Not So Native

Another great season is in the books! Join all of us at Lake Pleasant and we discuss some of our favorite parts from this past season.

“You know you are truly alive when you’re living among lions.” ― Isak Dinesen, Out Of Africa.

Dean and Prayeri Harrison, founders of Out Of Africa wildlife park in Camp Verde, AZ are examples of what it means to be truly alive. There is truly something unique and refreshing about the way they approach this life. The idea that we live in world dictated by the laws of nature and not of man is evident in how they interact with all the animals on site. It's truly fascinating and something that must been seen and experienced to believe the connection they have with the animals. We had the great joy of experiencing the VIP - Behind the scenes tour guided by Dean himself. It’s truly the best way to get the full experience of the park. We recorded over 3 hours of content on site but due to audio quality and other issues were limited in what we could bring to the episode. Out of Africa is not another zoo where you simply stroll around the park and stare at animals in their habitats rather its a place where you can truly interact and experience the animals. Located an hour north of the Phoenix valley its a quick trip and an experience that you will remember for your lifetime. Make sure to visit and say hi to our friend Pilgrim the Giraffe. If he likes you as much as he did Rob he may just give you a sloppy wet kiss.

Special Guest: Dean Harrison.

Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? If you’ve been to any of The Haunted Group restaurants you know the answer is no. We have yet to find a Haunted Group restaurant concept that we have not loved. The same is also true for this episode which we had the pleasure of welcoming two guests. We met Author Roger Naylor for breakfast along with his good friend and co-founder of The Haunted Group Eric Jurisin. The food and drink at Crema in old town Cottonwood was not the only memorable thing had this morning. We had the pleasure of chatting with both Eric and Roger for the better part of an hour. Eric shared some of the background of The Haunted Group and why they choose the Verde Valley for their restaurants. The question of what ghosts inhabit the ‘Haunted Hamburger’, restaurant which is featured in Roger Naylor's book ‘Boots and Burgers’, is answered. Enjoy the conversation and make sure you say hi next time your in Cottonwood and Jerome.

Special Guests: Eric Jurisin and Roger Naylor.

Sponsored By:

• Michelle Gallegos - Realtor
• MLR Professional Tax Services

'Start your engines!' is a phrase that Larry Ogburn has heard for 55 years straight. We had the privilege of attending the TicketGuardian 500, now known as the FanShield 500, in March of 2019 as a guest of Protecht to document his amazing story. FanShield is created by fans for fans and nothing could be more evident by the hospitality they provided in making the whole experience possible. Special thanks to Larry Ogburn, NASCAR, ISM Raceway, GoodFellas Merch and of course Protecht. Enjoy!

Check out Larrys video by FanShield 'Fan Stories' HERE

Special Guests: Larry Ogburn and Protecht.

Sponsored By:

• GoodFellas Merch

Laboratories are facilities that allow research, experiments or measurements to be performed. Arcosanti is an Urban Laboratory located in central Arizona. Paolo Soleri started the project with an idea to demonstrate an alternative to urban sprawl. It's an attempt to show how a city can develop and thrive within the beauty and landscape around it. Tim Bell, Director of Communications at Arcosanti, shares the vision of and the continued work that is being done at Arcosanti. We recorded on site amongst the beautiful backdrop of the structures and landscape that Arcosanti calls home. It's truly a beautiful facility that needs to be experienced in person to fully appreciate. Its a short drive north on the Interstate 17 and worthy of your time and support. We were also lucky enough to be able to interview an Italian pianist who was playing that evening. Enjoy!

Special Guest: Tim Bell.

Sponsored By:

• Michelle Gallegos - Realtor
• MLR Professional Tax Services

In this episode of the podcast Rob, Steph, and our good friend Roger Naylor sit down with Bill Murray, Chief Flattery Officer and co-owner of the Verde Lea Market Deli and Grill on Main St in beautiful Cottonwood! This quaint market has a been in the area since the 1980’s and Bill and his wife Missy have owned it since 2003. It is known to locals and the foodie who loves scouting out local treasures.

Bill and Roger swap stories about burgers, tortas, and the Cottonwood community, while Stephanie and Rob sample the menu! Bill also tells the story of the Verde Lea from dairy to deli, and how state politics and changes in the local market affect his business. We hear about the challenges and the blessings of running a small business. You can hear the pride in Bill’s voice as he talks about how his customers have become friends and the wonders of watching the generations grow.

When you are in the Cottonwood area, stop in, grab a torta or a burger, and tell Bill we sent you! Enjoy!

Special Guests: Bill Murray and Roger Naylor.

Sponsored By:

• Michelle Gallegos - Realtor
• Argent Solar - Charlie Miller

All aboard! We were lucky enough to ride one of the last 'Starlight Tours' of the season. Departing from Clarkdale, AZ aboard the wonderfully refurbished train cars, we traveled through the beautiful Arizona scenery that is the Verde Canyon. The 'Starlight Tour' leaves in late afternoon shortly before sundown. It allows plenty of time to take in the striking scenery around you on the way out from the depot. The return trip takes you back to a simpler time where the stars shined brighter unfazed by city lights. The Verde Canyon Railroad has different theme rides throughout the year that all people can enjoy. Before our ride we were able to spend time with Ellen Roberts from the railroad. We had a great time talking with Ellen while she told us a little about her history and that of the Verde Canyon Railroad. Everything was recorded on the train as you can tell by the train soundtrack heard throughout the episode. This is just a small snippet of the amazing time we had on the three hour tour. You'll have to make the short 1.5 hour trip north of Phoenix and experience this one for yourself. With Christmas coming up you won't want to miss the 'Magical Christmas Journey' where you are magically transported to the North Pole. Enjoy!

Special Guest: Ellen Roberts.

Sponsored By:

• Michelle Gallegos - Realtor
• MLR Professional Tax Services

We had the pleasure of spending the evening with some folks who share the same love and passion for the state and community we call home. We ventured to The Churchill in downtown Phoenix, part of the Roosevelt Row art district that our friends from Season 3 The FOUND:RE hotel, Fair Trade Cafe and The Nash jazz club call home. The Churchill is uniquely Phoenix and is comprised of recycled commercial shipping containers housing many small businesses. One of those small businesses is State Forty Eight in which we had the pleasure of catching up with our friend and co-founder of SFE Mike Spangenberg. This is a special night for Mike, Stephen, Nicholas and the rest of their brand as they, along with local credit union OneAZ, celebrate the release of the State Forty Eight credit card. We love seeing local business succeed and are happy to share this quick update with Mike. Don’t forgot to check out our conversation with Mike from Season 3 for the story behind the brand. Cheers!

State Forty Eight

Special Guest: Mike Spangenberg.

Sponsored By:

• MLR Professional Tax Services
• Michelle Gallegos - Realtor

We kick off Season 4 with a bang! We had the honor and pleasure of spending the day with Roger Naylor. Roger is writer whose work can be found in his many books, The Arizona Republic, and state publications. After breakfast at Crema, one of The Haunted Groups many delicious Cottonwood restaurants, we travel to Dead Horse Ranch State Park just a few minutes from Old Town Cottonwood. Rather than attempting to write about the man who makes a living doing just that, enjoy our conversation with Roger and be sure to pick his works which can all be found on his website www.rogernaylor.com. Enjoy!

Edited by: Alexander Payan of Huntington University in Peoria, Arizona

Special Guest: Roger Naylor.

Sponsored By:

• MLR Professional Tax Services
• Michelle Gallegos - Realtor

We sit down for food, drink and conversation at Red's Bar and Grill located at the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park. Reds has become the regular stop for each of our season’s final episodes. Next time you stop at Reds, make sure you ask for our new friend Rhianna who took great care of us! Season 3 brought with it some great guests and stories from all corners of the Valley. One meal is not nearly enough time to share all that we loved about this past season. We simply scrape the surface and highlight each episode from this past season. Thanks to all the guests that spent time with us this season and of course thanks to our great season sponsors MLR Pro Tax Service and Credit Union West for making this possible. Both are great local businesses that love the state and community they serve. Be sure to check out our sponsors and all our great guests from this season. Cheers!

Sponsored By:

• Credit Union West
• MLR Professional Tax Services