A Royal Room for Baby  All babies should live like royalty. Behold, here are some fabulous finds and essentials for your little prince or princess. By Nadine Bubeck By Marisa Belle Photography   Complementary Separates Romina cribs are stunning, sturdy, safely crafted, and available in many finishes and designs. Pictured: The Classic Crib Nerva in natural. rominafurniture.com Elegance meets affordabili ...

Pecan and Cherry Irish Soda Bread  Mama G. (aka Leann Grunwald) on the sweet history of a delicious family staple.   Irish soda bread is a prized recipe that’s usually passed down from generation to generation. A quick bread made with baking soda as a leavening agent instead of the more common yeast breads, traditional Irish soda bread recipes started showing up around the 1840s. From the earliest time ...

Getaway on the Getaway   Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship redefines the concept of cruising. By Alison Bailin Batz When a ship hires iconic Miami artist David Le Batard––commissioned in recent years by Adidas, Calvin Klein, Macy’s, the Miami Heat, and Gibson Guitars, just to name a few––as its “painter,” it is pretty clear that said ship is out to make a statement. But Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) new G ...

Books to read   By Julie Carlson   WOLF BY WOLF By Ryan Graudin   Known for creating fantastical worlds, Ryan Graudin offers an alternative version of World War II in Wolf by Wolf, the first in a new series of books. Wolf by Wolf takes place in Europe in 1956 when the Axis powers of Germany and Japan have won the war, not the Allies. At the heart of this story is Yael, a child of the Holocaus ...

Ask Dirk  A guy’s perspective on matters of the heart and home.   Hi Dirk, I see your advice column and wonder each issue if it’s going to be ridiculous satire or something poignant and worth taking into consideration. I’m a 17-year-old high school cheerleader; some might say I am the top of the heap when it comes to popularity, but the top is where it’s windiest. I see people all the time in not only ...

Soulful Stylings  The blues-infused rock n’ roll tunes of singer-songwriter-guitarist Lee Perreira intrigues writer Lynette Carrington. Singer-songwriter-guitarist Lee Perreira has been a fixture on the local music scene for many years. Perreira has performed supporting Train, The Fray, “American Idol” winner Lee DeWyze, Matt Nathanson, Jimmy Gnecco, INXS, Scott Stapp of the band Creed, Keaton Simons, and m ...

Gem Trends  The rarest colored jewels are always sought after. Jewelry expert Scott Bohall explains why.     Each year, the latest fashion trends and hot colors show up in Paris and Italy. Sometimes those trends carry over into the gem world, and sometimes they don’t impact the jewelry industry. But, the place that really determines what is hot or not in the gemstone market is Bangkok, Thailand. I ...

Christopher Oshana  Local photographer pulls back the curtain of those suffering from PTSD. By Nicole Royse   Local photographic artist Christopher Oshana’s work is raw, emotional, and moving. His imagery ranges from the majestic Arizona landscape, to rustic still lifes and captivating portraits that offer a glimpse into his subject’s psyche, as well as his own military past. A retired 20-year Navy vet ...

Fall Follies  M.D. Thalmann laments his poor choices at Oktoberfest and football games Small pox isn't the only reason to thank European colonists! That’s right, I said it. Those pasty complected discoverers of already inhabited continents brought us style, culture, celebrations, sports, and libations. They likewise opened the door for all sorts of other interesting people to bring other wonderful bits of e ...

Practicing Medicine State historian Marshall Trimble on the standard practices of frontier doctors. The frontier was a great place for a doctor to start a practice. The word “practicing” when it came to medicine in territorial Arizona could well be interpreted literally. And, a license to practice wasn’t required until 1900, therefore anyone could hang out a shingle and start practicing. Folks were pretty t ...

NOVEMBER    6 Join the Valley’s top culinary stars under a glittery sky at Cooks and Corks, a one-night-only self-guided outdoor culinary tasting event spotlighting Arizona’s top local chefs and a world-class collection of winemakers. $125. 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, 10600 E. Crescent Moon Dr., Scottsdale. cooksandcorks.org   6–8 Join the Thunderbird Artists f ...

      The following American Institute of Architects Arizona-member architectural firms are among the best in the Valley. As leaders in their field, they create stunning structures that stand out as works of art.   AAK Architecture & Interiors, Inc. 7585 E Redfield Rd., Suite 106 Scottsdale (480) 588-5852 aakaii.com AAKAII’s dedicated team of design professionals delivers a no-nonsen ...

American Muscle If you’re looking for an inspired driving experience with a lot of horsepower, look no further than the Dodge Charger R/T Plus, says auto writer Greg Rubenstein. When Fiat bought Chrysler in 2009, there were lots of questions about what the Italian auto conglomerate might do with what was arguably America’s most troubled car company. After all, Fiat’s own reputation was mediocre at best, esp ...

Sanctuary at Desert Ridge   Taylor Morrison is opening four exciting new communities at Desert Ridge. By Andrew Driggers Looking for impressive home designs in the North Phoenix area? Look no further than Sanctuary at Desert Ridge from Taylor Morrison. The Valley-based homebuilder is excited to announce a sensational lineup of new floor plans that are coming to the popular Desert Ridge area this fall. Locat ...

A Trip to Neverland   Party stylist Jamila Watson creates a Halloween celebration inspired by a classic children’s tale. “Never grow up” has to be one of my favorite lines from Peter Pan. I’ve watched the movie Peter Pan so many times as a child and was so happy to watch it again many times with my own kids. So now that Halloween is upon us and the new Pan movie is coming out this month, I decided to orches ...