The 80 Percent Myth  Golf pro Scott Sackett on why putting a percentage on how hard or soft you’re trying to swing is a bad approach. I often hear announcers and range patrons alike provide swing tips to golfers of all skill levels and one I hear frequently is, "Swing at 80 percent, that's what all the great players do."  I never really questioned this myself until I started using TrackMan during each lesso ...

Route 66  State historian Marshall Trimble on America’s storied highway in its heyday.   Of all America’s great highways, none epitomized Americana during the 20th century more than storied Route 66. Stretching across the heart of the country from Chicago to Los Angeles, it rambled nearly 2,500 miles through Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Route 66 has inspired writers, poets, songw ...

HIIT Reach your fitness goals through high intensity interval training. By Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty Photos by Stephanie Heymann Photography Shot on location at Orange Theory Fitness McCormick Ranch If you’re looking to burn more calories and make your workout more interesting, HIIT (high intensity interval training) might just be your answer. HIIT can be accomplished doing cardio or weight bearing e ...

Muggle Fun The Wizarding World of Harry Potter worth every bit of the hype. By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski   Rising from the middle of Universal Studios Hollywood is the intimidating, black Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which is part of the new The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter lives up to every bit of the hype. Hogsmeade Village is straigh ...

Summer Reading By Julie Carlson   BLACKHEARTS  By Nicole Castroman Castroman’s novel is set in 17th century England. It features Edward “Teach” Drummond, who will later become the pirate Blackbeard. The other viewpoint in the novel is from Anne Barrett, a maid of mixed race, within the Drummond household. Both characters dream of escaping their everyday lives for adventure. Teach longs to return to the ...

Constance McBride  Local mixed-media artist creates sculptures that detail the aging process. By Nicole Royse   Constance McBride is a local artist creating figurative clay and mixed-media sculptures that examine the aging process and its effects on the human body. Skillfully rendering the human form in an intriguing variety of work with a tremendous amount of detail, her creations are a brilliant exam ...

STAY-CAY We have the scoop on seven Arizona hot spots you’ll want to experience this summer––all splurge-worthy without a hefty price tag. By Nadine Bubeck       Most Luxurious: Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North fourseasons.com/scottsdale (480) 515-5700 10600 E. Crescent Moon Dr., Scottsdale   Probably the most serene spot in the Valley. Ideal for romantic getaways, friend-cations, or ...

Road Trippin’  Hit the open highway with your family this summer using the happy road trip plan. By Kristin Caliendo  “Mommmmmmm! Addie hit me!” “Leif is so annoying, he’s picking his nose right in front of me.” “Don’t make me pull this car over!” Sound familiar? Somewhere between my kids flicking bodily fluids at one another and Yuma, my dreams of driving into the sunset while catching up on my latest nove ...

DIY Summer Decorating What to do (and not do) when creating a seasonally inspired space. By Kristen Forgione   DO Let your color shine If you normally can't stomach a little pop of color, try it in summer in small doses.   DO Work in prints Whether you're print heavy or print empty, adding prints into your everyday décor will help brighten things up, add texture, and is a great opportunity to play ...

The 2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk If finding your own path is your thing, this Jeep is not to be passed up, says auto writer Greg Rubenstein. Ever heard the phrase, “It’s a Jeep thing, you wouldn’t understand”—or perhaps seen it plastered to the back of some adventure-bound 4x4? While the catchphrase has cohort-dependent meaning, to the faithful it’s generally an exhortation to the wild For the uninitiated, ...

The Pursuit of Perfection Perfect Tile Inc. offers high-end custom home flooring solutions By Michelle Talsma Everson Local businessman Ron Eckburg believes in hard work and paying attention to every detail. As the president of Perfect Tile Inc., this type of work ethic has allowed his business to grow and thrive for more than 15 years—a major feat considering the economy’s ups and downs during that time pe ...

Colleen’s Dream Foundation  Hard work, dedication, and determination bring four sisters together to raise money and awareness for ovarian cancer. By Nadine Bubeck Take a good look at this picture. It’s the last professional photo these beautiful girls had with their mom. Sure, they took plenty of pictures leading up to their mom’s fall to cancer, but ask any of them, and they’ll say they wish they would hav ...

Golden Girls Local teens honored with Girl Scouts’ highest honor. By Alison Bailin Batz   All that glitters is not always gold, but these young women––and their futures––are sparkling bright. They’re the North Valley’s 2016 Gold Award honorees. “One of the most impactful parts of Girl Scouting is earning the Girl Scout Gold Award,” says Tamara Woodbury, CEO of Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council. “ ...

Summer Nights  June and July offer up skies filled with planetary delights. By Steve Kates   Welcome to your skies for June and July 2016. June marks the return of the official return of summer and the summer solstice, which occurs on June 20 around 3:34 p.m. MST. This time of year also means it’s hot in the appropriately named Valley of the Sun. Did you know the highest temperature ever recorded in Ar ...

JUNE 2016 Events  2–5 Phoenix Comicon, the signature pop culture event in the southwest, focuses on comic books, anime, sci-fi and film, and comic book creators. Enjoy panels, workshops, an art auction, zombie beauty pageant, Japanese fashion show, live music, and more. Television actors will also be in attendance to meet with fans. $15 to $25. Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. 3rd St., Phoenix. phoenixcomi ...