The Front Porch

Catherine Uretsky, Publisher and Editor 623.398.5541 info@EstrellaPublishing.com

Al Uretsky, Publisher and Sales Executive 623.398.5541 info@EstrellaPublishing.com

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Our Emotional Support Dog, Vader

FEBRUARY EVENTS

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Get epic views of downtown Phoenix and enjoy live music, where parties of two can receive a champagne toast and chocolatecovered strawberries for $40. Floor 13 Rooftop Bar

Celebrate your loved one with an evening filled with romance: wine and dine in Alto ristorante e bar, indulging in a specially curated three course menu, and enjoy the sounds of live music from NEON Band at Center Stage Bar.

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With candlelit tables, live soothing music and an extensive wine list, Litchfield's, The Wigwam's signature farm-to-table restaurant, provides a perfect, romantic date night to feast on a four-course dinner this Valentine's Day.

3 0 0 E . W i g w a m B o u l e v a r d ,

Chocolate Affaire is a two day family-friendly event that will feature selections of chocolatiers, confectioners, wine elements, live music and unique interactive experiences!

What speaks of Valentine’s Day more than sweet, silky, rich chocolate?

Verde Canyon Railroad didn’t let the pandemic break its tradition. Treat yourself with d l d l appetizers and fe chocolatie

3 0 0 N C l a r k d a l

A l l e n T u r n e

L o a n O f f i c e r | N M L S #

Cell: 602-290-9392

eFax: 866-448-6845

Music is the language of love, and symphonies are the most powerful vocabulary. Take your special one t i h t

It seems like it always takes me until February to get over the “hang over” feeling of general overindulgence and busy-ness from the holidays. Anyone else? February feels like just as good a time, if not better, for a fresh start as January. The air is crisp, and the occasional sprinkle of rain makes the desert feel clean and fresh. It’s the best time of year to get outside and enjoy nature, whether it be a walk around the neighborhood, a hike in the White Tanks, or a trip to Flagstaff to enjoy the snow park or skiing.

If you’re considering a trip up north and find yourself needing winter gear, feel free to reach out! Over the years, we have amassed quite a

collection of our kids’ outgrown winter gear and I’m happy to loan it out to anyone with kids the same size as ours or smaller. We have a handful of adult size things that can be borrowed as well. Please reach out via Facebook Messenger, Christie@AZLifestyleTeam.com, or 602-740-2313 if you would like to borrow gear.

Our tradition is to go skiing at Snow Bowl on Super Bowl Sunday since it’s usually a slow day on the hills and lift tickets are less expensive, but this year we are staying home on Super Bowl weekend since the game is in town. We still haven’t tried Flagstaff Snow Park for sledding so maybe we’ll forgo skiing this year and try sledding on a different weekend instead. After all, in the words of William Blake, “In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.”

See you on The Front Porch!

Christie Giannetto | Assistant Editor | The Front Porch Magazine

Legal Advice

NON-STRESS IRA DESIGNATION

For 401ks, IRAs and other qualified retirement accounts, the designated beneficiary form directs how the funds will be paid on your death.

Common problems that arise with beneficiary designations are:

a. The “Estate” or no beneficiary is listed, so a probate is needed and the IRA will lose the ability to be stretched beyond 5 years, increasing the income tax.

b. A beneficiary dies before you, and if the trust was not the IRA’s designee, then the financial company rules apply to who gets the deceased beneficiary’s share.

c. The designated beneficiary is a minor, not a trust for the minor, and so a costly court conservatorship is need and much of the deferred tax benefit is lost.

d. Your spouse, who is not your children’s parent, did not sign a spousal waiver, so your spouse is entitled to at least if not all of funds, not your children.

Remember, currently, an inherited IRA must be paid in 10 years, if the beneficiary is not a spouse. Leaving a portion or all of your qualified retirement account to charity makes sense. The charity does not pay income taxes and will receive more funds than a family member. Other assets which are not taxable then can be left to family or friends.

Sharon Ravenscroft, Esq., The Cavanagh Law Firm, PA, Sun City and Phoenix offices, (623) 815-7451 or Sravenscroft@CavanaghLaw.com. Sharon’s practice focuses on Wills, trusts, probate and trust administration. For more information visit www.sharonravenscroft.com.

TAX CREDIT

Did you know you can support Marley Park Elementary (or any Dysart school of your choice) and receive a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit?

Choose one of the three categories (athletics, fine arts, enrichment programs) or let us decide! 100% of your donation goes to OUR school and the category of YOUR choice.

Learn more and donate today at dysart.org/taxcredit

On Our Cover

My name is Zachary Leo and I have been a Marley Park resident since March 2020. Before the pandemic, I lived in Brooklyn, NY where I worked as an animator during the day. By night however, I traveled to a studio in the Lower East Side of Manhattan where I practiced and taught the martial art of Capoeira. Capoeira is a martial art hidden in dance-like movements created by African people enslaved by the Portuguese in Brazil a few centuries ago.

My Capoeira journey began when I went to college in 2007. Being an avid martial arts enthusiast and practitioner for many years, I came across this art form and was immediately intrigued. Having done Tae Kwon Do, gymnastics, and breakdancing, I initially saw Capoeira as a fun mix of these three things. As my training progressed throughout college and beyond, I found Capoeira to be so much deeper, so much more profound than simply “dance fighting”. Its innocent acrobatics and flowing nature would lure you in, then its hidden attacks and takedowns would demonstrate its martial prowess and skill.

Capoeira emphasizes the art of the escape. One hardly blocks an attack; rather one moves with and around the attacks instead, like a boxer dipping and ducking around a flurry of punches. Music plays a huge role in Capoeira, providing a rhythm for sparring (or “playing” as we call it) as well as relaying cultural wisdom and history within the songs that are sung. The most amazing moment is the culmination of the training in a circle called the “roda” where participants sing and play Capoeira, sparring freely with each other, each one testing the other’s limits and reactions with kicks, takedowns, and flips.

As I continued my training, I took on teaching roles helping lead children, teen, and adult classes under my head teacher’s guidance. This expanded to helping run Capoeira programs and workshops for various schools and organizations in NYC. Recently, here in Surprise, I began a small Saturday afternoon class for some local teens in Heritage Park. I’m interested in starting public venue classes at a local library or recreation center so that more people can learn this wondrous art. Capoeira is a fundamentally human artform, using the whole body to dynamically move, dodge, counter...and it is accessible to any age and ability!

Just In Case

Whether you’re racking up the miles for work or planning a relaxing getaway, look for luggage that can keep up with the journey. To uncover what luggage will last and still be easy to use, look to the advice of those who are always traveling for work and leisure - like Ofelia Silva and Ken Sosko, executives of Travelpro, the pilot-founded luggage brand used by airline professionals from more than 90 airlines globally. Silva and Sosko share their top four tips and tricks that every traveler should know.

1. Quality over trend

Before buying take the time to research the quality of the item. Look at the materials and check it has reinforced stitching, resilient zippers that stay on track and closed, and handles sturdy enough to not bend or buckle.

2. Softside vs. hardside luggage

Looking for a little extra packing space? Softside luggage easily expands, allowing travelers a bit more packing flexibility. Searching for a suitcase that is incredibly sleek in its design yet ultra-

resilient to damage? A hardside suitcase with its clean lines and strong polycarbonate shell is the go-to option.

3. The art of packing

Even if you have lightweight luggage, overpacking is a common pitfall for travelers. Plan a capsule wardrobe you can bring, meaning interchangeable clothes that complement each other. Shoes are often heavy and take up space, so either wear your heavy shoes on the plane or replace them with something lighter. As for the act of packing itself, some travelers opt to roll clothing to save space and eliminate wrinkles, while others swear by packing cubes, allowing you to divide your suitcase into specific compartments. No matter the strategy, consider doing a practice run in the week leading up to your trip to see how everything fits.

4. Luggage set advantages

Since you’ll probably need both a checked bag and a carry-on suitcase at some point, why not buy both as part of a set? Not only will your luggage match, but the price is usually less than buying two single bags. This also gives you the flexibility to choose the right-sized suitcase depending on your packing needs and destination.

Yum Yum

Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me (or Engagement) Chicken has been around since the 80’s, but whatever you call it this dish is so good it will have people falling in love with your cooking.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 tablespoons butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground thyme

1/2 cup chicken broth, divided

1/2 pound bacon

1 (16-ounce) package angel hair pasta

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 pinch red pepper flakes

Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

∞ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

∞ To butterfly the chicken, place it on a chopping board. Put your palm on top of the chicken and slice it horizontally through the middle, leaving a small section on the other side uncut. Open out the breast to look like a butterfly.

∞ Melt butter in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Saute garlic, oregano, and thyme for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. It doesn’t need to be cooked throughout at this point. Add in 1/4 cup of chicken broth.

∞ Bake for 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.

∞ While the chicken is baking, brown bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Let it cool on a plate lined with paper

towels to drain excess grease, then cut into small pieces.

∞ Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook angel hair pasta, stirring occasionally until al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain and keep warm.

∞ Once the chicken is cooked, transfer it onto a plate and keep warm.

∞ To make the pasta sauce, place the used skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Whisk flour with remaining chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, and whipping cream until combined. Mix in sundried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and salt.

∞ Toss together the sauce and pasta until evenly coated. Top with chicken and bacon.

Enjoy!

Home Sweet Home

If you’re considering making a move, you’re likely juggling a mix of excitement over your next home and a sense of attachment to your current one. A great way to ease some of those emotions and ensure you’re feeling confident in your decision is to keep three best practices in mind.

First, price your home right. The housing market shifted in 2022 as mortgage rates rose, buyer demand eased, and the number of homes for sale grew. As a seller, you’ll want to recognize things are different now and price your house appropriately based on where the market is today. Greg McBride, Chief Financial Analyst at Bankrate, explains: “Price your home realistically. This isn’t the housing market of April or May, so buyer traffic will be substantially slower, but appropriately priced homes are still selling quickly.” If you price your house too high, you run the risk of deterring buyers.

Second, keep your emotions in check. Today, homeowners are living in their houses longer. According to the National Association of

Realtors (NAR), since 1985, the average time a homeowner has owned their home has increased from 5 to 10 years. This is several years longer than what used to be the historical norm. The side effect, however, is when you stay in one place for so long, you may get even more emotionally attached to your space. For some homeowners, that makes it even harder to negotiate and separate the emotional value of the house from fair market price.

Third, stage your home properly. While you may love your decor and how you’ve customized your home over the years, not all buyers will feel the same way about your design. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you focus on your home’s first impression, so it appeals to as many buyers as possible. As NAR says: “Staging is the art of preparing a home to appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers in your market.” Buyers want to envision themselves in the space so it truly feels like it could be their own. They need to see themselves inside with their furniture and keepsakes – not your pictures and decorations.

Submitted by Christie Giannetto | REALTOR® | REAL Broker

Resolution Redo

It’s an experience shared by many: You make an ambitious health resolution at the start of the year and a few months - or weeks - later, you lose steam and throw in the towel. This year break the cycle of broken resolutions by focusing on simple, yet effective ways you can impact your wellness long term. The key? Small daily habits.

Nicholas Frye, MS, LCPC, CHES, shares how you can create lasting healthy habits, break those unhealthy ones and create positive changes to your wellbeing:

Forming new habits

As an example, to develop a new, healthy walking habit, first select a specific healthpromoting behavior such as “go for a 10-minute walk.” Then identify a stable cue which occurs daily in your life such as “after breakfast.” Then repeatedly perform the walking behavior in response to the after-breakfast cue which will, over time, result in a habit. It takes 66 days - on average - to develop a new habit, however, the exact timeframe is different for everyone. As the behavior is repeated in response to the cue,

the association between them becomes stronger, more efficient, and automatic until the cue alone is enough to trigger the associated behavior without conscious thought.

Breaking old habits

For example, to break a habit of drinking sugary sodas while watching television, replace the soft drink with sparkling water every time you sit down to binge your favorite show. Eventually, you’ll associate watching TV with this new, healthier behavior.

MicroHabits

Frye recommends instead of committing to a big, audacious goal, try incorporating small daily habits into one’s life. These small behaviors are called microHabits and they can compound to have big results like parking at the back of a parking lot to get your steps in.

“By developing these habits, one small step at a time, we can overcome the intention-behavior gap - in other words, when what you do doesn’t live up to your previous intentions - and it is all the less daunting,” said Frye. “This sets one up for success as opposed to overly ambitious resolutions that don’t guide you from A to B.”

Announcements

Colton Neil was born at 10:52 a.m. on Christmas Eve to Marley Park residents, Amy and Stefan Boehm.

He weighed in at 9 pounds and was 21 inches long. Colton joins his big brother.

Welcome to Marley Park, Colton!

Samurai Sudoku

This samurai sudoku puzzle is a great way to engage the brain and help develop logic skills. To solve this Samurai puzzle use standard sudoku rules for every 9x9 grid: each digit from 1 to 9 can only appear once in every row, column and 3x3 box. Good Luck!

Solutions are on our website www.EstrellaPublishing.com