In her reality-type show, Griffin pokes fun of her D-List level (instead of A-List) celebrity status. But she did find an A-One Designer in Mike Nielsen. who she enlisted ro design her I.os Angeles home in the show's first season last year, and her suite at the Hotel Triton in San Francisco during this year's second season.
If you're impressed by Nielsen's"sexy sleek" design elements displayed on the TV show, you can find them right here at 8801 North Central Avenue. In 1984. Nielsen moved to Moon Valley from Utah to be near his mother. The same year, he established his company, Nielsen Diversified. Inc. and Nielsen Galleries. www.nielsengalleries.com. He brought his galleries to their current location in 1993. The contemporary complex on the east side of Central, just north of the canal, exemplifies the beautification of old downtown Sunnyslope.
"It's a perfect location because it is central and we draw people from all over" says Nielsen. His designer eye saw the potential in the former used plumbing supply lot, which the locals had christened "the porcelain palace". Rows of toilets have been replaced with an array of planters, glass vases. canvas art and permanent botanicals- Nielsen's signature design elements.
"It's a wholesale showroom." explains Nielsen, "so only professionals can purchase. but we invite the public to come in to the galleries and browse" Nielsen sells to interior designers architects and commercial businesses. Though he conducts business with professionals-not to mention Hollywood celebrities-he remains an unassuming resident who is committed to living here and improving his community. "Village Center is like a community within a city; it's like haing in a small town" he says, referring to the stretch along Central, from the canal to Dunlap.
"I like to get involved in my community" continues Nielsen. "I have been involved in almost every community group that has existed in the area." He is a founding member of Desert Mission Neighborhood Renewal (DMNR) , formerly known as Sunnyslope Village Revitalization and a founding member of Sunnyslope Village Alliance. He has been involved with the Phoenix Sister Cities Commission and he helps Body Positive with fundraising efforts. He offers his design pieces as raffle prizes for Body Positive and he opened his home for a paid tour.
Over the past decade, Nielsen has participated in the annual Christmas Kids Party for children in the Desert View Elementary afterschool program. Nielsen provides gifts and "we have Santa, pizza and entertainment," he says. "When Betty Bellanger, who organized the program, was dying, I promised her I would carry on."
He has employed his design talents to community redevelopment as well. He worked with the City of Phoenix on the streetscape and public art between the canal and Hatcher. He also served on the artist selection panel for the art on the four corners of the canal bridge, with the design repeated in the median.
"I want a nice environment," proclaims Nielsen, who lives walking distance from his galleries. "I like an urban environment where I can walk to work, for coffee... or for lunch."
A regular patron of local businesses, you might catch sight of him in his trademark flip-flops having breakfast at Calico Cow while reading the paper. "That's my personal quiet time," says Nielsen. "They make what you want to order," he says about Calico Cow, where he orders the usual. Recently, his personal trainer changed his usual to an egg white and turkey omelet.
He also likes to go to Grinder's Coffee. Via de los Santos is another favorite. "It feels like walking into Mexico, he says. "It's authentic, with folding chairs and drums for tables. And he likes Corbin's, directly across the street from his gallery to the south "They're a great addition to the community," he says of the restaurants.
In line with his interest in hospitality via design elements, Nielsen is working on opening a coffee/wine gallery that will be "an asset to the neighborhood. It's a new trend in neighborhood gathering places, It'll be more gallery-like with gourmet hors d' oeuvres, coffee and wine," Bamberos will be the name-- Spanish for fire station. The location will be where the former fire station in old downtown Sunnyslope had existed, and where a portion of their design center is now located. Nielsen envisions the "comestibles gallery" as a complementary extension of the design galleries. And he foresees it as a complement to Corbin's: "Go to Corbin's for dinner and Bomberos for dessert, coffee and wine,"
Since his newly-expanded fame, Nielsen says he is recognized more often though people are not certain from where they know him. "If Kathy's on the D-List, I don't know where I am, " he laughs.
However, he is A-1 with Kathy's K-9's. When she goes on tour he pet sits for Chance and PomPom, two dogs that Kathy rescued. "They're my best friends" smiles Nielsen. "They're my buddies." Look for the dogs in certtain photos depictring Nielsen's designs on his website.
"Taping the TV show, dog-sitting or working on other Hollywood projects can take Nielsen out of town for a week to as long as a month at a time. A third season for Kathy Griffin : My Life on the D-List is up in the air at this time but, Nielsen say "It's possible 'cause the show's up for an Emmy."
In any case, there will be more projects in LA, But his flip-flops are firmly planted in Phoenix. "This will always be home," he assures "When I come home to Sunnyslope, it feels like home. I like to go to Hollywood but, I always come back home."