In the North Valley women wield power in business. Tenacious, determined, driven, local business-minded women are making a positive impact in the Valley and paving the way for the next generation of female business leaders. Meet the women leading the pack in the community and beyond. Bobbie Meola Managing Partner Stratos Wealth Partners 6929 E Greenway Pkwy, Suite 180, Scottsdale, AZ 85254 (480) 719-1335 st ...

Mentally Fit  How changing your mindset helps you achieve your health and fitness goals. By Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty Photo by Vikki Colvin So many individuals are seeking out strategies and tips to help them achieve their physical goals. New exercises, trends, gadgets, and tools come out daily, many of which claim to be “the secret” to getting fit. The thing that is most easily overlooked and is alw ...

Art Sense  Denise Fleisch brings a distinctive style to her Scottsdale gallery. By Nicole Royse Located in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale is Lotus Contemporary Art. Owned by Denise Fleisch, a local artist, the art space features her provocative abstract paintings. Fleisch has been creating art and running her own gallery for over 20 years in the Valley. She creates minimalist abstract paintings that cente ...

Expert Legal Guidance The criminal defense attorneys at Suzuki Law Offices use insider knowledge to guide clients through the criminal justice system. Richard J. Suzuki, the founding attorney at Suzuki Law Offices, L.L.C., is approachable, talkative, and down to earth. “Because of my background, I’m living proof that if you always work hard, you can succeed,” Suzuki says. “I faced many hurdles to accomplish ...

Maximizing Distance  Part one of the fundamentals for a better game. By Scott Sackett I’m beginning a series surrounding the fundamentals for a better game. The aim is to provide ball flight and impact fundamentals any player, regardless of skill level, can use to become better. In part one of this series, we discuss maximizing distance. Previous Misconceptions It was long thought that the length of a drive ...

Wander Around Willcox Summer is for sipping down south. By Alison Bailin Batz Less than two years ago, Willcox Wine Country, a consortium of Arizona Farm Wineries located in southeastern Arizona, was federally recognized as a unique and distinctive wine-growing region in the United States. The Willcox area leads the industry’s grape production by growing nearly three fourths of the state’s wine grapes, and ...

What to Read in July  By Julie Carlson   THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW By A.J. Finn The Woman in the Window is a first-rate psychological thriller from debut author A.J. Finn. The protagonist, Anna Fox, is a former child psychologist who suffers from agoraphobia. She fears leaving her house and going outside. Anna spends most of her time watching film noir and Hitchcock films. Her boredom has led to drinking copi ...

Fully Loaded  The 2018 Toyota Sequoia Platinum is a quintessential big rig. By Greg Rubenstein Large SUVs have an undeniable allure. Whether tooling around town or on a long road trip, there’s nothing quite as distinctly satisfying as rolling down the road in the mobile equivalent of one’s leather-clad living room. In a crowded field of full-size sport utility vehicles, Toyota’s Sequoia is a quintessential ...

Tourists, Beware!  Jewelry expert Scott Bohall examines whether buying jewelry on vacation is a good deal. Many folks from Arizona escape the summer heat and head for a cruise or a beach. Whether it’s the umbrella drinks or the vacation mindset, people frequently return with some sort of bauble. Before you fall prey to tourist pricing and usually below-average quality, there’re seven things to keep in mind ...

Raúl Castro: The Kid From Pirtleville  By Marshall Trimble It’s been more than a 100 years since Arizona gained statehood, yet in all that time only one Latino has managed to be elected to the state’s highest political office. But he was one hell of a man. Raúl Castro was born on June 12, 1916, in Cananea, Sonora, one of 14 children. When he was 10, the family legally immigrated to Pirtleville, a small Mexi ...

Youth in Action  All that glitters is gold when it comes to these North Valley teens. By Breanne Krager When it comes to top honors in Girl Scouting, there’s one award that outshines them all—the Gold Award! And for these three North Valley gals, their futures are sure to glitter. While often compared to the Boy Scouts’ Eagle Scout merit, the Gold Award is more rigorous in that it requires sustainable chang ...

Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys Founded in 2005, the law offices of Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys consist of 180-plus compassionate attorneys and staff with over 224 years of combined experience. This noteworthy amount of time equates to the firm’s legal team achieving impressive results for clients. In fact, the law firm takes great pride in providing the same level of care and service to each and ever ...

Old West Charm For an authentic western experience, head to Tucson’s Tanque Verde Ranch. By Sondra Barr Looking for the West’s most authentic western experience. Hint, you’re not going to find it in Scottsdale or Cave Creek. If it’s a truly immersive cowboy adventure you’re seeking, grab your boots, don a Stetson, and head to Tucson’s Tanque Verde Ranch, one of America’s old-time cattle and guest ranches. E ...

Love Over H8  Cheryl Najafi is the face behind a fashion brand championing social justice causes. By Michelle Talsma Everson Local author and businesswoman Cheryl Najafi grew up in a small town in Missouri where, she admits, everyone looked like her. “I was clueless that the world outside of me was so vastly different,” she says. But, when she went to Arizona State University for college, she says her world ...

Dining in the Dark  iPic brings food and film together thanks to Tanzy’s chef. By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Sherry Yard is passionate about two things: food and film. Six years ago, she saw an opportunity in iPic Theaters and jumped in headfirst. With a recently renovated location in the Scottsdale Quarter, iPic is now the nation’s fastest-growing, affordable luxury “movie-going experience.” “I’m an avid m ...