Food + Beverage

A Family Recipe

Senor Rio tequila is a recipe passed down the generations. Article by Florence Daniels | Photography by Kaeden Peterson Debbie mixes a Paloma, a popular Mexican cocktail, using shots of Senor Rio's Reposado tequila. She muddles the slices of grapefuit, lime, and orange and tops it off with grapefruit soda, while the rim is dipped in Tajin for added spice. The result is a refreshing drink with a pleasantly delicate tequila. The tequila comes from the blue agave plant grown on a single estate in...

September 2024

Food + Beverage

Caldwell County BBQ

Texan smoked meats with an Arizona twist. Article by Florence Daniels | Photography by Kaeden Peterson Travis Taylor slices a beautifully smoked piece of brisket before laying it out on a tray alongside some ribs, turkey, and pulled pork. The method of preparing the meats follows a traditional central Texas style using mesquite firewood smokers. The various meats can cook anywhere between 10-14 hours. Slowly the meat is smoked to perfection until it is so tender and moist it falls right off...

September 2024

Home + Design

5 Essential Tips for Organizing Your Kitchen

Learn to be a cook of calm and not chaos. Article by Etelka Hendrickson and Suzy Lenander | Photography by Kaeden Peterson Etelka and Suzy shared a common dream, but it took a mutual friend introducing these two ladies in 2018 for their dreams to be realized through the birth of their company, Simply Organized Solutions For You, LLC. SOS4U is a professional organizing business based in the heart of Queen Creek and specializing in helping clients declutter and organize their homes in a way that...

September 2024

Food + Beverage

Chef Chip Kennedy

Sage & Barrel Craft Eatery's chef talks food and flavors. Article by Florence Daniels | Photography by Kaeden Peterson 'Great, fresh food made from scratch,' says chef Chip Kennedy of Sage & Barrel Craft Eatery , when asked how he would sum up the restaurant. Chip has been chef since the restaurant opened earlier in 2024. He helped design and create the menu and underscores that they make almost everything in house, including many of the sauces on the menu. Originally from Springfield...

September 2024

Food + Beverage

Coffee and Community

Americano Ammunition Coffee blends coffee and the Constitution. Article by Florence Daniels | Photography by Kaeden Peterson Kevin and Sydney Ballentyne are the husband and wife team, alongside Kevin's father, James, who run Americano Ammunition Coffee out of a small structure in front of the Big Tin Cotton Gin. Both buildings have a history too, the local homesteaders in the area brought their cotton to be processed at the Gin, and the coffee shop once scaled all the cotton. Today, Kevin...

September 2024

Home + Design

Outdoor Style

Rustic Creek Landscaping brings style and beauty to your backyard. Article by Florence Daniels | Photography by Kaeden Peterson In Arizona, our backyards are extensions of our homes, allowing us to create a space that reflects how we want to spend time outdoors. Rustic Creek Landscaping, based in Queen Creek, helps their clients find that balance between the demands of the desert and our personal tastes. Owners, Nick and Stacey Bluth, customize each yard they work on to the personality of the...

August 2024

Style + Beauty

Copper Brim Hat Bar

Style starts with the head and comes from the heart. Article by Florence Daniels | Photography by Kaeden Peterson Owners Logan Gililland, Cari Gililland, Jordan Anderson, and Morgan Dimbatt run a mobile custom hat bar. What is a hat bar you ask? The chance to design a hat using a variety of accessories, brands, feathers, ribbons, even playing cards. The result, says Logan, 'is a hat that perfectly matches your style and personality.'  The inspiration for their hat bar came during a family...

August 2024

Home + Design

Ivy and Sage

A treasure trove of unique pieces, big and small, to style the season with. Article by Florence Daniels | Photography by Ashley Johnson Upon entering through the doors of Ivy and Sage Lifestyle Co., your eyes will lead you into a shop of curiosities where you are instantly met with towering mushrooms, garlands of fall leaves, and the animated expressions of jack o' lanterns. It might still be in the triple digits outside, but inside is a golden landscape of Autumnal hues and scents. Fall has...

August 2024

Local Services

Go Glamping!

Upgrade your camping plans and go 'glamping' instead. Article by Florence Daniels | Photography by Kaeden Peterson Pitching a tent, sleeping on the ground, and the lack of... shall we say... proper facilities , is what typically accompanies the camping experience. However, what if you could still enjoy the campfires, the picnics, and the beauty of nature but still sleep on a mattress and have a real shower too, maybe even air conditioning? The Cozy Peach at Schnepf Farms has a fleet of...

August 2024

Travel

The Tower of London

The setting for history, royalty, and tragedy in one incredible spot. Article and Photography by Florence Daniels Legend has it that if the ravens in the Tower of London ever leave, the monarchy and the country will fall. The ravens strut around as if they know this and happily pose for photos. If you want a snapshot of English history, the Tower of London is your first stop. First built by William the Conqueror in 1076, it has been the site of murder, executions, ghost stories, revolts, and...

August 2024