20 Swimsuits to Scoop Up Right Now

Originally published on THE SCOUT GUIDE on June 28th, 2022

While our cooler counterparts might be halfway through swimsuit season, we’re facing a few more months poolside. To help us stock up on this essential, The Scout Guide asked our editors across the country to share their favorite local boutiques for chic swimsuits. From classic one-pieces to retro bikinis, this roundup will have you ready to dive in the nearest swimming hole to cool off. First up? A local find…

LOCAL FIND

Plunge Belted One-Piece / / Available for purchase online from Amy Atelier in Phoenix, Arizona.

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Scouted James Beard Nominated Restaurants & Chefs You Need to Know

Originally published by THE SCOUT GUIDE on June 22nd, 2022.

Those in foodie circles know the annual James Beard Foundation Awards are akin to the Oscars for the Hollywood set. In June, the Foundation, an organization established to celebrate and support the people behind America’s food culture, announced this year’s nominees and winners, and we’re excited to share that there were three scouted businesses among them - including Bianco of Tratto, Pane Bianco and Pizzeria Bianco. Read on to get to know the restaurants and chefs who are receiving nationwide acclaim and get set to make some reservations. To find a scouted restaurant near you, browse The Scout Guide Directory.

Photography courtesy of Bianco’s.

RESTAURANT/CHEF: Chris Bianco of Tratto, Pane Bianco and Pizzeria Bianco
ACCOLADE: Outstanding Restaurateur Winner
LOCATION: Phoenix, Arizona and Los Angeles, California
WHY THEY WON: What began as Pizzeria Bianco in a quaint Phoenix grocery store in 1988, with lines that were known to snake their way around the building hours before service, has expanded into multiple locations, a pasta joint, a sandwich shop, a bar, and a newly opened Los Angeles pizzeria.
WHAT OUR EDITOR SAYS: “Chris, who also won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2003, helped spawn a generation of independent and artisanal pizzerias, lending his advice, wisdom, and food philosophies to dozens of fellow chefs and restaurateurs,” says Sasha Clements, editor of The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale.

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What’s New In Volume 2 | An Update with Ana & Brian Wells of urbAna

Since first Scouting urbAna and sharing their story in our Volume 1 Member Spotlight, we’ve anticipated exciting things from owners Ana and Brian Wells. Their sophisticated yet accessible boutique features a fabulously-curated selection of home goods, gifts, and furnishings. A visit to urbAna leaves you inspired and well prepared for all of life’s special occasions. Ana and Brian’s newest venture, Arcadia Toys, follows in a similar fashion. Located adjacent to the Phoenix location, Arcadia Toys brings the quintessential fun of a classic toy store to local families. 

Photos by Carrie Evans Photography

In addition to expanding into the East Valley with a third urbAna later this year, the warmly received Arcadia Toys paves the way for further extensions of their offerings. To get the full scoop, we caught up with Ana and Brian and learned how staying true to core principles guides this busy duo when opportunity is presented.

Arcadia Toys is quickly becoming a neighborhood staple for parents and children alike, especially as summer break sets in. Following urbAna’s mission to bring curated items to the market, the store inspires awe in little ones and offers parents the opportunity to find traditional birthday gifts and unique items. “We call ourselves a celebrations shop, no matter the occasion we have you covered.”Ana shares. With Arcadia Toys Birthday Club, littles can create a birthday registry list while parents stock up on one-of-a-kind party decor. 

 

“The focus will always be on specialty,”

 

Ana and Brian’s expansion is not just limited to delights for children. Their offerings at urbAna have grown to include design-inclined favorites like Four Hands Furniture, Hudson Valley Lighting, Chilewich rugs, and - perhaps most popular - Farrow & Ball paint. And while urbAna’s offerings are incredibly vast, Ana assures us the philosophy informing their curation process is simple. “Regardless of trends, we buy items that speak to us.” 

Ana and Brian’s uncanny knack for sourcing items and exceptional ability to speak to a range of shoppers, occasions, and aesthetics has grown the clientele of this local favorite far beyond Scottsdale and Phoenix. Naturally, this positioned them well for thoughtful growth.

Driving urbAna’s expansion to the East Valley was the opportunity to open a third location in Epicenter at Agritopia. The eagerly anticipated mixed-use center being developed by Gilbert’s own Johnston & Co spoke to Ana and Brian’s commitment to being connected to the community they serve in a meaningful way.

“Joe Johnston has been instrumental in the success of Gilbert,” says Ana. “He and his family have a vision for a community with heart, which aligns with urbAna’s ethos of giving the community a safe space. When Joe approached us with his plans, we hit it off right away and knew we had to be a part of his vision.” 

We’re eagerly awaiting the opening of urbAna’s East Valley location this fall. But, in the meantime, you’ll find us stopping into the Scottsdale store to shop for a complimentary consultation with their in-store designer. And on Wednesdays, we’ll be bringing our little ones along to the Arcadia location to let them enjoy the summer programming at Arcadia Toys, which will feature storytime, craft events, and curated playdates, and keep kiddos entertained while we shop!

To keep up with the latest updates, offerings, and events, make sure to follow along with urbAna on Instagram (@urbanaphoenix and @arcadiatoyshop). And when you stop in, don’t forget to tell them Scout sent you!

Member Spotlight: In Focus Vision Solutions

Integral to The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale’s mission is telling the stories behind the small businesses Scouted in each Volume. The story begins in print and continues online, after all. As you peruse Volume 2, we are thrilled to continue our story-telling mission with Member Spotlights…

Photo by Scott Foust Photography

Meet Dr. Caitlin Morrison, a board-certified optometrist who founded the Scottsdale-based specialty contact lens practice In Focus Vision Solutions. Dr. Morrison is an Arizona native who studied optometry in Boston and New York before returning home to serve patients who haven’t had success with traditional contacts or eyeglasses. Her practice is designed to help those with vision conditions like ocular disfigurement, extreme light sensitivity, double vision, or persistent dry eye (often caused by living in the desert) to find the ability to see clearly with specialty contact lenses. 

Dr. Morrison has a highly customized concierge approach to finding specialized vision solutions for her patients. An appointment with Dr. Morrison is consultative and extremely thorough — plus, she's a busy working mom with a baby on the way—so we were thrilled to score some time on her lunch break to get to know her better.

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: How did you get started in optometry?
Dr. Morrison: I went to optometry school to fix my own problem! Like many of my patients, I had trouble with traditional contact lenses due to extremely dry eyes. I went from doctor to doctor and tried every type of contact lens available. I didn’t give up, and eventually found a solution with the scleral lens. It was such a relief for me to find an answer after searching for so long. I continued on with my residency program because I wanted to be an advocate for other people like me, who had been unable to find a solution but wanted to keep trying.

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: What aspect of your work do you find the most fulfilling?
Dr. Morrison: Some of my patients experience vision difficulties that have severely limited their quality of life, often for decades. And almost every day, I get to be a part of that incredibly special moment when they see again. I feel lucky to be a part of that.

 

“Almost every day, I get to be a part of that incredibly special moment when they see again. I feel lucky to be a part of that.”

Dr. Morrison

 

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: How does the process of getting fitted for specialty contact lenses work at In Focus?
Dr. Morrison: The entire process is customized. We spend about three to five appointments together making and refining the lens to create the most comfortable, effective solution. Even with the latest technology, I like to take my time with each patient to evaluate how their brain and eyes will adapt to their specialized lens. Patients will have these lenses for life, so it’s essential to get them just right. Then, we check in every year to make any necessary adjustments.

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: Do you have any eye health tips for our readers specific to living in the drier desert climate?
Dr. Morrison: My patients are always surprised when I share that the easiest way to find relief from dry eyes is not some special medical eye drop but a wet compress. Eighty percent of dry eye is due to a lack of oil in eyelid glands, so using a wet washcloth over closed eyelids for 5 minutes twice a day is effective. However, if dry eyes are getting in the way of wearing contact lenses, a scleral lens might be the answer.

Photo by Scott Foust Photography

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: Speaking of our unique environment, can you share what it’s been like returning to Arizona after so much time away? What brought you back?
Dr. Morrison: I’m so happy to be back in my hometown after almost ten years. It’s a special place, and I love the way our year-round sunshine can make you feel. From a business perspective, it’s been really encouraging, as there’s a palpable community-feel amongst small business owners. It keeps me inspired and motivated!

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: What are some of your favorite local spots here in the Valley?
Dr. Morrison: Postino is an all-time favorite for dining. For shopping, Regency Modern is my go-to spot for gifts, especially chic candles you can’t find anywhere else. I also love to stop by Zoolikins, especially since I have a baby at home and another on the way. My husband and I love to play golf, and when we can we’ll do a twilight golf run at The Biltmore. I usually spend my Saturday mornings at the Gilbert Farmers Market shopping for fruit and specialty treats.

If you or someone you know has struggled to find a vision solution through traditional contact lenses, you can rest easy now that Dr. Morrison is back in the Valley. She’s made it her life’s work to bring specialized, custom vision solutions to her patients and she won’t give up until you are seeing comfortably and clearly. Book your exam online or by calling 480-420-4243.

Member Spotlight: Framed Ewe

Integral to The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale’s mission is telling the stories behind the small businesses Scouted in each Volume. The story begins in print and continues online, after all. As you peruse Volume 2, we are thrilled to continue our story-telling mission with Member Spotlights…

Photo by Scott Foust Photography

Christy Kimball, the owner of the independent eyewear boutique Framed Ewe, is a Phoenix-born world traveler with an impeccable eye for style. Over the past ten years, her store has gained quite a reputation - both locally and across the West Coast - for its impressive list of hand-crafted, independently owned eyewear. Learn more about Christy in our Member Spotlight interview below. 

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: What inspired you to take the entrepreneurial leap and start Framed Ewe?
Christy Kimball: I am an avid traveler, and in my early travels throughout Europe I encountered the coolest vintage eyeglasses stores in cities like Amsterdam and Barcelona. These shops were handcrafting eyeglass frames on-site, which I found so inspiring. I knew that, one day, I wanted to bring the model to Phoenix.

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: What did the early years of Framed Ewe look like?
Christy Kimball: Most are really surprised to learn that, when we first started, we were essentially operating out of a closet. I mean the space was tiny. It was a 60-square-foot room in The Union at the Biltmore Fashion Park Mall. From there, we’ve just grown. After three years in the tiny space, we opened at our big shop on Seventh Street, and we’ve also grown with two locations in LA.

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: To what do you attribute that growth?
Christy Kimball: What makes us unique is that we only carry independent eyewear brands. So the glasses you find in our store are hand-crafted by artisans from around the world. What I love to remind my customers is that when you shop at Framed Ewe you’re not only supporting our local store, you are also supporting small businesses from around the world. We source eyeglasses from artisans and creators who are doing what they love to do and expressing their own personal style and perspective.

Photo courtesy of Framed Ewe.

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: What are some of the most sought-after eyewear brands available in your store?
Christy Kimball: I am thrilled to offer Jacques Marie Mage. Framed Ewe is the only place in Arizona where you can find this very special line. The designer is French, but the glasses are hand-crafted in Japan. Each style is a limited run, never repeated, so you’ll be one of the handful of people in the world with a pair. My other in-store favorite is Vada, another Japanese brand. This is a more feminine line beloved for its fun bright colors and interesting shapes.

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: You seem to favor Japanese eyewear, is this intentional?
Christy Kimball: I like to say, you buy your champagne from France, your olive oil from Italy and your eyewear from Japan. Japan has a reputation for making the best eyeglasses in the world. Of course, other countries also are making gorgeous hand-crafted eyewear, but Japan is known for having some of the leading artisans in the trade.

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: Clearly, Framed Ewe offers exceptional expertise, in addition to truly fabulous eyewear. What else can someone in the market for new optical or sunglass frames expect from the Framed Ewe?
Christy Kimball: We offer a huge variety of shapes, styles, and sizes, so be prepared for many unique options. We take drop-ins, but we also offer appointments for customers who would like to be paired with the same person from the start to finish and have a truly personalized experience.

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: Can you walk us through what an in-store appointment looks like?
Christy Kimball: First, we work with our customers to identify fit based on their preferences and style. Next, we use our latest and greatest tech to identify the correct lenses and protective applications. This includes chatting with our customers to understand their lifestyles. Most don’t realize that there are different types of lenses suited for different lifestyles. For example, we opt for a different lens for customers in front of the computer all day than we do for customers who lead more active lifestyles.

Photo by Scott Foust Photography

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: Earlier you mentioned your expansion to LA. Share with us a bit about how you grew your business to another market?
Christy Kimball: Growth has always been serendipitous for Framed Ewe. I was approached to run the eyewear department for Fred Segal through word of mouth. Ready for the challenge, I jumped at the opportunity. At Fred Segal, I curate the ready-to-wear glasses sold in the boutique. What I was curating became so successful that we opened a Framed Ewe location in Los Feliz to expand on those offerings in a new, hungry market.

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: Eyewear is so clearly a passion. Is there a certain aspect of your work in the industry or as a small business owner that is most fulfilling?
Christy Kimball: I love creating the spaces in my stores, and strive to curate a comfortable, modern, laid-back space that feels like a boutique hotel lobby. I like to include bright and happy vibes in our stores. I also draw inspiration from the Arizona desert. So, we have one big crystal in each store, which I picked up at the Gem and Mineral Show in Tucson. They are beautiful and they help set an intention for an open, welcoming place. We have a big neon sign that says “Only Love.” We also have an art gallery in our Phoenix store where we feature local artists and love to host events.

Photo by Scott Foust Photography

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: Speaking of Arizona, can you share a few of your favorite experiences unique to the Valley?

Christy Kimball: I love so many places in Phoenix it’s hard to list them all, but some of my favorites are Local Nomad, For the People, Now or Never, Phoenix General, IVOL, MANOR, The Vintage Arizona, Modern Manor, The Fred, Camelback Flowershop, and Heaven’s Closet.

My favorite activities include visiting Liberty Wildlife and The Farm South Mountain, hiking in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, walking on the canal, or tubing the salt river. I can’t forget the Phoenix Art Museum and the Heard Museum. I’ve also been dying to take a ceramics class at PIP Coffee and Clay.

The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale: Finally, any recommendations for drinking and dining like a local?
Christy Kimball: Absolutely! For drinks, I opt for First Place Coffee, The Dirty Drummer, Durants, and Parlor. For dining, Bacanora, Glai Baan, Anything Bianco.

Stop by The Colony (5538 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85012) for a peek at their collection of independent eyeware and sunglasses. Or, make an appointment for a more personalized full-service experience to snag a limited edition frame for yourself!

Contributor Spotlight: Leslie Lehr

Integral to The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale’s mission is telling the stories behind the small businesses Scouted in each Volume. The story begins in print and continues online, after all. We’re thrilled to welcome a lineup of contributors to this installation of The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale, including Leslie Lehr, who will serve as our Lifestyle Contributor. Throughout the year, Leslie will share her expertise and insights, providing a unique lens through which to deepen your connection with our equally unique community.

By trade, Leslie is a lifestyle expert with a passion for refined style. Leslie’s business, Leslie Lehr Living, is dedicated to living more with less. With each client, she aims to help them marry joy and creativity to realize a healthy relationship with design that’s stylish and functional, to appreciate that which fills your lives with positivity, and to help let go of what doesn’t. And as a small business owner herself, Leslie is well-positioned to help us tell the Valley’s stories - especially those in the lifestyle space. 

While most lifestyle experts teach clients that “more is more,” Leslie knows the value of living with less, which also means buying with intention. To us here at the Scout Guide, that means choosing to live a locally focused lifestyle. And so her upcoming pieces will be imbued with that ethos. She will be sharing her take on curating collections with meaning and investing in quality products that can all be found right here in our community.

As she does with her work as a lifestyle expert, Leslie will seek to honor your life, celebrate what you have, and introduce you to local resources. We’re thrilled to welcome Leslie to the team and look forward to her “less is more” sensibilities that will undoubtedly, help you live a more beautiful life, locally.

Stay tuned for Leslie’s first piece and follow along with her at @leslielehrliving in the meantime.

Scouted in the Community: PANDA 2022 "Children Helping Children" Fashion Show

With generous support from the community, PANDA raised $4.1 million for the Steele Children’s Research Center this year! These funds will go to the 2022 PANDA Children's Genome Sequencing Project, which includes purchasing the NovaSeq 6000, a state-of-the art rapid whole genome sequencing machine. Whole genome sequencing will bring much needed answers and potential cures to children and their families.

Video Credit: The Good Vibe Media

For more than two decades, PANDA has funded the work of internationally recognized physician-scientists to investigate a range of pediatric illnesses including those involving cancer, autoimmune disorders, genetics, gastroenterology, and development and behavioral pediatrics. PANDA’s focus has always been, and always will be, on the research. PANDA’s inspiration comes from Dr. Ghishan’s quote, “If I spend an hour with one child, I help one child. If I spend one hour in the lab, I help 1,000 children.”

Photography Credit: Carrie Evans Photography