Lifestyle

Fast Lane Motors – an Honest Mechanic in the Northwest Valley

Lifestyle

Here’s the thing – when you drive a 13-year old truck with 260,000 miles, you’re going to need some help now & then.  So I was happy when someone referred me to Dave Dunch (owner of and mechanic at Fast Lane Motors).  And I’ve been even happier as time has passed. Since many of us [...]

7 April 2010 Read the full article →

Two must-have kitchen cleaners

Lifestyle

This stuff is fabulous! If you have problems with a smelly garbage disposal, this might be just the ticket. You can generally find this at grocery stores, although I’m not sure I remember seeing it at my local Target (which has the new grocery section). It’s a little counter-intuitive to use, because of two things: [...]

6 April 2010 Read the full article →

Fun color in the kitchen

Lifestyle

Heather & I have written several times about the merits of “real estate beige.” When you’re trying to *sell* your house, it’s very important to make it appeal to as many people as possible – more people who like it equals more potential buyers which also equals a higher sales price and faster sales time.  [...]

22 March 2010 Read the full article →

Dinner and a Movie at Farrelli’s

Lifestyle

Farrelli’s Cinema Supper Club is just about the most fun you can have in a movie theater. Located in Scottsdale, they’re an intimate movie theater which shows a movie while they serve you dinner. It’s a real sit-down dinner, with waiters in long aprons and real cloth napkins, and high-quality food. It’s just so charming [...]

1 March 2010 Read the full article →

Freeway construction in the NW Valley

Lifestyle

Cheryl & I moved to Peoria shortly after the NW Corner of Loop 101 opened, and one of the first things we said was how stupid it was there wasn’t an offramp at Beardsley.  This would be the obvious exit for everyone in North Peoria.  Instead, people either exit at 75th Ave or Union Hills [...]

5 February 2010 Read the full article →

Really Fun Volunteering Opportunity

Lifestyle

How many times have you thought you’d like to volunteer but you dread being stuck with crappy boring jobs nobody else wants to do? (picture credit to Stock Exchange user scotsxc) How about volunteering to receive some unconditional love from a pet who’s lost his family? What could be more fun than walking a madly [...]

28 January 2010 Read the full article →

The Original “Subway Tile”

Lifestyle

Everything old is new again. This is a snapshot of a bathroom – complete with the original bathtub tile – in a house at 16th Street & Bethany Home Road. It was built in 1952. Obviously the pedestal sink is new and so is the medicine cabinet and glass shelf. The shower curtain setup looks [...]

26 January 2010 Read the full article →

Rain Haiku

Lifestyle

Rain and clouds outside. Different.  Leading news story. Move kids’ toys inside. It’s funny, but when you go months between rainstorms, you can get a little lazy about cleaning up outside.  We’re much more focused on keeping things from getting ruined from the sun, but when it rains we usually scramble to get the kids’ [...]

18 January 2010 Read the full article →

Money Tip for the New Year

Lifestyle

A few days ago I heard a financial advisor** speaking on NPR and one thing he said made a lot of sense. I’m implementing it immediately and thought y’all – our readers – might like to hear it: Maintain 2 checking accounts. Use the 1st checking account to deposit your paychecks and pay the Big [...]

8 January 2010 Read the full article →

When Good Sprinklers Go Bad

Homeowner Help

Homeowners new the metro Phoenix area might not realize the importance of checking your sprinkler heads once in a while. They easily get clogged with dirt, debris, whatever and can result in this. It’s an oddity of the Arizona lifestyle that your neighbors are often not people you talk to frequently. People come home, pull [...]

31 December 2009 Read the full article →

Happy Thanksgiving Day

Lifestyle

When this turns in to this turn off the oven and chow down. By the way, if you’re in metro Phoenix, this is the dress code: Jealous yet? Search for a Phoenix vacation condo here. photo credits: turkey the bird by StockExchange user taniasha turkey the meal by StockExchange user davidlat beachy shorts by StockExchange [...]

26 November 2009 Read the full article →