In this economy, most business related to homes and home improvement have been taking their lumps. One local company, however, has not only weathered the storm, but has actually thrived.

Elite Shutters & Blinds, owned by Gilbert resident Dave German, recently opened a new showroom on the West side to go along with its Florence location and its mobile showroom.“Elite Shutters & Blinds continues to be one of the fastest growing small businesses and attributes its success to the fact that company leaders and staff are always looking for new and innovative products, partners and employees to set themselves apart from their competition,” German says. “Elite Shutters & Blinds exemplifies a strong commitment to business excellence and to the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct.”

Carl Hollick, who purchased an entire blinds package for his home about a year ago, was impressed by German’s expertise along with his value. He went along with German’s recommendation for plantation shutters in the main living area and standard blinds in the bedrooms.

“What they brought was a recommendation versus just what we wanted,” Hollick says. “They had a great idea of what would look good, but still within our budget. They brought out a chocolate-black color that really made our windows pop. We’ve been told that our window coverings are actually nicer than the model homes.”

It’s not just the customers who recognize Elite Shutters & Blinds. The company was a finalist in 2009 for the Better Business Bureau’s Business Ethics Award. It was one of three small businesses recognized. The Ethics Award was established in 2002 by the BBB Foundation to recognize outstanding businesses that maintain a solid commitment to ethics and trust.

Customers can choose from a variety of beautiful window coverings for their home. Elite Shutters & Blinds offers everything from horizontal Basswood Blinds, to Cellular Shades, and beautiful shutters by Norman Shutters.

Elite Shutters & Blinds is also a one-stop source for all home improvements. Along with custom shutters, blinds and sunscreens, the company offer ceiling fans, garage cabinets, garage floor coating, custom closets, crown moulding, window tint, window cleaning, retractable awnings, roller shades, hide-away screens, security doors & lattice patio covers. “When choosing a window coverings company, there’s a lot of competition out there but what makes a quality company stand out from the rest? With Elite Shutters & Blinds, there’s one thing that will always remain the same—our values,” German says. “Customer service, trust, honesty, integrity and exceeding customer’s expectations. The company is not willing to compromise the values upon which it has built its business.”

Those interested can call Elite Shutters & Blinds at (480) 203-8425 or visit the website www.eliteshuttersandblinds.com.

A wedding is the most important day for a couple. It’s a day to celebrate their commitment for each other with friends and family.  In the San Tan Community, photographers Wendy Newman and Jody Ethington captured some local residents on their special day.

Krystle Lee Moritz and Cody Allen Henderson were married recently at St. Anne Catholic Church in Gilbert, with their reception at Villa Pallavicini in Chandler. Krystle was born in Chandler and graduated from Mesquite High School in Gilbert and also Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications. She is a weather and news anchor on KTVL, a CBS affiliate station in Medford, Oregon.

Cody is a lifelong Mesa resident and graduate of Mesa High School. He attended Mesa Community College and is currently finishing a bio-medical bachelor’s degree.

Written by Louis Sacco

Photography by Wendy Newman

D’Vine Gourmet has the perfect gifts

Denise McCreery was just experimenting when she began taking the wine her husband would bring home from wine tastings and started making “spirit jellies.” Living in Tucson at the time, Denise decided to try and sell the product and made 1,000 jars that she thought would last through the craft fair season.

“We sold all 1,000 jars in the first two days,” she says.

At that moment, Heavenly Spreadables was born. D’Vine Gourmet, a company focusing on unique holiday and event gift baskets, was the natural progression for McCreery. The gift baskets are filled with high-quality, delicious treats that include, obviously, Heavenly Spreadables and other products that are primarily locally produced.

“We always try to use local vendors whenever we can,” McCreery says. “We like to support the local businesses.”

And D’Vine Gourmet is a true local business as the McCreery’s have made the move to Chandler following her husband’s job transfer. Denise will soon open a retail space at 1075 East Riggs Road (at McQueen Road) to hopefully take care of any last-minute shoppers looking for a great local gift.

Some of the popular gift baskets include the Buon Dia, which includes fresh-baked scones smothered with Blackberry Cabernet wine jam, Italian brewing coffee, Chai tea mix, biscotti and a hand-painted spreader; and the D’Vine Pantry. a steel-ribbed willow basket with wine jellies, bourbon pecan brittle, crackers, wine infuse cheese, liquer cake, decadent sipping chocolate and other treats.

Of course, the Heavenly Spreadables wine jellies are still a staple of the business, which McCreery says is composed of about 70 percent corporate gifts. She has 20 different products including popular choices such as Black Pepper Merlot, a deep, fruity merlot flavor made even more piquant with fresh ground black pepper; Apple Chardonnay, a light, crisp, yet bold true California Chardonay combined with fresh, sweet apple juice; and Tequila Lime with Habanero, with real Mexican tequila, lime juice and freshly chopped habanera peppers.

McCreery says all the alcohol is eliminated during the cooking process and all the wine and spirit jellies are free from additives and preservatives.

McCreery built her business in Tucson through actively marketing herself and her business and she’s doing the same thing in Chandler. She’s joined the Chandler Chamber of Commerce and various other networking organizations. She recently also set up a display of her gift baskets and Heavenly Spreadables during an event at DVine Wine Bar and Bistro for an organization called Women In Need of Shopping (WINOS).

In 2007, Denise was honored with the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, Women Entrepreneur of the Year for a Product-Based Business and was named one of Arizona’s Top 10 Women to Watch in 2005 by BizAZ magazine.

Those interested can visit www.dvinegourmet.com to see her companies selection of gift baskets, wine jellies and other gourmet gifts.

Written by Kirk Kern

Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be a chore. Don’t want to cook for Thanksgiving this year? Fortunately, you don’t have to. As always, you have the option of going out for a gourmet meal or picking one up and eating it in the comfort of your own home. Here are some great options in the East Valley for either dining in our taking out.Three East Valley resorts have great Thanksgiving dining options for those looking to make the holiday a special occasion, or just to take a break from morning-to-night football games.

Ka’son at the Sheraton Wildhorse Pass is serving Thanksgiving dinner from 5 to 8:30 p.m., with prices ranging from $55 for adults to $35 for children 12 and under. The restaurant has three choices for entrees: slow roasted turkey breast, 13-ounce bone-in ribeye or salmon.

The steakhouse at Rawhide West Town also offers a Thanksgiving feast from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with prices from $24 for adults to $12 for children 11 and under. Entrée options are Butter-basted turkey with giblet gravey or 12-ounce prime rib, with dessert choices of pumpkin pie, warm apple cobbler or chocolate pecan pie.

The Buttes – Marriot in Tempe has options at its two restaurants. Top of the Rock has a three-course meal from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for $49.95 for adults and $29.95 for children ages 5 to 12. The Market Café has a Champagne Brunch Buffet from  10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $47.95 for adults and $27.95 for children and a Thanksgiving Dinner Buffet from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. for $37.95 for adults and $24.95 for children.

Of course, anyone looking at these options are strongly encouraged to make reservations.

Those looking to stay home can order ready-made takeout meals. Basha’s will serve up a full meal that includes a Turkey or spiral-sliced ham for $29.98 or a meal that has both turkey and ham for $39.98.

Flancer’s restaurant offers a Thanksgiving Dinner to Go that includes slow roasted turkey and gravy, apple sage and sausage dressing, green chile potatoes au gratin, scallion breadcrumb stuffed roasted tomatoes, vegetables, fresh cranberry and orange relish and a home-made ginger-pumpkin crème brulee for $23.99 per person, but you can get

10 percent off if you order before November 20.

Rawhide West Town and Steakhouse, 5700 West North Loop Road, (480) 502-5600

Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Kai / Ko’sin, 5594 West Wild Horse Pass Boulevard, Chandler, (602) 225-0100

Marriott Buttes Top of the Rock / Market Cafe, 2000 Westcourt Way, Tempe, (602) 225-9000

Flancer’s Cafe, 610 Gilbert Road, Gilbert, (480) 926-9077

Bashas’ Markets, Locations in and around the East Valley.

Written by Louis Sacco

Sidelines Grill is a great place to catch a game. Jeff Lever and Trevor Miller are both long-time Phoenix Cardinals’ season-ticket holders and never miss a home game. But when the Cardinals are on the road, they can still share camaraderie and cheer on the home team in the same building.

Only it obviously isn’t University of Phoenix Stadium, it’s Sidelines Grill in Chandler.

“This is a great place to watch a game,” Lever says. “The food is great and there are televisions all over the place,”

Miller will come to Sidelines to watch the games even through he spends some of his working hours at the bar and grill, located at Alma School Road and Queen Creek Boulevard. Sidelines features three 60-inch plasma screen monitors and numerous 50-inch screens that show games from all angles of the restaurant.

Owners Paul and Kristina Grako say all NFL games will be available at Sidelines, along with numerous NCAA games on Saturdays and various other sporting events. Sidelines also features a breakfast menu during NFL Sundays.

Lever, a 12-year season ticket holder, is excited for the upcoming Cardinals’ season. He says the teams’ playoff run to the Super Bowl was a pleasant surprise, even though they lost in the last minutes of the game.

“I truly believe they will be as good as they were last season,” Miller says. “Coach (Ken) Whisenhunt is really making a difference on this team.”

Watching the games on television is only half the experience. You don’t have to go through the trouble of tailgating in the parking lot because the food at Sidelines is just as good. Favorite items are burgers, wings and chili. Sidelines also offers great happy hour specials from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and late-night reverse happy hour specials from 10 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday as well.

Sidelines is located at 2980 South Alma School Suite 2. Those interested can call (480) 792-6965 or e-mail info@sidelinesaz.com. Its website is www.sidelinesaz.com.

Written by Louis Sacco

Photography by Kirk Kern

It’s time to be the big person on campus.

This month, Community Publications, with the help of Wendy Newman Designer Portraits, takes a look at some top seniors from various area schools.

Wendy Newman Designer Portraits photographed these students at the Downtown Ocotillo shopping center, with the assistance of Enclave Global Denim, which provided fashions for the students, and hair and makeup from Leiden Mitchell Salon and Spa.

Downtown Ocotillo is located at Queen Creek Road and Dobson. Wendy Newman Designer Portraits can be reached by calling (602) 908-0359.

Photography by Wendy Newman

Fashions provided by Enclave Global Denim

Hair and makeup by Leiden Mitchell Salon

Shot on location at the Downtown Ocotillo

Kristina looks good in black and ivory Juliet Dream tube top with embrodiry and Paige denim capris.

Maternity fashions not all about the bump.

At Chandler and San Tan magazines, it’s all about the family. And in this issue, we honor two people associated with the magazine, graphic artist Christine Bryner and Sidelines Grill owner Kristina Grako, as they get ready to again plunge into the world of motherhood.

Christine is comfortable in her purple Maternal America tube top.

We put them in the hands of Stephanie Miller, owner of Tailored for Two Maternity in Chandler, to help them look their best. Tailored for Two offers fashionable maternity wear from designers such as Olian, Maternal America, Juliet Dream, Bravado, Paige Denims, Citizens of Humanity, Ripe, 2 Chix, Tummy T’s, Baby Cakes, Binky Coutoure and Japanese Weekend.

Tailored for Two is located at 2560 West Chandler Boulevard and can be reached at (480) 893-0465. Sidelines Grill is located at 2980 S. Alma School Road and can be reached at (480) 792-6965. Studio 509 can be reached at (480) 888-7121.

Photography by Martin Christopher

Fashions by Tailored for Two

Models: Christine Bryner (Studio 509 LLC) and Kristina Grako (Sidelines Grill)

Shot on location at Chandler Fashion Center

When the Chandler Republican Women’s Committee was looking for a location to hold a fashion show, it chose the picturesque architecture and gardens of Solterra Senior Living in Chandler.

“We are excited to host this fashion show at Solterra,” says Teri Ferguson, marketing director for Solterra Senior Living in Chandler. “We want Chandler residents and businesses to know that we have the newest and most state-of-the-art facility in Chandler and we are here to support the meeting needs of the community.”

Currently, the San Marcos Estates homeowners association holds its regular meetings at Solterra, in one of the multi-purpose rooms on site along with the Precinct Committee Chairman for Legislative District 21. Ferguson says there are numerous other meeting spaces available for organizations to use.

“We can accommodate most groups and their presentation requirements” she says “either in one of our meeting rooms or in our private park”

The Chandler Republican Women was formed in 1976 with its first meeting at the San Marcos Hotel. Twenty women attended the first meeting and elected Sue Sossaman as the first president of the organization. Today, the membership totals 78 members and is affiliated with the Arizona Federation of Republican Women.

Chandler Republican Women are dedicated to electing Republicans to office at all levels of government. They strive to make politics a real and vital force in the lives of Arizona women who want to have a voice in their future. They encourage and help women to become leaders in government within the Republican Party and in the community.

Monthly meetings are the third Tuesday of each month. Those interested can visit the website www.azfrw.org.

Solterra Senior Living, owned by J-Bar Companies LLC, offers spacious studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments available in several floor plans to meet the various needs and home environments desired by our residents. The community is comprised of 100 residences situated on 7 acres—half of the acreage is dedicated to the outdoors and is fully landscaped with beautiful garden courtyards and a large patio for residents to enjoy the beautiful Chandler weather. Coppersands Inc. is the property manager for Solterra Senior Living.

The pleasant community offers a comfortable setting while providing multi-purpose rooms and a library and wellness center to appeal to a broad spectrum of interests amongst residents. In addition, a multi-media room, beauty shop and expansive park-like settings make up the community grounds.

Located in a serene neighborhood setting at 350 South Alma School Road, Solterra Senior Living is close to a number of conveniences including shopping centers, banks, churches and medical centers. In addition, Solterra residents have the opportunity to participate in a variety of leisure activities involving group outings to nearby attractions, onsite celebrations and much more.

Solterra Senior Living can be reached at (480) 214-6700, or visit the website www.solterraseniorliving.com.

Written by Tim Maya

Photography by Martin Christopher

Chandler has made a name for itself in the youth baseball world, sending two teams to the Little League World Series this decade. But that’s just one component to the city’s baseball prowess.

The city is home to some of the most successful youth baseball programs around the valley in the Blaze, Renegades and most recently, the Predators. You may not have heard of these teams, but the level of play on these year-round teams that play tournaments and also in the competitive leagues is far superior to your standard Little League team.

“The competitive youth baseball travel team concept continues to explode throughout all parts of the country,” says Bill Sandillo, who has built Predator USA into 10 competitive teams in six age groups. “New teams are being started every day. Travel baseball was organized to give the baseball players of our communities the opportunity to play baseball at a higher, more competitive level and to play year around.”

Logan White, assistant general manager of scouting for the Los Angeles Dodgers, helps coach his son’s 10U Predator team.

“Little Logan has been taking private lessons with Bill for the past nine months and I can tell you he has done wonders with his swing,” says White, who lives in Ahwatukee. “Being a part of Major League baseball, I have access to some of the best hitting coaches in all of baseball and he’s been to many of them. But now I take my son to Bill, what does that tell you – He’s the best.”

Trevor Hauver, a 10-year-old who plays on the Predator 11U team plays Little League mostly as a tune-up for his club team.

“On his travel ball team, he’s somewhere in the middle talent-wise,” Sandillo says of Hauver. “He’s in Little League because it keeps him sharp, knowing that everyone on the team is gunning for his position and he has to give 1,000 percent every time he’s out there. That’s why some kids benefit from club ball more than others. He benefits from club ball because he loves to compete day in and day out.”

And for those aspiring to play on their high school team, it’s almost a necessity. Sandillo uses current Seton Catholic player Ethan Springston as an example of club baseball’s influence on the high school sport. The sophomore has been training with Sandillo at Predator USA for five years and recently became one of only four players to have hit a home run out of Seton’s home field.

“With Bill’s program, every lesson is a step forward,” Springston says. “He has kept me ahead of the curve, giving me the opportunity to play varsity as a sophomore. Club ball makes you into a good player while still having fun. I would not be near the level I’m at without it.”

Club baseball consists mostly of playing tournaments on weekends, although some teams play in competitive leagues through Chandler Youth Baseball and East Valley Baseball. USSSA Arizona sanctions the majority of the tournaments, which are played primarily at Big League Dreams in Gilbert, Peoria Sports Complex and Victory Lane in Glendale. These tournaments are run throughout the year.

“I believe that because we live in a year-round environment like Arizona, it’s extremely important to play on a competitive baseball team against other very competitive kids,” Sandillo says. “We see it in all our schools that every junior high and high school has a feeder team and if your son is not on that feeder team, it becomes difficult to make his junior high or freshman team or beyond.

Club baseball gets you ready to play with other skilled players at a higher level than Little League would because at the Little League level, the talent is diluted. Club baseball allows you to gauge your son’s talent against other kids at that level or better.”

Predators offers six components: a group of club ball teams ranging from 8U to 18U; coaches and player training programs; camps; education, apparel; and branding programs. Sandillo has worked as a trainer with Major Leaguers Torii Hunter and Todd Walker. There are 150 kids in the travel team program with 52 certified coaches.

“Two years ago, we had just four Predator teams, now we have 10 and counting,” Sandillo says. “At every level, more and more kids want to play baseball and at a competitive or higher level. We live in a state that breeds baseball players. Where I am from in Boston, we can’t even get on the field until mid-March.

“Kids can play year-round here the interest here is much greater than compared to other parts of the country where winter sports are as a big as baseball is here. And now, with facilities like Big League Dreams and Victory Lane, organizations like USSSA can hold competitive tournaments year-round because they know the kids want to play.”

Each coach is required to go through a coaches training program. Those interested in Predators baseball can visit the website www.azpredatorsbaseball.com.

Written by Tim Maya

Photography by Martin Christopher