Road Trippin’  Hit the open highway with your family this summer using the happy road trip plan. By Kristin Caliendo  “Mommmmmmm! Addie hit me!” “Leif is so annoying, he’s picking his nose right in front of me.” “Don’t make me pull this car over!” Sound familiar? Somewhere between my kids flicking bodily fluids at one another and Yuma, my dreams of driving into the sunset while catching up on my latest nove ...

DIY Summer Decorating What to do (and not do) when creating a seasonally inspired space. By Kristen Forgione   DO Let your color shine If you normally can't stomach a little pop of color, try it in summer in small doses.   DO Work in prints Whether you're print heavy or print empty, adding prints into your everyday décor will help brighten things up, add texture, and is a great opportunity to play ...

The 2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk If finding your own path is your thing, this Jeep is not to be passed up, says auto writer Greg Rubenstein. Ever heard the phrase, “It’s a Jeep thing, you wouldn’t understand”—or perhaps seen it plastered to the back of some adventure-bound 4x4? While the catchphrase has cohort-dependent meaning, to the faithful it’s generally an exhortation to the wild For the uninitiated, ...

The Pursuit of Perfection Perfect Tile Inc. offers high-end custom home flooring solutions By Michelle Talsma Everson Local businessman Ron Eckburg believes in hard work and paying attention to every detail. As the president of Perfect Tile Inc., this type of work ethic has allowed his business to grow and thrive for more than 15 years—a major feat considering the economy’s ups and downs during that time pe ...

Colleen’s Dream Foundation  Hard work, dedication, and determination bring four sisters together to raise money and awareness for ovarian cancer. By Nadine Bubeck Take a good look at this picture. It’s the last professional photo these beautiful girls had with their mom. Sure, they took plenty of pictures leading up to their mom’s fall to cancer, but ask any of them, and they’ll say they wish they would hav ...

Golden Girls Local teens honored with Girl Scouts’ highest honor. By Alison Bailin Batz   All that glitters is not always gold, but these young women––and their futures––are sparkling bright. They’re the North Valley’s 2016 Gold Award honorees. “One of the most impactful parts of Girl Scouting is earning the Girl Scout Gold Award,” says Tamara Woodbury, CEO of Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council. “ ...

Summer Nights  June and July offer up skies filled with planetary delights. By Steve Kates   Welcome to your skies for June and July 2016. June marks the return of the official return of summer and the summer solstice, which occurs on June 20 around 3:34 p.m. MST. This time of year also means it’s hot in the appropriately named Valley of the Sun. Did you know the highest temperature ever recorded in Ar ...

JUNE 2016 Events  2–5 Phoenix Comicon, the signature pop culture event in the southwest, focuses on comic books, anime, sci-fi and film, and comic book creators. Enjoy panels, workshops, an art auction, zombie beauty pageant, Japanese fashion show, live music, and more. Television actors will also be in attendance to meet with fans. $15 to $25. Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. 3rd St., Phoenix. phoenixcomi ...

JUNE 2016 Events   2–5 Phoenix Comicon, the signature pop culture event in the southwest, focuses on comic books, anime, sci-fi and film, and comic book creators. Enjoy panels, workshops, an art auction, zombie beauty pageant, Japanese fashion show, live music, and more. Television actors will also be in attendance to meet with fans. $15 to $25. Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. 3rd St., Phoenix. phoenixcom ...

The Living Room Wine Cafe & Lounge announces plans for two new locations this year. The locally owned group is set to bring their innovative wine concept to Ahwatukee and to Scottsdale's Gainey Ranch. The Living Room in Ahwatukee Foothills Towne Center – next to the AMC 24 - is scheduled to open the end of May. The Living Room in the Shops at Gainey Village will follow and open mid-October. The Living R ...

Scents of the Season Seven fragrances to usher in spring. By Sondra Barr Clean Air, $69 @ sephora.com Prada Candy Florale, $74 @ macys.com Jo Malone Sakura Cherry Blossom, $125 @ nordstrom.com Tom Ford Costa Azzura, $135 @ sephora.com Kenzo Flower in the Air, $52.49 @ perfumania.com Daisy by Marc Jacobs, $78 @ulta.com Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet, $78 @ dior.com   ...

Suit Season Retro-inspired swimwear brings sexy back.   Photos: Michael Franco, iammichaelfranco.com Fashion Editor: Shannon Campbell, shannoncampbellstylist.com Hair/Makeup: Pearl Espinoza, pearlsbeauty.net Model: Megan Udero with The Agency Arizona, theagencyaz.com Location: Papago Park ...

California Dreaming  Escape the desert heat and head to Orange County. By Nadine Bubeck It doesn’t take much to persuade an Arizonan to surrender the sweaty summer heat for a refreshing escape, but before you hop a plane somewhere far-far away, consider a getaway to paradise: the OC. We’ve all heard of Orange County—the place even had a TV show dedicated to the area. However, there’s more to the hot spot th ...

Ask Dirk A guy’s perspective on matters of the heart and home.   Dirk, I have been having trouble with a guy I work with. He is always harassing me with terrible puns and repeating the same jokes over and over again, week after week. It’s incessant. It's driving me nuts. He thinks it’s funny but it really just gets on my nerves and disrupts the office. This particular gent walks into the office and tel ...

Lettuce Celebrate Mama G. whips up a tasty stir fry dish. Stir frying is a Chinese cooking technique in which ingredients are quickly fried in very hot oil sealing in the most delicious flavor as well as preserving texture. Home cooks as well as chefs love to stir-fry because it is so simple and completely awe-inspiring. It’s speculated that stir fry began as early as the Han dynasty, while others believe i ...