Health + Wellness

Can Gratitude Improve Physical Health?

A local physical therapist explains how practicing gratitude may support healthier habits and physical well-being. Article by Garrett Johnson | Photography by Jenny Kaufman We tend to think of gratitude as something that's good for our emotional health. But could it be good for our bodies, too? While we often work to improve our physical health through exercise, nutrition, hydration, sleep and medical care, our overall health is also influenced by our mental and emotional well-being. So, can...

Travel

A Fall Foliage Escape

Across the state, these fall foliage destinations make for scenic adventures Article by Anissa Kennedy While the rest of the nation starts to hunker down for winter hibernation, Arizonans are lacing up their trail boots and dusting off jackets hidden in their closets. Autumn in Arizona offers moderate weather, mountain views and fall foliage. This is where to escape this season. Flagstaff City slickers and trail blazers alike can enjoy refreshing, leaf-crunching strolls in this college...

Life + Culture

Giving the Gift of Generosity

The Giving Machine Initiative is back in service for its ninth year. Article by Gretchen Pahia | Photography by Queen Creek Giving Machine committee The holiday season often has a way of reminding us to slow down, gather with those we love and appreciate what we have. In Queen Creek, families have a unique opportunity to turn that gratitude into action, one vending machine selection at a time. The Giving Machine Initiative is returning to the community this year, giving residents an easy way...

Food + Beverage

The Art of Setting a Holiday Table

Our editor learns her mother’s secrets for memorable holiday gatherings. Article by Kris Ann Valdez | Photography by Anissa Kennedy My parents started fostering children when I was 10 years old. Our first placement was a family of three, including two children under 2. Suddenly, dinners at my grandparents’ house, with the carefully curated selection of breakables, fine china and crystal, no longer felt like a relaxing holiday experience. Our leisurely holiday dinners became much shorter...

Arts + Culture

Booked All Day

A bookworm’s dream crawl through four East Valley shops Article by Camilla Richardson | Photography by Timeless Vision Media & Tara Dunn Photography You may have experienced a bar crawl where you choose a neighborhood, map a route and spend a few hours moving from one stop to the next. A book crawl offers a literary twist on the familiar idea. Ditching pints of beer for stacks of books, friends move from one bookshop to the next, browsing shelves, trading recommendations and comparing their...

Food + Beverage

A Culinary Escape to Tucson

Our editor spent a weekend eating, sipping and exploring her way through the country’s first UNESCO City of Gastronomy Article by Kris Ann Valdez When people picture Tucson, they often think of the Old West, sunshine and the open desert. What they should be thinking about is what's on the menu. Tucson became the first U.S. UNESCO City of Gastronomy in 2015, recognized for its over 4,000-year-old agricultural heritage and the Native American, Mexican and even Chinese culinary traditions that...

Food + Beverage

From Their Table

The Rea family preserves generations of food traditions Article by Kris Ann Valdez | Photography by Kaylee Chelsea Photography & Anissa Kennedy Perry Rea doesn’t follow a recipe. He cooks from intuition. Born to Italian parents from a region south of Rome, he never had a recipe handed down to him by his parents or grandparents. Instead, his knowledge came from watching them in the kitchen. So when the idea took shape to publish a cookbook of beloved family recipes, both to share with Queen...

Food + Beverage

Beer, Food, & Community

The Heart and Soul of Old Ellsworth Brewing Company Is Its Craft Beer, Scratch-Kitchen and Community Article by Gretchen Pahia | Photography by Timeless Vision Media What started as a shared love of craft beer and a little homebrewing has grown into one of the best local gathering hubs in Queen Creek. Old Ellsworth Brewing Company opened to the public in 2017, but the story behind the family-owned brewery began years earlier. The original owners — Brian McKean, Christine McKean and Ryan...

Arts + Culture

Phoenix Rising Stars Talk Personal Style

Away from the field, three players embrace fashion as another way to express identity, heritage and personal confidence daily. Article by Kris Ann Valdez | Photography by Ashley Orellana Player 1: Ihsan "Nino" Sacko Position: Striker/Winger What does personal style mean to you? To be honest, since I was young, I didn't like to wear the same clothes as the people around me. And I want to put the light on my sister, because she helped me to choose a lot of my clothes in the past. And yeah, if I...

Real Estate

September in Encanterra

If you've been counting down the days until September, you're not alone. There is something deeply satisfying about that first morning when you step outside and the air feels just a little bit different — a little lighter, a little cooler, a little more like the Encanterra we fell in love with all over again. The desert is waking back up, and so is everything inside these gates.This is the season Encanterra was built for. Golf mornings that stretch a little longer. Patios that invite you to stay...