Illumination: Symphony of Light returns bigger and brighter By Lauren Wise To date, 96 Guinness World Records have been set in Arizona. They include some odd but awesome accolades: largest cornhole shot (110 feet, set in Cottonwood in 2015); fastest speed barefoot water skiing (135.74 mph, set in Chandler in 1989); most Caesar salads made in one hour (108, set at Yuma Territorial Prison in 2010); and longes ...

Black Bottom Lighters pair with Pepper for new single By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski When Black Bottom Lighters singer Ryan Stilwell arrived at a studio collective in Redondo Beach, California, to work on the band’s latest single, he was nearly in tears. He sat in the same chair as late Sublime singer Bradley Nowell, members of Guns ‘N Roses and “any punk band you can imagine.” “Literally, you could feel the ...

76th Street performs at Phoenix Festival of the arts, plans EP By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Haley Gold and Spencer Bryant of pop band 76th Street have kept their shows intimate and personable since they began singing together in a Scottsdale elementary school. That all changed this year. Their personalities are shining through even more, and the venues are growing. Earlier this year, the duo released its s ...

Musical Theatre of Anthem carries tunes through June By Kenneth LaFave For most of the year, Musical Theatre of Anthem (MTA) is exactly what its name indicates: a company devoted to producing shows such as Cats and Les Misérables. The MTA opened its 2018-2019 season in July with Footloose, and will close it in June 2019 with Freckleface Strawberry. But for a sliver of days between November 29 and December 2 ...

No Reservations Required  How to create a five-star Mother’s Day brunch. By Joyce Laszloffy Photos by Stephanie Heymann Photography Did you know Sunday, May 13, is be the busiest day of the year for restaurants? Mother’s Day brunch is a popular tradition for families to gather and celebrate. Gratitude and love for moms will be poured out in mimosas and hot syrup over gourmet waffles. If you want to do somet ...

Cupid’s Arrow Five swoon-worthy Valentine’s Day table ideas. By Joyce Laszloffy Photos by Stephanie Heymann Photography Skip the box of chocolates and bring your friends together for a sweet treat table that will make their hearts go pitter patter. Whether you’re planning a Valentine’s Day celebration with your BFFs or a family gathering, these darling display ideas are sure to melt their hearts and please ...

Well Set  Elegant Hanukkah tablescapes that glimmer and gleam. By Joyce Laszloffy Photos by Stephanie Heymann Photography If you’re like me, you’re tired of seeing the same old Hanukkah decorations year after year on the end caps in the big box stores. Since décor options are so limited, I decided to think outside the box for inspiration, even stealing a thing or two from the Christmas aisles. This gave me ...

Festive Gathering Throw together an effortless holiday cocktail party with these tips. By Jamila Watson Photography by Kourtney Marie Photography   It’s the holiday season and I’m so excited. One of my favorite things to do for Christmas is to invite family and friends over so we can catch up and just unwind from all the busyness of the season. Here are a few tips for creating a beautiful but easy holi ...

Mad for Plaid  Party stylista Jamila Watson celebrates the season with a traditional pattern. Photos by Kourtney Marie Photography It’s time to celebrate! The weather is beautiful and it’s the perfect time to rejoice in the season with family and friends. Plaid is so hot right now and is the perfect accessory for the holidays. This season, I decided to go plaid and decorate for Christmas, using different ta ...

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 ...

Open House  By Jamila Watson, Parties on Purpose Turn your real estate open house into a fun gathering to remember! Most of us have been to an open house for a beautiful home only to see that the presentation could have been more sophisticated. You want your property to be memorable and your guests to feel comfortable and relaxed. Simple and thoughtful additions can be made to make your potential clients fe ...

A Refreshing Spa Party By Jamila Watson Photos by Kourtney Marie Photography We’re now in the lazy days of summer, and in the North Valley, life seems to slow down a bit. This is the perfect time to reconnect with friends, get pampered, and beat the heat. For this article, I wanted to show you fun and relaxing ideas on planning a spa gathering where you and your friends can unwind and be treated like royalt ...

Splish Splash  By Kimberly Huffed Photos by Heidi Lea Photography With spring break over, there are only seven weeks of school left! It’s time to start planning those end-of-the-school-year get-togethers and  fun summer pool party. The weather is just about right to take your first dip of the season. Things warm up fast, so plan ahead and be ready to invite some friends over for an afternoon, or get a group ...