Behind the scenes with Vanilla Spice, Livewire's house band By Lynette Carrington Photos by Tavit Daniel New venue Livewire recently opened to much fanfare and now boasts its own specially created house band, Vanilla Spice. The large band encompasses stellar talents that will work the house Sunday nights and during special events. Steve LeVine, a partner in Livewire and owner of Steve LeVine Entertainment a ...

Fresh Melon Sauté Sautéing, from the French sauté meaning “jumped” or “bounced,” references a method of tossing while cooking. It uses small amounts of fat—in this case, heart-healthy fat—in a heavy, wide pan with sloped sides over moderately high heat. For optimal sautéing, ingredients are cut into uniform shapes and sizes to facilitate fast and even cooking. Size does matter when sautéing, so take your ti ...

By Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty Summer is approaching fast, and many people are planning a vacation for themselves or their family. Staying on track with your fitness goals while traveling is very beneficial. Vacationing doesn’t necessarily have to detour you from your exercise routine. Wherever you are, try incorporating a quick cardio-and-strength workout into your day. If the weather is nice, head ou ...

Team North Valley's Kim and Shannon Show An Amazing Arm Workout Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty offer up an amazing arm workout. Shannon and Kim are the Fit Mom Diet Team. They’re nationally published health experts, and they also advocate locally on wellness at FitMomDiet.com. Photos by James Patrick Photos shot at AZ Training Lab If you’re looking to build firm, toned arms, it’s time to pick up the weigh ...

North Valley Magazine teamed up with Avvo––a leading company that helps consumers make better legal decisions––to bring you the Top Valley Lawyers 2013. Avvo is a Seattle-based company that helps consumers make better legal decisions by offering free Q&A forums, backed by ratings and profiles for 90 percent of the lawyers in the country. They have teamed with us to present this list of the top lawyers i ...

Yummy Fall Flavors Team North columnist Erika Monroe-Williams serves up a tasty seasonal treat––butternut squash risotto in a festive jack-o’-lantern.  Oh, how I love the fall! There’s a feeling in the air here in Arizona that things are about to get really great. I have always noticed that right around Halloween, the weather becomes absolutely perfect and there’s no other place in the country I’d rather be ...

Say goodbye to an old standbye By Nanette Makrauer for North Valley Magazine  I’ve got something simple for you to take away today, that will reduce the toxic load in your home with one simple change… Get rid of plastic storage containers! Yep… you will substantially reduce your toxic exposure with this tip. Rummage through your drawers, kitchen and refrigerator, and remove and replace them with glass. You ...

How to plan professional parties By Jamila Watson for North Valley Magazine  I have been planning parties for a while now. It's truly a passion of mine. Ask anyone and they would tell you that Jamila loves parties! Before I started planning parties professionally, I would take my daughters on their "weekend journey" from party to party.  Way too often, I would see kids running around everywhere because ther ...

Who are you?   By Kathy Bass for North Valley Magazine “Who are you?” seems like such a simple question, yet many choose to start forming opinions about someone by asking this question first: “So, what do you do?”  That seemingly innocent, yet commonly feared question causes people to avoid events, choke from anxiety and even stutter or stumble for words.  Anyone who has been laid off or fired and has ...

Women over 50: How do we do it? By Judith Herbig for North Valley Magazine There is everything wonderful about women in general, but when you get to the magic age when AARP starts sending you invitations to join, things get even better.  I know.  I‘ve been getting the invites for some time now. We get so much information telling us what we should be doing and not doing.  We’re offered diets, health warnings ...

Just lean in By Trish Dolasinski for North Valley Magazine “Don’t hold back, just lean in,” says Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg, in her nonfiction book, Lean In. Sandberg refreshingly clears the path that offers an enlightening journey for all women, whether in the workplace or at home, while including benefits for the men who support them. In fact, the single most important career decision a woman makes is ...

  The Magic of Color: Inspired by Nature By Heidi Rawson for North Valley Magazine As Frank Lloyd Wright once said, “Nature is the inspiration for all ornamentation.’ We all want to live in an inspired space, one which momentarily lifts our spirits, in a place we can call home.  I want to share with you some of my tried and true designer secrets for creating a fabulous space inspired by the colors of n ...

Making Your Food Appealing    By Stephanie Studer for North Valley Magazine Did you realize the food photos you see in your favorite cookbook or magazine are meticulously styled and constructed with your appetite in mind? That fork on the plate, and those extra crumbles of cheese on the salad did not land there by mistake, but instead lay there hoping you realize them and crave a bite! The art of styli ...

  DIY Project Corner By Kimmie Dillon for North Valley Magazine Temps are still soaring here in the valley, so now is a perfect time to update your interior space.  Making just a small tweak to your décor can have a big effect, like re-covering a lampshade.  By using some trendy fabric, you can give your tired lamp a high-end look that can brighten up any room in the house. And here’s the best part: sp ...

Say goodbye to dry! By Stacey Brooks for North Valley Magazine Summertime in Arizona is always rough on my skin. Literally! It seems like no matter how much sunscreen or moisturizer I apply my skin continues to peel and flake. Let’s be honest, dry skin is NOT attractive! So, I’ve been on a mission to get my skin back in tip top shape. Here’s a quick and easy exfoliating body scrub I’ve been using at home. O ...