On the Mark  Improve your putting stroke with this simple exercise. By Scott Sackett We all want to make more putts and do so from every length. There are many theories out there regarding how to improve your putting stroke and drills that help with distance or directional control. What I’ve found is there isn’t a whole lot in putting you can take from the practice green out to the course that will help rig ...

A New Cadenza For those interested in the function of a luxury sedan with the low-key practicality of a Kia, the Cadenza is a compelling option, details auto writer Greg Rubenstein.   Just over three years ago, North Valley Magazine featured a review of Kia’s then all-new Cadenza flagship. For 2017, Kia has launched its second-generation Cadenza, demonstrating maturity of both the product and this Sout ...

Designed by You Kingdom is changing the bike business, one option at a time. By Bradley Callow In a world where social media companies like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter are thriving as the result of creating their own consumer driven cultures, businesses with more physical products are moving to do the same. Startup entrepreneurs and established businesses alike are trying to create products t ...

California Fresh  Long Beach is emerging as the hip, fresh, urban alternative for SoCal adventures. By Sondra Barr Long Beach isn’t Los Angeles. It’s not Orange County either. It’s somewhere decidedly different and a heck of a lot cooler than you’d expect––literally and figuratively. Just a quick flight from Phoenix (FYI, the Long Beach Airport was named one of the 10 most beautiful airports by the BBC), it ...

Rafael Navarro Mixed media artist blends mediums and symbolism to create enchanting artwork.   By Nicole Royse Images courtesy of Rafael Navarro and Nicole Royse Local artist Rafael Navarro possesses the ability to skillfully handle a variety of mediums, which results in pieces that combine imagery and symbolism for spectacular visual impact. Originally from Mexico, Navarro began creating art at a youn ...

Branding Why pay extra for a brand name gem? By Scott Bohall If you go car shopping and head to a dealership, you won’t find a Mercedes without its signature star logo. If you shop for shoes, you won’t find Nikes without their familiar swoosh trademark. But, unlike cars and shoes, there is no reason to pay extra for a branded diamond, which increases the price. It’s possible to find a diamond in one store f ...

Beyond the Pavement Duo takes camping to the next level. By Sondra Barr Photos by CMQ Photos LLC Where the road ends is where the adventure begins for Rick Russek and Ron Bernaud, the owners and co-founders of North Valley-based Bivouac Camping Trailers. The duo started Bivouac Camping Trailers (BCT) to not only provide high quality, unique, expedition trailers/toy haulers for the outdoor enthusiast, but as ...

Nip/Tuck/Love  For couples looking to achieve a trimmer, more contoured physique why not consider these ways to blast the fat forever. By Jennifer Geoghegan, M.D. Kybella Kybella is a FDA-approved treatment that uses deoxycholic acid to break down fat under the chin. These injections cause the release of lipids from the fat cells, which are then absorbed and discarded by the body. Good candidates for this t ...

Fit Together How to keep kids––and the entire family––active all year long. By Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty Photo by 7713 Photography   When you instill active behavior from a young age children grow up with a natural inclination to move their body. With the increase of accessible technology kids are easily able to become sedentary, which overtime poses risks to their health and well-being. Keep ki ...

Sweet Sights  February and March serve up some planetary treats. By Steve Kates Spring is just around the corner and promises to offer up some amazing sights in the sky. February skies begin with a reminder to look for the brightest object in the night sky, other than the sun and moon. This would be the planet Venus; it reaches its greatest brilliancy on Feb. 17. Venus will appear in the southwestern sky an ...

Home Sweet Home                   Keystone Homes introduces Eastwood, a new luxury development in Carefree. By Michelle Talsma Everson There’s a certain type of pride in his voice when Rich Eneim, Jr. talks about his family business. As the vice president and principal of Keystone Homes, he has a lot to be proud of as the family owned and operated homebuilder has been continuously developing communities in ...

Crazy for Cookies  The Fourth Annual Girl Scout Cookie Challenge. By Alison Bailin Batz Everyone has a special place in their hearts for Girl Scout cookies. Not only because they’re spectacularly delicious, but because the Girl Scout Cookie Program helps girls fulfill their dreams, follow their passions, and change the world. “Girl Scout cookies not only help our local Girl Scouts earn money for fun, educat ...

Irish Cultural Center Explore Irish history, music, art, literature, and language. By Julie Carlson   Do you enjoy researching your genealogy or celebrating St. Patrick's Day? Do you know that Arizona has a long and storied Irish history? At the last census there were over 500,000 people in Arizona with some Irish ancestry. An Irishman named Hugo O’Conor founded Tucson. Nicknamed Captain Red, he was as ...

Passion & Pedigree  The Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show celebrates 62 years in the Valley. Before heading out to compete at this year’s 62nd Annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show in February, it’s a good bet 12-year-old Quinn Eisenfeld has gone up to a week without washing her hair. “Your hair actually has to be a little dirty to get the best bun,” says Eisenfeld, a student at Cicero Preparatory Academy in ...

Flexible Dieting Stop yo-yo dieting. Instead, take the 80/20 approach for sustainable weight loss.     By Stephanie and Zachary Dorworth Yo-yo dieting and weight fluctuations are becoming far too common. Many times the seasons of New Year's resolutions, summer swimsuits, and holidays are contributors to these common fluctuations. Many people force themselves to go cold turkey on the things they en ...