By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Mariam Chekmeyan was working full time for a construction company and made a great salary.  But the desk job stifled the North Phoenix woman’s creativity. “I’m a very creative person,” the Sandra Day O’Connor High School graduate says. “I couldn’t be myself doing things with construction and office work. I told my boyfriend, ‘I am quitting my job.’ “He says, ‘Not until you figu ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Nestled at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Langham Huntington, Pasadena, is an oasis among lush landscaping. Kindness and beauty exude from the Spanish Mission Revival-style resort. Attendants readily share facts about the resort, which is peppered with Pasadena’s trademark roses. Wedding parties rush around the Langham Huntington, as brides and grooms are photograph ...

By Annika Tomlin Danielle Betterman was gifted her first pig, Beezers, 12 years ago. She researched the ins and outs of raising a pig in the Valley. Wanting to impart her knowledge and her love of pigs, she opened Better Piggies Rescue in 2017. “I started doing research and quickly started volunteering with other organizations around the Valley, like Ironwood Pig Sanctuary and Circle L Ranch (Animal Rescue ...

By Alison Bailin Batz After graduating from Eastern Illinois University in 1999, Deborah Hillman Toll moved to the Valley to begin what would become a legacy of leadership and giving back. Initially, she worked with executives to build and execute human resources strategies. A significant project with a local chief executive officer early in her career proved to be a pivotal moment on Toll’s professional pa ...

By Alison Bailin Batz Paso Robles is a winemaking region on the rise. Located along California’s Coast, Paso Robles winemaking dates back to the 1980s, but it was the well-received Saxum brand in 2010 followed by Wine Enthusiast naming it the Wine Region of the Year in 2013 that really brought acclaim to the area. Today, there are more than 200 wineries and 40,000 vineyard acres producing at least 60 types ...

By Marshall Trimble Dr. George Goodfellow of Tombstone is best remembered as the “Gunshot Physician.” He patched up outlaws like Curly Bill Brocius and doctored the wounded Virgil and Morgan Earp after the Gunfight at O.K. Corral. When the mortally wounded Billy Clanton asked to have his boots removed so he could “die with his boots off,” Doc Goodfellow obliged. Afterward, Ike Clanton, whose big mouth start ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Paul Keeler wanted a restaurant that is welcoming, affordable and comfortable for guests. On New Year’s Eve 2018, he opened Keeler’s Neighborhood Steakhouse in Carefree — and hasn’t looked back. “I wanted a neighborhood steakhouse,” Keeler says. “A neighborhood steakhouse, to me, is much more than a special-occasion, steak-on-a-plate concept. There are many of those around the ...

By C.A. Haire With its compact size and a tiny, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine, this Mercedes GLA might not impress at first look. But the quad exhaust tips sticking out of the body suggest there is more than meets the eye. If not, the price tag of $59,560 is convincing. The starting fee of a base GLA is $36,000, and that includes a 2.0-liter, 221-horsepower engine. Next up is the GLA35 with 302 horsepower ...

By Sara Edwards JoyEful Gallery is growing with the expansion of its latest gallery space in El Pedregal at the Boulders Resort in Scottsdale. Owner Joye DeGoede says the bigger room will allow her to sponsor and host more artists she’s passionate about. “This gallery space was the Sonoran Arts League gallery for six years, and I was the resident artist,” she says. “I knew in December that it was going to c ...

By Alison Bailin Batz On her second go-around in Arizona, Camila Frederico is taking it all in. “As the new general manager of Civana Wellness Resort & Spa, doing so has been easy,” Frederico says. “It has certainly lived up to the hype from Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler and USA Today — and then some — so far.” Frederico oversees the resort’s 22 acres, 144 rooms and suites, and 20,000-square-foo ...

By Alison Bailin Batz Wines that perfectly pair with patios, pools and parties With vaccines readily available, many are looking to enjoy the company of friends and family this summer. This could mean hanging by the pool, living one’s best life on a boat in the Midwest or heading to SoCal for the beach. No matter what your summer plans are, we have a wine pairing for that. By the pool Ecco Domani Pinot Grig ...

By Annika Tomlin Jennifer Gage was visiting California during a summer trip when she was introduced to StretchLab. “I play tennis, and I suffered a shoulder injury playing (in California),” Gage says. “A girlfriend of mine had taken me to her Pilates class, and the Pilates instructor asked if anyone there had heard of the new StrechLab that just opened.” After the class, Gage immediately walked to the Stret ...

By Alison Bailin Batz In 1997, the Valley had a problem in its schools. “There was a severe nursing shortage, so much so that for many schools, having a full-time nurse was a luxury,” says Michael Pearson, director of marketing and engagement for what is today called Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (NOAH). To help, a program called Neighborhood Outreach Action to Health (also NOAH) was developed thro ...

By Annika Tomlin The world has been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing the government to close public dining rooms. Thankfully, there are still quite a few businesses open for carryout, takeout or delivery orders. Here are a list of restaurants or drive-thru spots that are following CDC guidelines and are still open for business. La Bocca, 5415 E. High Street, Phoenix, 480-840-1799, north.laboccapizzeria ...

By Jordan Houston A self-taught artist with an eye for statement pieces, Jamie Almaraz says she knew her hobby couldn’t support her family. So, she got creative. Now, with more than 20 years as a hairstylist under her belt, Almaraz has married her love of design to her blossoming career in one of her finest masterpieces to date—Cast Salon & Spa. “My background is in art; I have always loved it,” the Nor ...