32 MAY 2025 A fter decades in New York City, Jodi Mesnick didn’t expect to find her greatest sense of fulfillment beneath Arcadia’s palms and citrus trees. But like so many Arizona transplants, what began as a lifestyle shift became a full-hearted reinvention, of home, purpose, and self. “We were ready for something new,” Jodi shared, recalling when she and her husband set their sights west. For the family, especially their teenage son with special needs, Arizona offered more than blue skies and scenic views. It promised support and a slower rhythm of life that made space for growth. “Arcadia had everything we were looking for: a great environment for our family, sunshine year-round, and a welcoming feel.” It’s that spirit that Arizona Highways Television often highlights, where desert beauty meets human resilience. In Jodi’s case, that includes finding joy in the everyday: tennis with friends, coffee on the patio, and a business built on style and meaning. Before Arcadia, Jodi’s world revolved around New York’s corporate scene. She worked in creative services for Fortune 500 companies and launched her first entrepreneurial venture, Baby Cargo. Arizona stirred a different kind of creativity. First came interior design projects. Then tennis. And unexpectedly, a fine jewelry business was born from a single piece: a minimalist diamond necklace her husband had designed years ago. “I started wearing it again,” she said. “Suddenly, women everywhere were asking about it, on the court, at the grocery store, even school pick-up. It was effortless, simple, and people were drawn to it.” That necklace sparked Diamond Dots, a line of minimalist jewelry that reflects Jodi’s own aesthetic. In May, the company is taking a bold step forward, relaunching its entire line using lab-grown diamonds. “It was important to me that we be more mindful of the environment without compromising quality,” Jodi said. Diamond Dots was shaped by Arcadia’s pace, by the freedom to chase creative energy without the burnout of city life. “Living here has inspired me to be my own boss,” she said. “There’s something that feels open and supportive, especially for women.” Jodi plans to use the business as a platform for giving back. “We’ve experienced firsthand how life-changing the right support can be, especially with a child with special needs,” she said. “With Diamond Dots, I want to create something beautiful that also makes a meaningful impact.” By putting together charitable collaborations and making donations to causes close to her heart, Jodi is building a brand with purpose at its core. Like many Arizona Highways Television stories, Jodi’s is a transformation shaped by scenery and grounded in community. Whether designing a new “dot,” walking Camelback in the morning or gathering friends around the dinner table, she’s part of what makes Arcadia so special: a place where creativity thrives, neighbors uplift one another, and new chapters unfold under the desert sky. From the Big Apple to the desert: An Arcadia life redefined Robin is the host and executive producer of the Arizona Highways Television , Saturdays and Sundays on CBS. BY ROBIN SEWELL Jodi and Ryder Mesnick. Living here has inspired me to be my own boss, there’s something that feels open and supportive, especially for women. Our gift: use this QR code to enjoy a free digital subscription to our magazine, Defining Desert Living. Defining Desert Living If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation. Copyright © 2025 azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson all rights reserved. Tracey Zemer 602.478.0607 tracey@azarchitecture.com CAMELBACK MID-CENTURY MODERN Designed by architect Paul Christian Yeager 5412 E Rockridge Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018 Offered at $2,785,000 ENCLAVE AT THE BORGATA Luxury condo community in the heart of Paradise Valley 6166 N Scottsdale Rd C1002, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 Lease rate $6,800 per month PARADISE VALLEY ESTATE Camelback views & guest house 3921 E San Miguel Ave, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 Offered at $3,949,000

33 MAY 2025 By Rachael Bouley For Hank Murphy, life is all about the beans. Bad Hambres, a ghost kitchen concept at 40th St. and Indian School Road, was born out of Murphy’s love for his favorite food: bean and cheese burritos. Around 11 years ago, he unlocked a passion for cooking beans and making burritos for friends. The Arcadia native began perfecting his recipe after moving to Kentucky for a job and realizing he had to satisfy his craving for bean and cheese burritos by making his own. As the founder of Bad Hambres, Murphy now shares his creations with the neighborhood. These aren’t fancy burritos with one hundred ingredients – Bad Hambres exclusively sells bean and cheese burritos. Over a decade of research and development has gone into crafting the perfect handheld. These are made with slow-cooked pinto beans in fresh vegetable and chicken broth, high-quality cheese, house-made hot sauce, and locally sourced tortillas. “I only make bean and cheese because that’s what I know and love. I also love simplicity – it makes it easier to achieve mastery,” Murphy said. “Slow-cooked, obsessively crafted beans will always play a role, but we plan to offer variety.” A few ideas that they’re cooking with include different salsas on the inside, fully vegetarian options, and a cheese-less bean burrito – Murphy said all of these are high on the list. Over the years, he experimented with soaking the beans and using different spices, cheeses, tortillas, and ingredient ratios. He also learned from others and tested various methods to find what worked best, lessons he uses for inspiration today. “One weekend, I made 120 burritos from my home kitchen, froze them, and sold them to my friends,” Murphy said. “Word spread to people I didn’t know, and each month the batch size grew, selling out every time, until I left my full-time job in August.” Now, Murphy works alongside his wife, Sam, in their commercial kitchen, carefully crafting every batch before baking, freezing, and delivering meals to a growing audience of hungry, happy customers. Inspired by the authentic flavors of Arizona, the husband-and-wife team is on a mission to make the world’s tastiest frozen bean and cheese burritos. “This means we don’t cut any corners regarding flavor. While they cost a bit more than other options in the freezer aisle, they are made fresh with thoughtful ingredients, offering greater quality that families appreciate,” Murphy said. The handhelds can be cooked with an air fryer, stovetop, oven, or microwave, and customers especially like the convenience and flavor of this option. “We’ve blown up as a direct result of community support. People have come out of the woodwork to offer help,” Murphy said. “It has been one of the most surprising and coolest aspects of the endeavor. People genuinely love our burritos and want to see us succeed.” Murphy left his 9-5 job last year to pursue his craft full-time, hoping to inspire others to chase their passions. Even though it’s a lot of work, he has a blast. “After spending 10+ years in corporate, it became obvious that my next move needed to be doing something that I truly care about. And there are very few things in this world I care about more than a good bean and cheese burrito,” Murphy said. Right now, they are focused on meeting demand in Phoenix and across Arizona, but the next step is to expand throughout the U.S. Bad Hambres offers daily morning pick-up at their kitchen (40th and Indian School, just south of The Vig) and delivery Saturday through Monday. badhambres.com Got big hunger? Bad Hambres can help! Hank and Sam Murphy are the creative minds behind Bad Hambres. PHOTO COURTESY OF HANK MURPHY