20 OCTOBER 2022 GOODER GOODS I n April 2020, local chef Joe Meyers stopped by Harmony Fulton and Nate Lowrie’s Arcadia home to discuss his dream of opening a café. After some deliberating – which included a whiteboard session of Joe’s mission, vision and values – the trio decided to open one together. On November 4, 2020, Gooder Goods debuted inside the Madison Improvement Club at 3802 E. Indian School Road. According to Fulton, Chef Meyers got started in the industry by accident. “Out of necessity, he took a cooking job in college and fell in love with the excitement of it. Eventually, he went to culinary school, which was lucky for us!” she said. On the menu, guests will find health- conscious items ranging from protein smoothies, burritos, avocado toast, waffles, salads, sandwiches, protein balls and baked goods from a local baker, Chef Mum. All the items are dairy-free, with a few gluten-free options available. They serve Provision Coffee and cold brew, and AZ Liquids juices. Fulton said that avocado toast is the most popular item. “It’s so popular that we even had an a-frame sign made that says ‘KILLER AVOCADO TOAST’ to let people know how good it is,” Fulton said. According to the owners, a unique aspect of the eatery is its playful personality. The café’s logo is a bunny drinking coffee, and the menu item names match that – for example, the “funky monkey” smoothie, “you’re kale-in’ me, smalls” salad and “off the hook” sandwich. Gooder Goods was part of Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week in September for the second year in a row. They are also looking for a primary location (with a drive-thru) and would like to spread offerings beyond Arcadia – like on the shelves of Sprouts or an online market. getgoodergoods.com FLY BYE Fly Bye originally started as a pop-up ghost kitchen in 2020. Sam Fox of Fox Restaurant Concepts wanted a quick, convenient place that specialized in his favorite: Detroit-style pizza. Fox enlisted the help of Regional Brand Chef Saman Javid, who fell in love with the industry at an early age. Javid watched his father and uncle run an Italian restaurant – he knew he wanted to follow in their footsteps. He attended culinary school in San Francisco, and the rest is history. There are currently two open locations; one at Desert Ridge Marketplace, which opened in July 2022 and serves both dine-in and to-go, and one in north central Phoenix, which is to-go only. The Arcadia location, near 40th and Camelback Road, will be the third. According to Regional Manager Kolin Thomas, Fly Bye became popular for a few reasons: online ordering, curbside pick-up and contact-free delivery. Oh, there’s also the menu: Detroit-style pan pizzas; buttermilk-dipped, hand-breaded chicken tenders; chicken wings and eight house-made sauces. The classic pepperoni pizza is the most popular item. Fly Bye recently expanded its menu to include hand-tossed pizzas, chopped salad options and hoagies. From the original menu, pizza options include the crispy chicken parmesan, black truffle mushroom, and the copper hat with prosciutto, goat cheese, Medjool date, and salted pistachio. Guests can also build- their-own pizza. New additions include the Lebanese Mom (marinated tomato, roasted garlic, spinach leaf, feta yogurt, za’atar) and The Brooklyn (pepperoni, Italian sausage, Nueske’s bacon, mozzarella, crushed tomato sauce). “I think the most unique aspect of Fly Bye is the attention to detail in every bite. From how we pick our pineapple to how it’s roasted to perfection, every detail is thought through and intentional. We take real technique and apply it to something as simple as pizza to elevate our guest’s experience,” Thomas said. The Arcadia location is expected to open this fall. flybyetogo.com THE SCOOP The Phoenix Greek Festival is back again! Head over to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 1973 E. Maryland Ave., Phoenix, to celebrate with the 61st annual Phoenix Greek Festival. There will be authentic Greek cuisine, dancing and live performances, music, a village market with groceries and jewelry, culture and history tours and activities for the kids. Admission is $5. phoenixgreekfestival.org The Fluffle from Gooder Goods. Pizza, wings and salad from Fly Bye. 4015 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley 602.381.9906  info@ccsaz.org ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE ENRICHED BY FAITH CLASSES FOR TODDLERS THROUGH 4TH GRADE COME LEARN WITH US! P R E S C H O O L - E L E M E N T A R Y ccsaz.org

21 OCTOBER 2022 Alyssa with her mom and sisters: Robin Baethke, Jeannine Silverstein, Marriann Gofonia, Michelle Vestuto and Nadine Gofonia. PHOTO COURTESY OF ALYSSA GOFONIADINOWITZ By Mallory Gleich Arcadian Alyssa Gofonia-Dinowitz has always been a jack-of-all-trades. After moving to Arizona from Long Island as a kid, attending Xavier and ASU, then going back to NYC for a two-year acting program, Alyssa eventually made her way back to Phoenix. She became a mom of two while teaching yoga to professional athletes, writing yoga- inspired articles, and creating a clothing line called Chewylou Designs. During the mid-2000s, she also attended her mother’s breast cancer chemo treatments with her four sisters. Usually a somber experience (her mother had already beaten cancer four times) the family made sure to keep things positive in any way they could. Alyssa often noticed that other patients were alone and unprepared for the sometimes hours-long sessions. “My family is all about connection, conversation and caretaking,” Alyssa said. “We began learning about the needs of this community by carpooling with another patient, bringing baked goods and making close friends.” After her mom passed, Alyssa found that she couldn’t stop thinking about those other patients. “I couldn’t bear knowing that all those ‘chemosabes’ were alone. Two weeks after mom died, I went back – and I haven’t stopped,” she said. Those “chemosabes” became the foundation for Chemo Companions. Officially opened in 2010, Chemo Companions is a nonprofit that “provides companionship through a network of trained volunteers who bring comfort, conversation, laughter and nourishing essentials to the Chemo Lounge.” “Our mission is to make a positive impact on the lives of those undergoing cancer treatments by offering friendship and emotional support,” Alyssa said. A self-proclaimed lover of creature comforts, Alyssa noticed that patients were sometimes cold, sometimes hungry, and a little bored, especially since they could be there for hours at a time. This led to the invention of Chemo Comfort bags. Each bag includes “essentials” for patients to use while receiving treatment. “I thought about what I would want and what provided comfort to my mom to come up with items for the bags,” she said. Those essentials include hats, fuzzy socks, blankets, lip balm, ginger chews, tea, crosswords and pens, colored pencils and adult coloring books and granola bars – to name a few. Chemo Companions also provides pantry items and gas/grocery cards for patients who have suffered financially due to diagnosis and treatment. Supplies are donated from local companies and financial or donation drives. “In 2010, the East Valley Women’s League and I filled 100 Chemo Comfort bags. Now we’re up to more than 500 annually,” Alyssa said. Patients of Ironwood Cancer Center in Chandler, MD Anderson Cancer Centers and Cancer Support Community of AZ (Phoenix and Flagstaff) receive visits and Chemo Comfort bags. Alyssa said that patient’s reactions are always heartwarming. “I am always humbled by their gratitude and grace,” Alyssa said. “I often get asked why I am doing this, and I tell them about my mom and how she is still working through me.” Alyssa explained that through her work, she feels she’s helping fulfill her mom’s missions: “If you have two, give one away, leave it better than you found it, and kindness wins.” Alyssa said she would love Chemo Companions to eventually be “anywhere there is an IV pole.” She also wants to introduce other options within the chemo experience: “chair yoga, breath work, healthy recipes, pet visits, meditation techniques, an inspirational speaker’s bureau – there are too many things to list,” she said. Chemo Companions also offers free art classes, “adopt-a-family” for the holidays, and dinners for a local teen support group. chemocompanions.org Fear not, ‘chemosabes,’ for you are not alone