Peoria / Sun City FEB 2026 by The Grand Season

FROM THE

EDITOR

February has arrived, bringing love into the air and excitement across the Valley of the Sun. From the buzz surrounding the Waste Management Open to football fans gearing up for the Big Game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, there’s no shortage of things to celebrate.

Valentine’s Day, in particular, reminds us of the importance of expressing love and appreciation for the people who matter most. This month’s issue of The Grand Season is filled with thoughtful content designed to help you do just that—love those in your life well.

We’re also thrilled to be celebrating 25 years of The Grand Season this year. Our magazine would not be possible without the continued support of our local advertisers. Whether you’re planning a home update or need something repaired or replaced, we encourage you to connect with the many locally owned businesses featured in our pages.

Thank you for supporting The Grand Season and our valued advertising partners.

Let love guide you!

Melissa Whitton Editor/Associate Publisher

Ronnie & Tom

INSPIRE

THE GREATEST GIFT

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.

Lao Tzu

We love life, not because we are used to living, but because we are used to loving.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch, but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same.

Helen Keller

Love is the only reality and it is not a mere sentiment. It is the ultimate truth that lies at the heart of creation.

Rabindranath Tagore

To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.

Oscar Wilde

There is no remedy for love but to love more.

Henry David Thoreau

Love is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination.

Voltaire

Love... it surrounds every being and extends slowly to embrace all that shall be.

Khalil Gibran

Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives.

C. S. Lewis

Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.

Mother Teresa

Don’t forget to love yourself.

Soren Kierkegaard

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During Hollywood’s Golden Age, movies had their own royalty with queens such as Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Jean Harlow, Merle Oberon, Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, to name some. They were major influences on women’s fashion. Garbo was eloquent, while Harlow was brassy but sexy. When Hepburn and Dietrich wore pants, it suddenly became alright for all women to wear pants. They were melodramatic to a fault, playfully sexy, or downright bawdy.

The current leading ladies are a lot different than the glamorous stars whom the major studios literally created and promoted.

For example, Zendaya, 29, started her career by lending her voice to three films before appearing in seven major films. When she became Spider-Man’s leading lady in four films, she also became Tom Holland’s love interest offscreen as well. The engaged couple have completed their fourth “Spider-Man” movie.

But Zendaya didn’t stop there. ... She has “Dune: Part Three” coming on Dec. 18 and “Shrek 5” out in June 2027. She also has extensive TV credits, including the upcoming third season of “Euphoria.”

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LOVE APPRECIATION

Do you appreciate your spouse every day? If you want your relationship to make it for the long haul, then you will learn that big gestures are nice, but it’s the little things that count. Never let an opportunity pass you by to tell someone how much they mean to you. If you need ways to help you appreciate your spouse more, then these ideas are sure to assist.

1. Say you love them every day.

Some people need to know how much they are loved and appreciated daily. As they pass you by, take time to tell them how you feel.

2. Leave love letters around your home. If you want to show how much you appreciate your spouse, why not leave little love letters around the house. Using sticky notes are a great way to put messages for them to find.

3. Offer massages.

Nothing feels better after a long day than a back and neck rub. You can take turns massaging each other’s feet, necks, and backs. It’s an excellent way to release tension from stress and feel the loving touch of the one who holds your heart.

4. Listen and communicate with them. The best thing that you can do for your spouse is to listen and effectively communicate with them. Don’t interrupt them when they’re trying to tell you about their day. Listen to every word they say,and validate their feelings.

5. Be playful.

Never lose that playfulness that you had with your spouse from the

start. Help them cook dinner, put on some great music, and take a quick dance around the room.

6. Smile when they look at you.

Sometimes the best thing to do is to say nothing, but instead offer them a look that says it all. When your lover looks at you, grin. Not just any smile, but you want a smile so deep and genuine that it lights up your eyes.

Never let a moment pass you by where you don’t show the one you love how much you care. You’re not promised tomorrow, and life is but a vapor that can quickly be gone. Make sure that if tomorrow never comes, they know how much you loved them.

DINING GUIDE

FOOD

WINE SLUSHIE

INGREDIENTS

1 c. sugar (less for a sweet wine, more for a dry wine)

1 1/2 tsp. citric acid

1/4 tsp. matcha (green tea) powder

1 bottle wine

3 c. water

DIRECTIONS

Blend sugar, citric acid, and matcha powder into a food processor for 1-2 minutes. Pour mix into large bowl. Add wine and water. Stir well. Freeze for 3 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao or higher), chopped, plus chocolate shavings

30 regular-size marshmallows

2 c. heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

In large bowl, combine chocolate, marshmallows and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Microwave on High 2 minutes; stir until marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth (if not melted after 2 minutes, microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring in between). Let cool to room temp, about 45 minutes. Once mixture is cool, whip remaining cream in bowl until soft peaks form; transfer 1/2 cup to small bowl for topping. Refrigerate. Stir half of remaining whipped cream into cooled chocolate mixture until fully incorporated, then gently fold in the rest. Spoon into eight 4-ounce ramekins. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. To serve, top with reserved whipped cream and sprinkle with shaved chocolate, if desired.

Olmedo, MD

Jillian Goldney FNP-C

Anna Koester FNP-BC

Dinner and a Movie!

LOVE YOURSELF

In its simplest form, loving yourself comes down to your actions. More specifically, loving yourself is about consistently carrying out actions that feel aligned with your core beliefs.

If you merely tell yourself that you’re working on loving yourself, but you’re a workaholic, drug abuser, existing on less than three hours of sleep per night, secretly resenting yourself for breaking that person’s heart a few years ago, and living off of fast food and energy drinks, well, you’re going to be sending a different message to your body through those actions.

You are the only one who can take care of you, so create habits in life to refuel your soul. Try these simple ideas as you start caring for yourself:

Move often

When you move you allow the various forms of energy in your body the space to shift around. If you spend all day sitting in front of a computer (or TV), then your creative, emotional, sexual energies tend to get trapped in your body. So instead of sitting in an office chair or couch, get up and move as often as you can.

Limit the junk your brain consumes

Just like your body feels grumpy if you feed it awful things consistently, so too does your mood suffer when you feed your mind garbage. Seek to fill your time with positive entertainment, and delete the continual feed of negativity.

Invest in your sleep

You spend roughly a third of your life sleeping, so you might as well get good at it. The way we sleep can either deprive us and deplete us, or it can energize and uplift us.

Be intentional in how you spend your time

Enforce real boundaries in your life so that you carve out time for the things that matter the most to you. Say no to people you don’t like spending time with. Spend time with your favorite people on a regular basis. Carve out time in your calendar to make time for fun, lightness, and playfulness.

Make time for rest and relaxation

Between all of your healthy meals, optimized sleep habits, and playfulness, you want to make sure you’re also allowing yourself the time and space to breathe and relax. Take naps when you feel like it. Rest and relaxation are vital to loving yourself.

Spend time alone

Whether you’re single, in a relationship, or married, one of the best ways that you can cultivate a loving relationship with yourself is to regularly spend some time alone.

INVEST IN YOURSELF

Self-love is not about being happy all the time or having everything figured out—it’s about learning how to care for yourself consistently, even on difficult days. Practicing self-care means intentionally supporting your emotional, physical, and mental well-being so you can show up as your best self. The following steps highlight simple yet meaningful ways to build self-love:

1. Recognize and accept your emotional state

No one is happy all the time. Nor are they positive or the best version of themselves every day. An important part of self-love is holding yourself to reasonable standards. You must acknowledge that some days will be better than others, and that it’s totally okay to have an off day, or week or slump period.

2. Take time for yourself

As great as it is to be around people and to socialize, it’s super important to take time for yourself so that you can evaluate your emotional state and dedicate some time to self-care. A lot of people have the tendency to stretch themselves thin between daily life and social obligations. It’s not selfish to prioritize alone time so that you can focus on self-love, it’s a non-negotiable step of your selfcare routine.

3. Exercise

Physical activity is tied to our moods as well as our physical and mental health. A key part of self-care is maintaining your physical health so that your body is functioning properly and serving you. Exercise can boost endorphins and help us relieve all the stress that builds up in life.

4.

Eat right

Paying attention to your diet is an important part of self-care, because it contributes to how you feel as well as your energy level. Eating foods like fatty fish, nuts, leafy greens and foods high in antioxidants (blueberries, acai berries) is great for your body and can help your brain functioning.

5. Forgive yourself

This means embracing self-compassion. We all make mistakes. Life moves on and so should you. Embracing self-compassion will allow you to reflect on your actions with kindness, empathy and support, which will allow you to forgive yourself for whatever happened.

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Who wrote and released “Forever in Blue Jeans”?

Which group wrote and released “Catch Us if

Who wrote and released “I Won’t Back Down”?

Which artist released “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”? 5. Name the song that contains this lyric: “I realize the way your eyes deceived me, With tender looks that I mistook for love.”

BIBLE TRIVIA

1. Is the book of James (KJV) in the Old or New Testament or neither?

2. From Joshua 10, the sun stood still while Joshua’s army destroyed what people? Amorites, Midianites, Egyptians, Philistines

3. How old was Abram when God changed his name to Abraham? 12, 17, 40, 99

4. From Genesis 9, who saw a rainbow in the sky? Adam, Moses, Noah, Abraham

5. Who was David’s oldest brother? Jonah, Eliab, Joel, Agrippa

6. From 1 Samuel 2, how many more children did Hannah have? 5, 10, 15, 20

DATE NIGHTS

SHAKE IT UP!

Have you ever felt like you’re stuck in the “dating rut?” Try these ideas for some fresh date nights:

Host an indoor picnic – Serve dinner on a picnic blanket laid out in the living room. Open a bottle of wine with some favorite finger foods.

Be tourists for the day – Go sightseeing around your city. Stop inside places you often pass but never go into.

Bowling – Bowling is an old-school date idea with a casual, relaxed feel. It not only makes a fun date, but also makes a great first date.

Bingo – Playing bingo is more fun than you might think. Find a local community organization, buy your cards, and get ready to shout “Bingo!”

Drive-In – Another old-school date idea that’s making a comeback of late. There’s something so cozy about watching a movie at the drive-in.

Recreate a memorable date –Think of a favorite past date, something that means something

Learn a new activity together –Take a dance or photography class or learn how to play shuffleboard.

Visit the Aquarium – Aquariums are a great place for a date. Take a leisurely stroll while you survey the sea life.

Take in amateur night – Visit a local bar, club, or coffeehouse and watch the amateurs display their talent. If you’re adventurous, get up there and try it yourself.

Visit your local ballpark or stadium – Get tickets to a professional game or cheer for your hometown favorite.

Up, up and away – Take a hot air balloon ride. Glide over the roof tops pointing out sights of interest or just enjoy floating on air.

FLASHBACK

1. Neil Diamond, in 1979. The single was first released on his “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” album the year before. Tommy Overstreet released a country cover in 1979.

2. The Dave Clark Five, in 1965. They were the second British band to appear on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” and would eventually appear 17 more times. The Beatles only appeared on the show four times.

3. Tom Petty, in 1989, on his “Full Moon Fever” album. It topped the rock chart for five weeks.

4. Pat Benatar, in 1980.

5. “Paper Roses,” by Anita Bryant, in 1960. The song was Bryant’s best success, going to No. 5 on the charts in the U.S. but reaching No. 1 in Canada.

AAA SENIOR PLACEMENT AZ

A Message from Sue Royer

“I was born and raised in inner city Chicago, the sixth of eighteen children with fifteen brothers. Being the oldest daughter, I was always a caregiver which I believe influenced me to pursue work in the healthcare industry. Today, I have three daughters and five grandchildren.

Years ago, I volunteered for hospice and knew immediately that helping seniors was my calling. I was soon employed by hospice but I felt something was missing. I realized it was the limited time I was able to spend with my clients. Having my own business allows me to provide the intimate hands on service needed in our community. I am committed to our seniors throughout their lives and I thank the community for the opportunity to serve.”

Sue RoyerDirector

About Us

Since 2002, AAA Senior Placement AZ has been offering FREE services helping seniors find safe, affordable and loving assisted living.

When it becomes too difficult for you or your loved ones to safely manage daily living and/or manage medical needs, call Sue Royer for help navigating the many options available.

We are specialists in all levels of assisted living care resources with referrals to Arizona’s best:

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