Our guest today is Nick Hogan, Co-Owner and CEO of Flagship Restaurant Group, the team behind the popular new, award-winning restaurant Pyro in Arcadia, next to the Global Ambassador. In addition to Pyro, they have 16 other restaurant concepts spanning across Arizona to Chicago to Nashville! This team has defied the odds of successfully creating and managing multiple restaurant concepts simultaneously and talks about all the risks and luck in this journey. 

In this episode we’ll hear about how this restaurant group founded over 20 years ago in Omaha, NE got started with a team of four friends who are still the same group of owners. Since, they have grown to multiple cities and states and over 40 locations and become a success here in Arizona. Just like architecture, this career is a mix of creativity and mathematics and takes a great team and leadership.

Nick will tell us about how Pyro came about and the design and menu creation. Also here in town, be sure to check out the beautifully designed Palma, Cham Pang Lanes and Ghost Donkey in downtown Phoenix and later this year two Blue Sushi Sake Grill locations are coming to Surprise and Tempe and a couple more in the works for 2026! 

For photos and more on this and all our past episodes visit https://www.candelariadesign.com/inspiring-living-podcast 

Our guest on this episode is Cammie Beckert, founder and owner of Cameron Custom, one of the few female-owned and operated custom homebuilders in Arizona. Cammie grew up in the home building industry, as her grandparents are the founders of Camelot Homes. She also has an extensive background in media, market research and real estate, and worked at Camelot Homes before launching this new design & build division. 

Growing up here in the Phoenix area in the homebuilding industry, Cammie was perfectly positioned for the career she has created. Listen below to learn more about her trajectory, the industry and how Cameron Custom curates a plethora of local professionals and resources to design, build and decorate their clients' homes, as well as acting as an Owner’s Rep through the process. 

For photos and more about this podcast episode and all of our episodes, visit our Podcast Page:  https://www.candelariadesign.com/inspiring-living-podcast

Press Page: www.candelariadesign.com/press

Audio Book 10x-is-easier-than-2x: books.apple.com/us/audiobook/10x-is-easier-than-2x-unabridged

This episode is a re-visit of a past episode with  Chef Cory Oppold, who was just awarded "Top Chef" and his new restaurant Course was awarded "Emerging Restaurant of the Year" by The Arizona Restaurant Association. 

Cory was a former winner of Food Network’s Chopped, and new owner of Course, a fine dining restaurant in Scottsdale. At Course, “Chef Cory Oppold and his culinary team take you on a food exploration through an explosion of both your taste and visual senses, using seasonality of products and a progression of flavor.”

Cory’s prior positions include teaching at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Executive Chef at Tarbell's restaurant in Phoenix and Executive Chef at Atlas Bistro. His childhood was spent on an dairy farm in a small town in Illinois. It wasn't until he came to Arizona to study architecture that Cory first encountered fine dining and the experience led him to enroll at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute where he graduated with honors in 2002.

Today, Corey was able to transition his upscale catering and event dining company Course into a full-service restaurant in early 2023. Cory’s innovative spirit makes his dishes not only creative delights, but also accessible in many different dining experiences. “I believe a menu is everything a chef wants to say at that time and moment and it’s hard for us to tell our story with one dish. That is why every guest gets multiple courses while experiencing my cuisine,” says Chef Cory.

We also had the privilege of having Corey join us in the Candelaria Kitchen for a cooking class a few years back! In the video on our website & YouTube, he walks us through making pan seared scallops with cornbread pudding, zucchini, fennel soubise, and tomato coulis.

For photos and more on this episode & cooking class, and all our past episodes, visit: https://www.candelariadesign.com/inspiring-living-podcast

Our guests today are two huge difference makers in housing for Greater Phoenix, Arizona residents: Jason Barlow, CEO & President of Central AZ’s Habitat for Humanity and KTAR’s Rosie on the House Arizona’s most trusted source of home-improvement advice and know-how. 

I have known Rosie Romero for nearly 40 years now and his show has been a weekly fixture on KTAR radio since the 1988. Rosie doles out easy-to-understand, common-sense advice to do-it-yourselfers about all kinds of projects around the home.

I have had the pleasure of working with and cooking with Jason Barlow as a Habitat for Humanity Board member for a number of years. Habitat for Humanity has built over 1,200 homes, completed more than 3,800 repairs, and improved living conditions for more than 5,000 Arizona families since 1985.

Today's episode covers all things building and housing related. Rosie tells us about the huge KBIS industry show in Las Vegas  he just returned from and we discuss new products, processes and industry and housing trends he learned about at the show.

We talk about some Habitat past projects we have each been involved with, such as the first ever 3D printed house we designed for a family and a new project with Habitat called the Rosie Habitat Build Challenge.

Jason shares with us their new Construction Training Program for people wanting to learn those valuable skills and invites listeners to attend their  semi-annual event March 23 Blueprints and Blue Jeans.  We will be auctioning off an authentic Cajun dinner prepared and hosted by Rosie & Mark!

For photos and more information about this episode and all of our past 100+ podcast episodes, visit candelariadesign.com/inspiring-living-podcast 

There are everyday homes and then there are homes with a little something EXTRA. We are thrilled to announce we have a new series launching on The Design Network this month, Extravagant Spaces.

In our latest podcast episode Mark gets together to chat with Designer and Extravagant Spaces Host, Kelli Ellis, and Founder/CEO of The Design Network, Jason Harris. We talk all about our new series collaboration, the featured homes, Jason’s new home in North Carolina designed by Candelaria Design,  filming, and more. Be sure to give this episode a listen to learn even more about the making of this incredible new series!

In the series, premiering Saturday, Jan 20 at 6pmAZ/7pm Central, designer Kelli Ellis takes you behind the scenes into some seriously extra-vagant spaces with Architect Mark Candelaria. From indoor shooting galleries to bespoke bowling alleys, putting greens to personal spas, these spaces must be seen to be believed. ⁠⁠

This new 6-episode series features all Candelaria Design homes and will be available to stream on your smart TV or on their YouTube channel 24/7!

Watch here:
https://www.tdn.tv/
https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesignNetwork
https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/5f4ff8c8bcf3d600078af3eb

For photos and more about this podcast episode and all of our episodes, visit our Podcast Page:  https://www.candelariadesign.com/inspiring-living-podcast

Mark & Isabel kick-off the episode by sharing highlights from their holiday trip to Lisbon & Fatima Portugal, Lourdes, and San Sebastián, Spain - see and hear more about their trip on our Blog: https://www.candelariadesign.com/lifestyle-blog

Next they share the exciting news that SIX of our Candelaria Design homes are featured in a brand new series on The Design Network called Extravagant Spaces!! The series debuts January 20th and will continue every Saturday for 6 weeks, catch it streaming for free on The Design Network  or on their YouTube page!

Our guest on this episode is Brent Menke, head chef & owner of the Mick Brasserie, an award-winning  French Colonial Brasserie in North Scottsdale that I’ve now had the pleasure of dining at twice. Together we talk about his journey from a yacht deckhand to meeting his French wife, to becoming a chef, and then opening his restaurant during 2020 We talk about his curated food and wine tours to France, monthly themed wine pairing dinners, his favorite chefs and restaurants in town and much more!

For photos and more about this episode and all of our past podcast episodes visit our Podcast page: https://www.candelariadesign.com/inspiring-living-podcast

This podcast episode features Otto Pappa, architect and founder of Ottocrete, specializing in rammed earth and concrete-based designs. Otto and Mark met while working on a very cool, modern house in Paradise Valley, that is now the recipient of  two design awards! Otto founded  Ottocrete with the desire to fuse timeless design with timeless construction, blurring the lines between sculpture, art, and architecture. Otto  hand-makes all his pieces and his work can be found worldwide, from California to Spain to Austria in both private spaces and commercial such as the Hermes store in Orange County. 


Follow Mark & Isabel's Holiday trip on his Instagram @mcandelariaarch and via the links below:

Castilla Termal Monasterio De Valbuena

Restaurante Arzak 

Shrine of Fatima 

Bienvenue au Sanctuaire Notre-Dame de Lourdes (France)  

A LISBON VIEWPOINT 

Join us on one of our 2024 Inspiring Living Tours:
Oaxaca, Mexico Cultural Tour May 2-8
Willamette Valley Wine Tour August 8-13

For photos and more about this podcast episode and all of our episodes, visit our Podcast Page:  https://www.candelariadesign.com/inspiring-living-podcast

Our podcast episode this month features Kelly Stewart, head of Business Development + Marketing and Justin Worley, Owner & CEO of Oasis Luxury Smart Homes. Mark recently toured their showroom in N Scottsdale and was blown away by everything they showed him. With over 30 years of experience Oasis is your one-stop-shop for all things home technology in AZ and CA. From electrical; to design; to security; to system installation, automation and service- their team of experts are with you every step of the way.

Both Kelly & Justin share so many great insights on home technology, business & marketing strategy, and life in general. Take a look at their website and listen to the podcast for the latest in luxury home technology!

For photos and more on this episode and all our past podcast episodes, visit: candelariadesign.com/inspiring-living-podcast

To see the latest magazine features and other press/awards we have received, visit our Press Page: candelariadesign.com/press 

Our guests this month is Paradise Valley Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner and his wife Robyn Bien-Willner. Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner is a third-term Mayor, a native Arizonan, and spent his childhood in Paradise Valley and attended Scottsdale public schools (SUSD) through high school. After, he attended Claremont McKenna College and U of A on academic scholarships and graduated with the highest academic honors. Robyn was born in South Africa, but grew up in Irvine, CA and moved to NYC to pursue fashion, which is where the two met and married. 

We talk about how Jerry went from a high-stakes litigation lawyer in NYC to third-term, volunteer Mayor and why he finds civic work so rewarding and how you can find rewarding ways to be of service. Robyn contributes a monthly column for Stroll Paradise Valley Magazine profiling local businesses, interesting people and other news worthy topics within the community. We discuss the laws, permit process, short-term rentals, senior living options, home prices, and the future of PV!

Phoenix-home-garden-2022-home-tour-11-18-2023

For photos, articles and more on this episode and all of the other inspiring episodes, visit our podcast's website: www.candelariadesign.com/inspiring-living-podcast 

Today's guest is an amazing artist, photographer, father and friend, Werner Segarra. From photographing the mega-mansions of PV and Scottsdale, to the dirt floor casas of Mexico and Puerto Rico, Werner has an eye for capturing the spirit of a place. Werner had humble beginnings in Puerto Rico, and now shoots for a handful of top magazines and designers, including many of the homes featured in our design book, "Mark Candelaria Homes", and currently has his work on exhibit alongside Andy Warhol! 

Werner’s passion lies in landscape and "slice of life" photography and we begin the episode by talking about his upcoming event at Western Spirit Scottsdale Museum where he has 57 large-scale photographs on display now through February, 2024. His exhibit focuses on the culture and heart of the Northern Mexican Cowboy, a people who are born and die cowboys, and the beautiful, stark landscape around them. Werner shares the stories of his time down there visiting as a child and now as an adult and how much the area, the culture, and the process of ranching has changed and how his photos have helped preserve and showcase their unique way of life.

Werner shares how his personal life and early career inspired his personal photography and style and how today he approaches each photography project in the moment, collaboratively with the subject/scenery/client. Mark and Werner conclude with talking about who and what inspires them, how they stay creative, where they like to travel, what it takes to be successful and what Werner has coming up next.

For all the information about Werner’s work, book, and upcoming exhibit, visit his website wernersegarra.com or on Instagram @wernersegarra