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Discover The Phoenix Region Magazine #15-4 (July 2025 - August 2025)

Mid Summer Issue (Current Issue July-August) Subscribe Free at https://discovertheregion.com/subscribe/ to Gain Access to the Entire Book Now! On The Cover: Kevin Costner 108 Pages Dear Readers, As summer peaks in the Valley, the city hums with monsoon storms, laughter on shaded patios, and the quiet beauty of museum halls. On our cover, we celebrate Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, where Kevin Costner was honored with the Western Spirit Award—highlighting a decade of preserving Western heritage. This season isn’t just about staying cool, but living smartly. “Cool Home, Hot Savings” shares tips to keep homes comfortable and energy bills down, while “Splash Safely” and “Prevent Drowning” offer must-know pool safety advice. And for pet owners, “Fur-ever Friends” helps cats and dogs live together peacefully during lively summer days. Food lovers will find plenty to savor. “Sweet Escapes with a View” reveals Phoenix’s coolest indoor dessert spots, and “Summer Happy Hours” lists the best dining deals in Old Town Scottsdale. Adventurous readers can explore “Exotic Culinary Delights,” featuring goat stew with cassava and vegan lavender ice cream. Beyond dining, we spotlight movement and conservation: “Workout Cool” showcases the inclusive Ability360 Sports & Fitness Center, while “Saving Every Drop of Water!” highlights SRP’s innovative efforts to protect our desert’s most vital resource. When the city heat lingers, “High Country Treks” invites you to cooler trails in Northern Arizona. And indoors, our “Book Reviews” recommend titles like “The Wide Wide Sea,” “Original Sin,” “Never Flinch,” and “Nightshade”—perfect reads for summer afternoons. What truly makes Phoenix summers special isn’t just how we cool off, but how we come together as neighbors, families, and explorers. We hope this issue inspires you to discover, taste, and celebrate the best of our region. Warmly, Marie Taylor Editorial Director Discover The Phoenix Region Magazine

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DTPR JULY THROUGH AUGUST 2025 / HEALTH & WELLNESS

To meet up with him and be there onsite at Ability360, was

something to behold. The second story track laps the two

basketball courts, and has workout stations in each corner.

It feels vast, and is so well-kept, plus with the cool air, that it

truly inspires one to start moving along it. It’s .1 mile, so 10

laps makes a mile. I saw a family doing laps with their baby

in its stroller there. You do not need to be disabled to join -

all are welcome. What a great way to take a walk as a family

and beat the heat!

At the gym area, in amongst the free weights and nautilus,

are many of the exercise bikes (Krankcycles!) of the breed I

need to use, to help my arms move my legs, and keep both

in motion. Also stationary hand bikes, et al. Stretching the

length of it, is the studio for the in-person classes, complete

with all the props and whistles one might need from bands

to mats.

I was also drawn to the pools, and I have a feeling they keep

their chair lifts into them functional, with batteries charged.

This doesn’t happen at most hotels and resorts, so I look

forward to knowing I will have full access.

There is a magic in the full-body freedom of being out of my

wheelchair for a spell. Yet, with my spasticity from my spinal

cord injury, and at times arm weakness from Rheumatoid

Arthritis, I can struggle in the water trying to get a workout

on my own. No worries, as Justin pointed out, they have, for

a supplemental fee to the the fitness center’s entry, a range

of professionally trained staff for private coaching and training

sessions.

While there, I also ran (rolled?) into the buoyant and beautiful

Kaitlyn, whom I have met on the trail, during an Ability360

outing in the late winter when it was still cool enough outside.

Kaitlyn Verfuerth, MS, CTRS, PLY is 360 Outdoors Program

Manager, for Outdoor Programs and Athletics, and spearheads

access for all, to activities from boating to tennis, trail-riding to

fishing, and all things in between.

Annabel and Justin Graham

3 Photos by: Greg Bernstein