Mommy Makeover How to pull off a quick classically chic holiday look. By Kristin Caliendo Photos by Shannon Fisher Photography   My style changed after having kids. When I was in my 20s, I never left the house without makeup. My tresses were also always styled and my clothes required dry cleaning. All that faded away once I became a full-time mom. What used to be familiar now creates a bit of unease. So, ge ...

The 2017 Acura ILX Tech Plus Buyers looking for an upmarket compact sedan will find a compelling value equation in this vehicle, says auto writer Greg Rubenstein.   By Greg Rubenstein Entry-level luxury is sometimes hard to define. Cars considered mainstream can be loaded with tech features and comfort amenities formerly reserved for all but the most exclusive vehicles. Globalization and the enormous e ...

Cupping Therapy Ancient technique offers Olympic-level pain relief. By Richard Sedillo If you were glued to the TV during the 2016 Olympics in Rio, at some point you probably saw a few athletes, swimmers in particular, with clear plastic cups stuck on their backs. The cups were pulling up their skin into various-sized bumps, the way a throw rug gets if you get the vacuum cleaner hose caught on it. You were ...

Andrew Pielage Celebrated Phoenix photographer captures the beauty and intricacy of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture.   By Nicole Royse Photos courtesy of Andrew Pielage Phoenix photographer Andrew Pielage specializes in architecture, landscape, and endurance sports photography. Recently published internationally in the #shotoniphone6 campaign for Apple, his work is inspired by a childhood spent explo ...

Thanksgiving Apple Bread Pudding Serve this perfectly sweet treat during your seasonal celebrations. By Leann Grunwald Bread pudding is a dish with old roots. It began as a use for stale bread. Wasting bread was unheard of, so cooks created savory and sweet dishes to use the stale bread in. Bread puddings have remained popular throughout time. But more so in Mexico, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Belgium, than ...

Seasons of Change  Suggestions on how to transition from one season of life into another. By Kristin Caliendo I long for fall to appear, for those days of Halloween costumes, slow cooker meals, and crisp mornings when I can leave the backdoor open and smell the aroma of my husband’s coffee brewing. I love the change in seasons, but when a season of my life changes, it’s not so welcome. My youngest child sta ...

Band Notes Schizophrenia overcomes the North Valley’s Boulder Creek High School band. By Eric Olson   It’s that time of the year again. The sun has finally ceased (some) of its incessant torture; stepping outside in the evening, you can almost feel the sensation of a cool breeze. If you listen closely, off in the distance, carried by the wind, you’ll likely hear the thump, thump of the bass drum, the r ...

Diamond Switching  Local jeweler Scott Bohall talks about the importance of knowing your diamond.   Do you know your diamond? Many people worry about getting their diamond back when it’s been worked on or reset. Although diamond switching by mistake or by unethical jewelers is quite rare, one of the largest chain jewelry stores recently dealt with this issue. Not to fear, there are some simple ways of ...

Buck & Rider  LGO Hospitality’s latest restaurant boasts fresh seafood and some serious charm. By Andrew Leach The brains behind eateries including Le Grande Orange Pizzeria and Grocery, Chelsea’s Kitchen, Ingo, and Ingo’s Tasty Food, LGO Hospitality’s newest restaurant, Buck & Rider, is inspired by a house in a beach town in Australia and gets its name from a fisherman’s term for mating crabs. This ...

Luxe Life Luxury living comes to North Scottsdale with two new Taylor Morrison communities. By Paige Bailey Set against the beauty of the High Sonoran Desert, Taylor Morrison’s new Andaluza and Copper Sky communities are bringing exciting opportunities for upscale living to North Scottsdale. With an ideal blend of elegant indoor and outdoor living, the new communities offer the best in executive-level luxur ...

Kit Carson State historian Marshall Trimble debunks the lies surrounding one of America’s great explorers.   In recent years, a few modern-day revisionists have done much to malign the great soldier, scout, and explorer, Christopher “Kit” Carson. Kit Carson was the real deal and it’s a travesty to the memory of a great American that lies, distortions, and misinformation has cast a dark shadow on his ri ...

Beauties, Beasts, & Bentleys The Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships: Horses & Horsepower brings polo––and much more––to the Valley. By Sondra Barr Prepare to behold all of the beauty and power of horses, automobiles, and polo players your eyes can handle. On Sat., Nov. 5, the sixth annual Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships: Horses & Horsepower takes to WestWorld for a day of posh decadence ...

North Valley Events in November 2016 Things to do   3–6 The 14th Annual Arizona Wild West Days is back. Featuring mutton bustin’, period costume competition, period vendors, encampments, live entertainment, gunfighters, parade, rodeo, and more, it’s western entertainment at its finest throughout the historic town of Cave Creek. For a list of event times and activities, visit wildwestdayscavecreek.com ...

Stretching Theses simple movements offer a host of health benefits. By Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty Photos by Stephanie Heymann Stretching, although often overlooked in one’s fitness routine, is an important part of staying in shape. Stretching offers a wealth of health benefits including reducing risk of injury, better posture, and improved performance in a variety of sports. Stretching increases your ...

Tuft & Needle  Two local entrepreneurs reimagine the mattress business to great success. By Matt Gottesman   It’s 3 p.m. and I’m sitting at a café in Scottsdale speaking to two commercial real estate executives tasked with supplying the city’s “who’s who” with the ultimate tech space. As we talk, one of the execs asks me, “Have you heard of Tuft & Needle?” Intrigued by the name alone, I said, “ ...