Sports + Recreation

The Most Famous Phoenician You Never Knew…

Meet the Man Behind the Gorilla Mask for 30+ Years Article by Kathleen Bade | Photography by Provided: Bob Woolf What if I told you Michael Jordan asked for his autograph or that he went on an international tour with Magic Johnson? Your first guess probably wouldn’t be the Phoenix Suns Gorilla and certainly not, Bob Woolf.   Bob was the man inside the suit and behind the persona, pranks, stunts and schtick that lit up the NBA for 34 years. He wore the suit for the last time in 2021.....

Food + Beverage

21 Questions Chef Series

Inside The Ra Ra Room with Chef Johnny Chan Boon Photography by Major Food Group/Barry Gossage Photography In true PVCL fashion, each month we play a round of 21 Questions with an esteemed Valley chef. This issue, we’re going all in on The Ra Ra Room and the talent behind the flavors, Chef Johnny Chan Boon. 1. What’s your role inside the Ra Ra Room? My official title is Executive Chef, but I wear many hats. I’m constantly sourcing the best ingredients, leading team training (my favorite...

Food + Beverage

Hornbill on the Horizon

Two masters at the top of their craft, one shared stage. Jennifer & Jason’s next act is already buzzing. Photography by Provided Hornbill doesn’t read like a business plan. It feels like fate. The kind of concept that comes alive when two people at the height of their powers decide to collide. Jennifer Russo has spent more than a decade building her catering empire, Jennifer’s, into a fixture of Phoenix dining. Jason Asher has reshaped cocktail culture with immersive concepts like UnderTow and...

Home + Design

6 Designs Setting the Standard for Kitchens and Bars

Celebrated names in the home space reflect on timeless living Photography by Provided For our Food & Drink Issue, we turned to PVCL partners and some of the Valley’s most trusted names in design and real estate to spotlight the spaces where life most often unfolds: the kitchen and bar. Here are six distinctive and diverse details shaping today’s most enviable gathering spaces. Deco Glamour The glamorous Art Deco-inspired bar and entertainment space at 6721 E Cheney Drive in Paradise Valley...

Finance + Legal Services

5 Minutes With… Van Carlson

The Discipline of Risk, Resilience, and Building Wealth Article by Jason Monczka, Pomeroy Group Insurance | Photography by Provided by Van Carlson 5 Minutes With… is a monthly spotlight on the visionaries shaping culture, business, and impact offering candid, story-rich moments that reveal not just what they’ve built, but why it matters. Some leaders don’t just manage risk- they redefine it. Van Carlson, Founder & CEO of SRA 831(b) Admin, has built one of the nation’s most innovative firms...

Entertainment

Basketball is Back

Backstage. Backstory. Straight Game. Photography by Barret Elengold, Scottsdale Event Photography Straight Game Podcast  recently took over Gila River Casino with a live show that featured Shaq, and now the crew is gearing up for a return to Arizona this October with another massive guest. The podcast- produced by Cascene Gibson- didn’t just appear out of nowhere. It grew out of Cascene’s years in sports broadcasting and a chance connection with Mike Bibby, and it thrives because of its...

Beauty

Emma Broyles: Beyond the Crown

For Down Syndrome Awareness Month, the beauty queen shares the purpose that shaped her platform Article by Nadine Bubeck | Photography by Provided by Emma Broyles Arizona weather can be relentless, but Emma Broyles is used to extremes. She grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, where winter skies turn dark by 4 p.m. and summers stretch into midnight sunlight. She’s also used to living in the in-between; half Korean, half Irish, a small-town girl who became the first Alaskan and first Korean American to...

Home + Design

Inside the Robson Cabin

How Hype Studio Redefined this Contemporary Retreat Photography by Jason Roehner, Roehner Photographs When Mike Alexander and the Hype Studio team trudged through two feet of snow up a driveway in Greer back in 2022, he knew the site had potential. It opened toward the White Tank Mountains and Mount Baldy, a canvas of staggering beauty.  “Plentiful space, stunning views, and immersed in nature,” says Mike Alexander, Principal and owner of Hype Studio. The project became Robson Cabin, a sleek...

Life + Culture

Now with Nadine

October Episodes Photography by Barret Elengold, Scottsdale Event Photography Every week, our PVCL owner/publisher takes you beyond the pages of the magazine through her nationally syndicated podcast,  Now with Nadine.  With a focus on diving deep, she brings you inspiring conversations with the incredible individuals you read about right here in the magazine. From athletes, actors and esteemed entrepreneurs, each episode offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at their journeys...

Health + Wellness

Food as Medicine

A Love Letter to the Art of Eating Well Article by Dr. Mila Lopez, MD | Photography by Ali Offendum Photography I am often asked:  “Doctor, what’s the best diet?”   The honest answer? It depends on your age, gut health, gender, physical activity, metabolism, and the unique medical conditions that shape your body. While fad diets can yield short-term results, research consistently shows they are rarely sustainable over time. One of my patients put it perfectly:  “You know why I hate diets...