Paradise Valley, Arizona—is on the market for $3.25 million with RETSY's Siena Koppelman and Jennifer Burgess. RETSY is a member of Forbes Global Properties, an invitation-only network of top-tier brokerages and the exclusive real estate partner of Forbes.
Wall Street Journal
22-05-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
One of Arizona's Priciest Homes Sells for $30 Million
A roughly 9-acre estate in Paradise Valley, Ariz., has sold for $30 million, making it one of the most expensive home sales recorded in the state, according to listing agent Joan Levinson of Realty One Group. The seller of the Hacienda-style estate was Alex Meruelo, the former majority owner of the former Arizona Coyotes professional hockey team, which he sold in 2024. He and his wife, Liset Meruelo, bought the estate for $12.1 million in 2021, according to public records.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Katy Perry Pauses Show To 'Accuse' Confused Fan Of Texting Her Fiancé Orlando Bloom
Katy Perry briefly paused her Nevada show to scold a bewildered fan for allegedly sending text messages to her fiancé, Orlando Bloom. This comes after the singer received backlash for her antics upon embarking on an all-female trip to space, as her "Lifetimes" world tour recorded underwhelming ticket sales in some venues. Katy Perry has also addressed being the "most hated person on the internet" as critics accuse her of copying other stars, including Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter. Perry is 11 dates into her 84-date "Lifetimes" world tour and seemingly can't stop pulling off surprises during her performance. The "Roar" hitmaker set tongues wagging when she performed in Mexico several weeks ago, dressed in a space suit following her controversial trip to space. She followed through on the same path when she performed in front of a packed crowd at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise Valley on Saturday and left a fan stunned as she accused him of sending messages to her fiancé, Orlando Bloom. Perry, who took to the stage in a leotard and fishnet tights, crouched as she looked for her target in the audience, a fan supposedly called Kyle. "I know why you're here. Listen, if you keep DM-ing my man... you've been doing it for months, ever since the residency. You didn't come to see me play," she told Kyle, sending the concertgoers into a roar of approval. "If you keep on DM-ing my man, I'm going to have you removed - seriously, get your own life," she added, per the Daily Mail. "He don't want you, Kyle. I'm his wife. I'm his, he's mine... stay the f-ck away." Kyle looked stunned as he turned to his friends while Perry continued her performance. However, the outburst is said to be a scripted stunt she employed to connect with her audience before launching into her 2024 single, "I'm His, He's Mine." Elsewhere during her performance, Perry expertly handled a wardrobe malfunction that threatened to lay bare her entire chest. While performing her hit song, "Part Of Me," the 40-year-old singer, who wore a reflective cone bra, a matching pair of high-waisted reflective briefs, and pointed thigh-high leather boots, had a concerning moment as her bra nearly came off while she ran across the stage's runway area. As seen in a TikTok video, she then slowed down and changed her move to look like she was strutting to play off the wardrobe malfunction. "Oh sh-t, my bra is gonna come off," Perry said into the microphone while walking to the main stage. The singer was determined to let the show go on as she joined her backup dancers and hit a few moves with her bra still undone, before walking to the side stage to get it fixed. "Put my bra back on, Patrick," she said out loud again, adding, "Sorry guys, you didn't pay that much." While Perry's tour has suffered a few setbacks, including a delayed start in Minnesota that caused fans to stand around for hours and underwhelming ticket sales for some dates, she was recently hit with another career blow. An insider recently shared that she's not welcome back to Resorts World Las Vegas after the hotel slammed her Vegas residency, "Play," claiming it was a "disaster" that cost them money. "The residency was a disaster for Resorts World, a complete failure," a source told NewsNation's Paula Froelich. "There was a bidding war between Resorts World and Caesars … and Caesars technically lost out — but in the end, Caesars won," the source noted. "Katy was getting paid between $750,000 and $900,000 a show because of the bidding war, and the entire run, she underperformed and Resorts World lost money." Perry laughed off claims she was the "most hated person on the Internet" during her tour stop in Chicago on May 12. A video that went viral captured the moment a packed audience was cheering her for an extended period of time, which she seemingly took in well. "Well, I thought I was the most hated person on the internet," she told the crowd, per People Magazine. "I think that's false," Perry continued, as the crowd also continued their cheers for her. The "California Gurls" singer has received backlash from netizens in recent times, especially after she went on an 11-minute trip to space with an all-female crew. Perry faced intense criticism after her highly publicized trip aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard NS-31 mission. The pop star, who joined an all-female crew including Gayle King and Lauren Sánchez, was seen floating inside the space capsule holding a daisy, a tribute to her daughter, Daisy, whom she shares with fiancé Orlando Bloom. Upon landing, the 40-year-old theatrically emerged with the flower, lifted it toward the sky, then knelt and kissed the ground, a moment that quickly became a target for online ridicule. Many critics branded the ladies "space tourists," while others slammed the trip as "tone deaf." Perry's dramatic display on her return to Earth was followed by a post-flight interview where she described feeling "super connected to love" and graciously accepted a reporter's mistaken reference to her as an astronaut. "It's not about singing my songs," she said at the time. "It's about a collective energy in there. It's about us. It's about making space for future women and taking up space and belonging." "And it's about this wonderful world that we see right out there, and appreciating it," Perry continued. "This is all for the benefit of Earth."
