Photo by Jeff Newton Magnum’s owner Amar Patel.

Goldwater “Lifestyle” Bank

Walking into Goldwater Bank on the corner of Scottsdale and Camelback roads is a bit confusing. Is it a country club? A med spa? No and no, although this fairly new Waterfront addition does embody the atmosphere of both, featuring luxurious furnishings, ultra-attentive staff members and a killer view.

Billed as Arizona’s first “lifestyle bank,” this one aims to redefine banking by putting an emphasis back on customer service (if it was ever there to begin with). For a minimum account balance of $25,000, customers get access to an in-house concierge service, which handles everything from personal shopping to dinner reservations, and can relax any time in the chic lounge area, complete with 12 plasma screen TVs and plenty of refreshments.

“I wanted a bank that was relationship driven, that catered to people’s needs,” says founder and chairman Larry Sheffield. “We’re not driven by the amount of money you have. We want the entrepreneurs, the rainmakers, the young guy who’s starting a business.”

Info: 7135 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 201, Scottsdale, 480-281-8202, goldwaterbank.com

Fund-a-Stache

Growing a moustache for charity may not sound altogether intuitive, but it’s exactly what dozens of men in the Valley will be doing come May. The event is called Fund-a-Stache, and it started two years ago when Phoenix businessman and software developer Jay Wiggins wanted to support a philanthropic cause. He also, as it happened, wanted to grow a moustache. Out of it, the inspired idea was born.

He created a Website where participants could select any charity of their choice and set up an account with FirstGiving.com, a non-profit website which facilitates online contributions on behalf of charities. Wiggins raised money for Lupus research the first year (his wife has the disease). Last year he raised money for juvenile diabetes, from which a friend’s son suffers.

The Website encourages participants to chronicle their hair growth during the month via blog postings and photographs so that donors can check up on them. Participants have fun and get creative, and the Website becomes a photo essay of sorts. The event usually runs simultaneous with national Moustache May, where men grow moustaches, although not for charity.

Info: fundastache.org, moustachemay.com

Lost Leaf Wine Bar

The Lost Leaf in Downtown Phoenix is wooing the after work crowd along with the “I don’t want to work crowd,” and it’s easy to see why. The charming space embodies everything that’s going right in Downtown, specifically in the Roosevelt District. That is to say, there is character, charm, community and a sense of place. The bar is a rare bird, open seven days a week and late into the night (5 p.m. to 2 a.m.).

It doubles as an art gallery filled with local artists worth perusing before and after you check out the drink menu, which includes a delightfully long list of ales sure to please any beer lover. There’s even a gluten-free selection called New Grist from a Milwaukee brewery, for those with a wheat aversion. There are a couple sake selections and a wide variety of wines by the glass or bottle, too, so don’t be afraid to bring your classy friends (but be warned, there’s no food).

The original Lost Leaf opened four years ago above the beloved Emerald Lounge at Seventh Avenue and McDowell Road, which has since been replaced by a Starbucks and Pei Wei (if anyone mentions this, the appropriate response is to remove your hat and bow your head).

The new location is a historic Phoenix home built in the early 1920s. It used to house Max’s Sausage, started by German immigrants who erected an American flag out front to show they did not support Germany in the war. The flagpole still stands, which in this city is simply amazing.

Info: 914 N. Fifth St., Phoenix, 602-258-0014, thelostleaf.org

Bonded Logic Inc.

Bonded Logic Inc. is a massive, nondescript warehouse in Chandler that chews up scraps of denim, bonds them with fire retardant and spits them out into insulation for homes and businesses. This is where blue jeans go, not to die, but to be reborn. It may seem an unglamorous life, compared with riding high on a boutique’s shelves or riding low on a socialite’s hips, but this denim is doing the world a lot more good than overpriced jeans.

Bonded Logic collects its material – mostly scraps – from jeans makers and sorts it by color. It has created a patented automated system that then brakes down the natural fibers to create soft, touchable thermal and acoustic insulation that doesn’t contain chemicals or irritants or produce off-gassing.

A big part of Bonded Logic’s business is filling bulk orders for commercial projects, but it will accommodate small requests for those looking to make their homes more eco- and health-friendly. The owners launched their idea several years ago before the green bandwagon got rolling. It was a risk, and now it’s paying off.

Info: 411 East Ray Rd., Chandler, 480-812-9114, bondedlogic.com

Cassy’s Sassy Jewelry

While most of us were busy worrying about fitting in at age 17, Cassy Saba simply worries about fitting things into her busy schedule. The young entrepreneur has created quite a buzz with her handmade jewelry line, Cassy’s Sassy Jewelry, which she started after receiving a design kit for her 10th birthday and getting a buzz from beading.

“My mom wore a bracelet to work one day and came home with a list of orders,” Saba recalls of her “start.” “Eventually, I started getting requests for better stones, crystals, sterling silver….”

Fast-forward seven years, and Saba’s funky, whimsical bracelets and necklaces are for sale in 17 stores around the country, including in Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, Phoenix, New York and California, and have been requested by singing celebs Beyonce and Brandy. The Hamilton High senior is even making an appearance on The Montel Williams Show soon to flaunt her designs, which range from $25 to $275.

Info: Store locations available at cassysassyjewelry.com