Life + Culture

Stacey Steele

On Family, Loss, Legacy and Why Giving has Always Been Personal Photography by Provided The gift was a vase. It was handmade from small pieces of tissue paper, carefully layered until they resembled stained glass. One of Stacey Steele’s WISE scholars created it after learning that Stacey’s father had passed away. “These kids are just so grateful for every little thing,” Stacey says. “Here is an individual growing up without their own father, and he is worried about me and how I am feeling.” ...

Life + Culture

Care Beyond Cancer

One family’s story inspires a broader mission for children’s mental health. Photography by Provided: Abby Bickler Before cancer, Jackson Bickler was the kid knocking on doors, gathering neighborhood children for soccer, Nerf battles and whatever adventure came next. Even during COVID, he found ways to keep everyone connected. When his mother, Abby, talks about him, she begins there, not with a diagnosis or hospital room. “He was just such a kind kid, and that has proven to be his legacy,”...

Arts + Culture

Dancing with Giada

Broken Toes, Ballroom Nerves and Plenty of Pasta Photography by Provided Giada De Laurentiis entered Dancing with the Stars knowing she could not prep, plate or perfect the experience in advance. With her daughter Jade beginning college, Giada agreed to do something completely outside her comfort zone. The queen of culinary became a beginner in front of millions, trading the controlled rhythm of the kitchen for live television, sequins and choreography. She even danced through a broken...

Local Services

The Gold Standard Concierge

Managing Valley Estates, Private Events and the Unexpected Photography by Provided There is a particular moment when Valley season officially begins. Every fall, part time residents return, restaurants book up, events take over the calendar, and holiday plans start coming together. For Drew Armenta, founder of The Gold Standard Concierge, that means making sure his clients can come home and simply live. The house is ready. The fridge is stocked. The cars are clean. Everything that needed...

Real Estate

Courtside to Casa Blanca

Katrina Barrett Pairs a Hometown Partnership with a $55 Million Listing Photography by Lucy Call “I was born and raised in Arizona and have been a Suns fan my entire life.” That history matters to Katrina Barrett. The Phoenix Suns are not simply a new name in her portfolio. They are part of the Arizona story she has been living, supporting and selling for years. “As an early member of the Ra Ra Room, I was drawn to the entrepreneurial energy surrounding the Suns and the organization’s larger...

Sports + Recreation

Booker on Course

Inside Devin’s Fifth Annual Starting Five Charity Challenge Article by Nadine Bubeck | Photography by Katie Levine Devin Booker is one of the biggest names in basketball, but at Silverleaf Country Club, he was simply Book. He was relaxed, talking trash, listening to music and laughing with friends as they traded the basketball court for the golf course. His dad was there. Former teammates had returned to Phoenix. Current Suns players filled the green, and longtime friends moved easily through...

Arts + Culture

Just Crowned

Meet the new Miss Paradise Valley and Miss Paradise Valley’s Teen Photography by Provided Payton May tells stories for a living. Katelyn Chen commands the stage. Recently named Miss Paradise Valley and Miss Paradise Valley’s Teen, Payton is a KOLD 13 News reporter, USC graduate and former Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, while Katelyn is an eighth-grade student, nationally ranked ballet dancer, award-winning painter and National Latin Exam gold medalist. Before they compete at Miss Arizona...

Finance + Legal Services

King of Torts

Patrick McGroder on 50 years, $1 billion recovered, and justice beyond the verdict. Photography by Sarah Vitel Patrick J. McGroder III grew up on the sidelines. His father helped pioneer the Buffalo Bills alongside founder Ralph Wilson, serving as executive vice president and, at times, general manager. He accepted a salary of one dollar a year because, as his son explains, “He never wanted to work for anybody.” “Some of my dad's early best friends were George Halas, the founder of the...

Local Services

Mission Ready

Inside the HonorHealth Military Partnership Photography by Scottsdale Event Photography The garage door rises, and everything changes. Military nurses and medics step from a quiet room into the chaos of a simulated battlefield. Explosions sound in the background. Pretend patients are bleeding. Somewhere amid the noise, a military working dog cries for help. They do not know what they will encounter before the door opens. That is the point. And it’s all happening in the heart of Old Town.  ...

Entertainment

Soul on the Road

Taylor Hicks Takes Route 66, Marks 20 Years Since Idol, and Honors America’s Veterans Photography by Provided Taylor Hicks has a way of turning a milestone into a metaphor. “I’ve punched all 50 buttons,” he says of recently celebrating his 50th birthday, “and I’m hoping I can punch 50 more.” It is classic Taylor. Soulful, playful and always looking toward what comes next. That spirit has carried him through two decades in show business, from American Idol and Broadway to Las Vegas...