Jaime's Local Love Podcast

It's long been the Boy Scout motto and it's a personal mantra for Chef Matt Carter. In this episode, we learn Carter grew up in Arizona. He now owns and operates highly regarded Valley restaurants: Fat Ox, The Mission and Zinc Bistro, each exploring their takes on Italian, Spanish, and French cuisine. Carter admits that while he needed some guidance in his youth, he always wanted the next promotion in the kitchen, so he focused on being prepared and learning a lot. Now enjoys mentoring others. Carter walks us through some of his personal favorites at his restaurants and tells us how he may have broken some rules to get his first job in the kitchen.
https://www.chefmattcarter.com/

In this episode, we meet Julie Hurt of Modern Bride in Old Town Scottsdale. She says a wedding dress should be fresh, stylish and "uniquely her." We learn how Hurt spent 20 years in the wedding industry, how her daughter's Quinceanera launched her first event business and how she noticed a gap in the gown market when it came to personalization. Hurt talks wedding dress trends into 2026 and about her true passion for creating customized dresses: making a bride's dream come true. 

In this episode, we meet owner of Shop Rolling Rack, Susie Diamond. With four locations around Arizona, the sassy boutique aims to dress everyone from daughter to grandmother for brunch, weddings, church and a girl's nights out. Hear how Susie spent nearly two decades in finance before her father's passing inspired her to follow her passion for fashion. Susie talks about shifting in business, addressing theft and bad google reviews, and DM'ing Bravo stars to invite them to her shop.  MORE INFO: https://shoprollingrack.com/

In this episode, we meet Chef Justin Beckett of Beckett's Table. His restaurant in Arcadia is celebrating 15 years in the Valley. Some fan favorites on his menu include the BT signature grilled cheese, deviled eggs, and short ribs. Chef Justin has long been a mentor in the Valley's Culinary World and he's promoting a new event to help support our Arizona Chefs. Arizona Chef's Week 2025 runs August 1-10, focusing on chef owned and run restaurants in the Valley. Learn more about Chef Justin and why he lived in 5 states and 3 countries by the age of 18 and how this life experience prepared him to become an always evolving chef.

MORE INFO: https://beckettstable.com/

In this episode, we talk to Josh Coddington with the Arizona Office of Tourism to inspire you to travel Arizona this summer and fall. Josh tells us some of the most popular places to visit, some new places to explore and tells us of some hidden gems as well. Plus, FESTIVAL SEASON is coming up. He will fill your calendar with great events from wine tasting to pirate themed celebrations! https://tourism.az.gov/arizona-state-travel-guide-map/

In this episode, we talk to two beloved chef/restaurant owners in the Valley. Gio Osso of Virtu Scottsdale and Pizzeria Virtu and Dominic Ruggiero of Hush Public House and Fire at Will come to the table for some real talk about the restaurant industry in the Instagram world and staying true to their passion for real food for real people. The chefs are leaders in their field—both winning a very prestigious Arizona award—and want to remind people to support their local restaurants, especially during the summer months. 

https://www.virtuscottsdale.com/
https://www.virtuscottsdale.com/pizzeria-virtu/
https://hushpublichouse.com/
https://eatfireatwill.com/

In this episode, we meet two of the four sisters behind Aunt Chilada's at Dreamy Draw in Phoenix. Owned by a big family filled with big personalities, Michelle Woods and Tiffany Allison say Aunt Chilada's is a lady with a past, and it's up to them to ensure her future. The restaurant started as a general store, became a brothel and a steakhouse before it became the beloved Mexican restaurant it is today. Learn about the family business, the families' favorite places to visit in Arizona, and about their very own special blend of tequila.
https://www.auntchiladas.com/

We are sitting down with Arizona's Family's super reader. In this episode, we talk to our Whitney Clark, anchor/reporter and host of the Beyond the Next Chapter Podcast. We talk to her about her love of reading and how she gets it done so fast, every week. Whitney also tells us how she got into journalism, her favorite locally owned bookstores, plus she tells us why she loves Arizona and gives us some make-up tips too. https://www.azfamily.com/originals/podcasts/beyond-the-next-chapter/

It's doggone hot out there. In this episode, we brought in the Arizona Humane Society along with one of its longtime supporters. Uncle Bear's Grill and Tap is a family-owned and operated restaurant where your furry friends are welcome. The burgers are named after dogs, the walls are covered with pet photos, and yes, they have a dog menu too. We talk to father and daughter Todd and Lauren Carey about the family business, the sacrifices made, and the fulfillment as all Todd's children are now involved in the business. Uncle Bear's donates to the Arizona Humane Society through golf tournaments and fundraisers. We also talk to Arizona Humane Society about the 3 Ps of heat safety to protect your pets in the heat. https://www.unclebearsaz.com/
https://www.azhumane.org/

Two Valley natives meet and fall and love. One owns and runs his family's legacy flower business, the other created a public relations company for luxury hotels and travel. In this episode, we learn the back story on the Luomas. Eric Luoma is the President of Cactus Flower Florists, who are celebrating 50 years in the Valley. His wife, Tatum Luoma, promotes some of Arizona's iconic hotels. We learn how they met, how Eric used to dress up as the Easter bunny as a little boy to attract customers into the flower shop, and how Tatum discovered she could promote the beautiful places she loves to visit, as a business. 
https://www.cactusflower.com/
https://www.tlcpublicrelations.com/

Arizona is a hotspot for golfers, but women sometimes struggle to find good clothing that helps in the heat and doesn't interfere with their backswing. In this episode, we meet two Valley eye doctors who coincidentally both saw a need for change in women's athletic wear. Tara Ransdell of TJ Sport created a women's clothing line focused on fit, function, and fashion. Katy Craft of VimHue created a hat that fits the female head like a hug and has several patents. Hear about how they started their businesses, how they met, and what's next for their companies.

Jewelry is a must, and we love when we find someone locally who has great jewelry that is meaningful too. In this episode, we meet Lisa Valenzuela from Truly Blessed Jewels. She tells us how a difficult situation at work pushed her to go out on her own. Hear how she went viral and gained a big following, she says she owes her success to the people who lifted her up during challenging times. Truly Blessed Jewels offers permanent jewelry, hand chains, necklaces, engraving and more. https://trulyblessedjewels.com/

PHOENIX Magazine aims to be very helpful to its readers. It features ways to enjoy Arizona through travel, hikes, food and more. In this episode, we meet Managing Editor Leah Lemoine. She grew up in Arizona and worked her way up the ranks at PHOENIX Magazine after her college internship. She shares her love for print, in-town day trip ideas, and her favorite neighborhood spots. PHOENIX magazine: Experienced writers, editors, and designers capturing all sides of the Valley.

In this episode, we meet Jane Spicer, the lady bringing fun and flair to your golf game. As a teenager, Spicer created and sold her first golf club headcover right here in Phoenix. Now with four decades in the business, Daphne's Headcovers is international, selling animal headcovers offering everything from alligator to zebra. While things are great now, she tells us there was a time in her career when she thought they were done. Hear the betrayal from within the company and how Spicer chose to fight to get her business back on course. Now, she's able to give back to the community; to both youth golfers in Arizona and charitable causes in Africa. https://www.daphnesheadcovers.com/

In this episode, we meet Sarah Chisholm of Wild Rye Baking Co. She spent her youth training to be a ballerina, and after a career ending injury at Ballet Arizona, she had to start over. She turned to a place she loved to be as a kid, in the kitchen, with a mixing bowl. We talk about Chisholm's transition out of dance to find her identity and creative flair again in the kitchen. And after years as a successful pastry chef in the Valley, she just launched a new line of elevated baking mixes from cakes to frosting that are now selling in Crate & Barrel nationwide. www.wildryebaking.com

That's what Darleen Santore wants to help you do. In this heartfelt conversation, we talk to the board-certified occupational therapist, mental skills coach, and author about her career, her recovery after three strokes and her new book in which she shares the secret sauce on how to show up as a better YOU! She says it all starts with intention, mindset, and "reviewing the tape". In her book "The Art of Bouncing Back". Coach Dar walks you through key action points to sharpen your mental skills and emotional intelligence too. You'll love spending time with Coach Dar and hearing her inspirational story. https://darsantore.com/

In this episode, we sit down with our resident world traveler Jared Dillingham here at Arizona's Family. He talks about the great sights to see not just in Phoenix but across Arizona. And even though Jared is a global traveler, he says his favorite place in the world is right here in our home state. Jared loves the outdoors and has some great Arizona recommendations for us. And if you're looking for international travel, he covers that too, telling us places to visit and pro-tips to plan your trip abroad. Plus, we'll dish a little about working here at AZfamily too!

We meet Valley native Jenni Pollack of Light and Bark Candle Co. She says her love of dogs sparked an interest in fundraising for the animals, so she started making candles. Those candles turned into a full-time business that now gives back to at least ten rescues in the Valley. Light and Bark Candle Co. is located in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale. They offer build your own candle experiences, parties, or you can choose from what they've designed. Jenni tells us about the challenges of being a business owner, the new location, and the time they helped re-home an abandoned dog at a Valentine’s Day event.  

MORE INFO: https://lightandbark.com/