So here it is. My very first published article, as mentioned in my previous post, Masquerade.
First Fridays
by: David Tellez
If you live in Southern Arizona with a career that doesn't require you to have a facial piercing or electric lime-colored hair, there are two things you can do on a Friday night. Stay at home and watch another episode of "Who Wants to Dance with America's Next Top Idol?" or merge and mingle with other Tucson professionals in a relaxed and sophisticated setting.
The Tucson Young Professionals organization was created by the innovative minds of Megan Pellman, chair of the First Fridays Committee and president Leah Taylor. The idea behind First Fridays is very much the same as the mission of Tucson Young Professionals - focus on the promotion, attraction and retention of professionals in the Tucson region.
The group has become politically active in the community, taking a strong stand against 2007's Proposition 200, the water and trash fee initiative. So, what better way, to introduce Tucsonans, to a satisfyingly simple, yet, profound and active vision than our very own, culturally diverse realm of downtown? According to Taylor, this event, which is open to all members of the community (over the age of 21) at the Tucson Museum of Art, is the first step forward for greater things to come.
As a native Tucsonan, I was a little skeptical about the entire premise. Could an event like First Fridays really have the influence and appeal to help keep professionals in the Tucson region? After all, when you live in the same town for so many years, you start to wonder and dream about the possibility of a life different from the one you already know. I decided I would make an appearance with these so-called movers and shakers and see what this tedious town had to offer.
It was a quarter to ten and everyone was dressed to the nines and beyond. Past the glass doors and up the stone stairs, large, clay pots filled with beautiful golden fire lead the way to an open courtyard, where a grand and whimsical drink bar made entirely out of crystal ice, stood. Strings of lights, hung lazily through the dark and winding trees, while the melodic sounds of a single, jazz saxophone drifted through the air, creating not so much an atmosphere of sophistication, but an atmosphere of a sought after lifestyle. Welcome to living the good life in the five-two-oh.
People were laughing, passing and meeting smile after smile. There was something in the air that made you believe that this night was a chance to relax, have fun, possibly fall in love, or at the very least, have an adventure. After taking in the view of this spectacular gathering, I couldn't help but think of that Moby song, "Beautiful": Look at us, were beautiful. All the people push and pull, but let's just go out and ride. Talk about the things we try…
And there she stood. A Barbara Streisand look-alike with just as much character and style as the original. She wore tall pumps and dark, arm-length, leather gloves, which gave her 40's, inspired frock so much edge, she could have fallen off.
Her name was Rimma Shishkovskaya, wife of Oleg Shishkovskiy, one of the creators of Khortytsa Vodka, a locally owned vodka distributor that was co-sponsoring First Fridays. Shishkovskaya was a vision of radiance and was obviously enjoying herself and the fact that every fashion-conscious woman there made a mental note to themselves that arm length gloves were, indeed, back in style.
"First Fridays] is something Tucson has never done before. It's exactly what this town needs. A place where we can be entertained with our old friends and our new friends."
Shishkovskaya then introduced me to a tall, handsome, dark-haired man, she had met earlier that night. His name was James Henessy of Henessy Investments, a native Tucsonan and a real estate developer interested and passionate in the revitalization of communities in the Tucson region. Henessy said, that although it was his first time at First Fridays, it most certainly was not his last and became a member of Tucson Young Professionals that very night.
"I'm impressed," Henessy said, raising his glass to his lips and scanning the open courtyard filled with a star-spangled flock of impeccably dressed people on this delightful Arizona night. "There's a lot of space with a lot to do. Something around every corner."
And indeed, there was an array of glittering attractions around every corner. A captivating fire dancer, named Fire Grace moved her slender body and torches to an exhilarating drum beat. Across the way, a young ice sculptor from Ice T Inc., chiseled his way through a frozen block of ice.
Joining Shishkovskaya and Henessy on the sidelines was Philip Touché, owner and proprietor of Touché Shoes, a fashion forward footwear business that specialized in rare, hard to find and unique shoes from all over the world.
"These aren't your everyday mall shoes. We want people to know they don't have to travel to Phoenix to find what they're looking for. Luxury is here."
Luxury was here and First Fridays was indeed making a profound impact on the Tucson social scene, shifting its focus from previous kegger socials on A-Mountain to an upscale lifestyle. Assisting with this coveted lifestyle
was Anthony's Cigar Emporium.
"There's a nostalgic feeling behind cigars," says Tyler Klarr, general manager for Anthony's and clearly the hipster quotient, wearing a form-fitting, olive green army jacket with as much flair and style as an Alexander McQueen mannequin. According to Klarr, cigars are usually associated with an older cliental. But in most recent years, as A-list celebrities, such as Denzel Washington, Claudia Schiffer and Arnold Schwarzenegger have been reported to favor the brown leaf-wrapped tobacco, cigars have gained status as a necessity to the glamorous life.
I wasn't sure if I was ready to partake in this fashionable pastime, so I made my way to the Margaret E. Mooney Hall, which doubled as a dance hall. Colorful lights blared through the darkened room and I could literally feel the rhythmic beat of Janet Jackson's intoxicating song, "Feedback," when I saw a white-haired gentleman dancing a storm on the dance floor. It was John McNulty, a self-proclaimed, "Disco Queen" and the retail manager of The Museum of Art. I had to talk to him. After all, when you see an older and distinguished person at an event aimed towards a younger audience, you have to wonder what exactly is their motive.
"I just like to dance," McNulty says, as he does a little two-step. "This is a great alternative to the bar scene and gives people a chance to actually dress up and immerse themselves in a little art and a little culture. Tucson Young Professionals is also a great way for the museum to help open its doors to a whole new audience."
This was an audience that obviously has been around, but untapped. Having heard similar words from Leah Taylor, I had to congratulate her on a job well done. If Tucson Young Professionals planned to make downtown Tucson, the place to see and be seen every weekend, First Fridays was indeed on the right social path. I found Taylor, wearing her fair blonde hair in an upswept style and a black formal gown, not only looking the part of the perfect hostess but also looking very pleased with herself.
"It's fabulous. Everything – everything, exceeds our expectations for the night."
Conversations of possible networking connections shared between old and new acquaintances were pleasant and polite. The catered appetizers from Café A La Carte were divine. And not a single catfight or unruly brawl was in sight. All in all, the night was a complete success.
I nodded in agreement with Taylor, as two immaculately dressed men came up to me and asked what I thought of the night's events. It was Oleg Shishkovskiy and his business partner, Jeff Sorrentino, co-owners of S&S Spirits and distributors of Khortytsa Vodka. The unlikely duo, met as real estate investors, who lived on the same street, their car garages facing each other, Sorrentino says. During its short, almost, four year run, under the influential eyes of Shishkovskiy and Sorrentino, Khortytsa has taken the spirits industry by storm. At the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, each of the four styles of Khortytsa that S&S Spirits entered took home awards, with Khortytsa classic winning a gold medal.
"Tucson is the perfect place to test market a product," Sorrentino says as his partner Shishkovskiy offers us a glass of the elusive vodka. "It's a city filled with every social-economic class and different cultures. Different tastes help us learn what works and what doesn't."
And to think, all this was happening in Tucson. Who knew we were living in an up and coming, trendy town? Maybe southern Arizona isn't as dreary as some make it out to be. Maybe there is something in the 520 that makes moments like these, worth living and staying for; to be a part of something destined for greatness. Time to get out the BlackBerry and start planning for the next event.
First Fridays is rated red-hot on the social-status scale. To find out more information, visit www.typfirstfridays.com.
First Fridays
by: David Tellez
If you live in Southern Arizona with a career that doesn't require you to have a facial piercing or electric lime-colored hair, there are two things you can do on a Friday night. Stay at home and watch another episode of "Who Wants to Dance with America's Next Top Idol?" or merge and mingle with other Tucson professionals in a relaxed and sophisticated setting.
The Tucson Young Professionals organization was created by the innovative minds of Megan Pellman, chair of the First Fridays Committee and president Leah Taylor. The idea behind First Fridays is very much the same as the mission of Tucson Young Professionals - focus on the promotion, attraction and retention of professionals in the Tucson region.
The group has become politically active in the community, taking a strong stand against 2007's Proposition 200, the water and trash fee initiative. So, what better way, to introduce Tucsonans, to a satisfyingly simple, yet, profound and active vision than our very own, culturally diverse realm of downtown? According to Taylor, this event, which is open to all members of the community (over the age of 21) at the Tucson Museum of Art, is the first step forward for greater things to come.
As a native Tucsonan, I was a little skeptical about the entire premise. Could an event like First Fridays really have the influence and appeal to help keep professionals in the Tucson region? After all, when you live in the same town for so many years, you start to wonder and dream about the possibility of a life different from the one you already know. I decided I would make an appearance with these so-called movers and shakers and see what this tedious town had to offer.
It was a quarter to ten and everyone was dressed to the nines and beyond. Past the glass doors and up the stone stairs, large, clay pots filled with beautiful golden fire lead the way to an open courtyard, where a grand and whimsical drink bar made entirely out of crystal ice, stood. Strings of lights, hung lazily through the dark and winding trees, while the melodic sounds of a single, jazz saxophone drifted through the air, creating not so much an atmosphere of sophistication, but an atmosphere of a sought after lifestyle. Welcome to living the good life in the five-two-oh.
People were laughing, passing and meeting smile after smile. There was something in the air that made you believe that this night was a chance to relax, have fun, possibly fall in love, or at the very least, have an adventure. After taking in the view of this spectacular gathering, I couldn't help but think of that Moby song, "Beautiful": Look at us, were beautiful. All the people push and pull, but let's just go out and ride. Talk about the things we try…
And there she stood. A Barbara Streisand look-alike with just as much character and style as the original. She wore tall pumps and dark, arm-length, leather gloves, which gave her 40's, inspired frock so much edge, she could have fallen off.
Her name was Rimma Shishkovskaya, wife of Oleg Shishkovskiy, one of the creators of Khortytsa Vodka, a locally owned vodka distributor that was co-sponsoring First Fridays. Shishkovskaya was a vision of radiance and was obviously enjoying herself and the fact that every fashion-conscious woman there made a mental note to themselves that arm length gloves were, indeed, back in style.
"First Fridays] is something Tucson has never done before. It's exactly what this town needs. A place where we can be entertained with our old friends and our new friends."
Shishkovskaya then introduced me to a tall, handsome, dark-haired man, she had met earlier that night. His name was James Henessy of Henessy Investments, a native Tucsonan and a real estate developer interested and passionate in the revitalization of communities in the Tucson region. Henessy said, that although it was his first time at First Fridays, it most certainly was not his last and became a member of Tucson Young Professionals that very night.
"I'm impressed," Henessy said, raising his glass to his lips and scanning the open courtyard filled with a star-spangled flock of impeccably dressed people on this delightful Arizona night. "There's a lot of space with a lot to do. Something around every corner."
And indeed, there was an array of glittering attractions around every corner. A captivating fire dancer, named Fire Grace moved her slender body and torches to an exhilarating drum beat. Across the way, a young ice sculptor from Ice T Inc., chiseled his way through a frozen block of ice.
Joining Shishkovskaya and Henessy on the sidelines was Philip Touché, owner and proprietor of Touché Shoes, a fashion forward footwear business that specialized in rare, hard to find and unique shoes from all over the world.
"These aren't your everyday mall shoes. We want people to know they don't have to travel to Phoenix to find what they're looking for. Luxury is here."
Luxury was here and First Fridays was indeed making a profound impact on the Tucson social scene, shifting its focus from previous kegger socials on A-Mountain to an upscale lifestyle. Assisting with this coveted lifestyle
was Anthony's Cigar Emporium.
"There's a nostalgic feeling behind cigars," says Tyler Klarr, general manager for Anthony's and clearly the hipster quotient, wearing a form-fitting, olive green army jacket with as much flair and style as an Alexander McQueen mannequin. According to Klarr, cigars are usually associated with an older cliental. But in most recent years, as A-list celebrities, such as Denzel Washington, Claudia Schiffer and Arnold Schwarzenegger have been reported to favor the brown leaf-wrapped tobacco, cigars have gained status as a necessity to the glamorous life.
I wasn't sure if I was ready to partake in this fashionable pastime, so I made my way to the Margaret E. Mooney Hall, which doubled as a dance hall. Colorful lights blared through the darkened room and I could literally feel the rhythmic beat of Janet Jackson's intoxicating song, "Feedback," when I saw a white-haired gentleman dancing a storm on the dance floor. It was John McNulty, a self-proclaimed, "Disco Queen" and the retail manager of The Museum of Art. I had to talk to him. After all, when you see an older and distinguished person at an event aimed towards a younger audience, you have to wonder what exactly is their motive.
"I just like to dance," McNulty says, as he does a little two-step. "This is a great alternative to the bar scene and gives people a chance to actually dress up and immerse themselves in a little art and a little culture. Tucson Young Professionals is also a great way for the museum to help open its doors to a whole new audience."
This was an audience that obviously has been around, but untapped. Having heard similar words from Leah Taylor, I had to congratulate her on a job well done. If Tucson Young Professionals planned to make downtown Tucson, the place to see and be seen every weekend, First Fridays was indeed on the right social path. I found Taylor, wearing her fair blonde hair in an upswept style and a black formal gown, not only looking the part of the perfect hostess but also looking very pleased with herself.
"It's fabulous. Everything – everything, exceeds our expectations for the night."
Conversations of possible networking connections shared between old and new acquaintances were pleasant and polite. The catered appetizers from Café A La Carte were divine. And not a single catfight or unruly brawl was in sight. All in all, the night was a complete success.
I nodded in agreement with Taylor, as two immaculately dressed men came up to me and asked what I thought of the night's events. It was Oleg Shishkovskiy and his business partner, Jeff Sorrentino, co-owners of S&S Spirits and distributors of Khortytsa Vodka. The unlikely duo, met as real estate investors, who lived on the same street, their car garages facing each other, Sorrentino says. During its short, almost, four year run, under the influential eyes of Shishkovskiy and Sorrentino, Khortytsa has taken the spirits industry by storm. At the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, each of the four styles of Khortytsa that S&S Spirits entered took home awards, with Khortytsa classic winning a gold medal.
"Tucson is the perfect place to test market a product," Sorrentino says as his partner Shishkovskiy offers us a glass of the elusive vodka. "It's a city filled with every social-economic class and different cultures. Different tastes help us learn what works and what doesn't."
And to think, all this was happening in Tucson. Who knew we were living in an up and coming, trendy town? Maybe southern Arizona isn't as dreary as some make it out to be. Maybe there is something in the 520 that makes moments like these, worth living and staying for; to be a part of something destined for greatness. Time to get out the BlackBerry and start planning for the next event.
First Fridays is rated red-hot on the social-status scale. To find out more information, visit www.typfirstfridays.com.
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