CB Living is a free, monthly magazine produced by Estrella Publishing for the residents of Corte Bella.
™ CB Living
May 2026
May 2026 1
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Information compiled from the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service regardless of listing broker.
ThoseRELadies.AZ@gmail.com www.ThoseRealEstateLadies.com
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Published by Estrella Publishing LLC, PO Box 6962, Goodyear AZ 85338. Catherine Uretsky, Publisher and Editor Talia Ebert, Assistant Editor Al Uretsky, Publisher and Sales Executive 623.398.5541 info@EstrellaPublishing.com All contents © 2010-present Estrella Publishing LLC. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any form, in whole or part, without written permission from Estrella Publishing LLC is prohibited. Estrella Publishing accepts freelance contributions, there is no guarantee that materials will be used or returned. Estrella Publishing is not responsible for the content of contributing writers and advertisers and assumes no responsibility for errors appearing within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Publisher or Advertisers. Estrella Publishing reserves the right to restrict all advertisement to their proper classification and to edit or reject any copy at its sole discretion. Neither this publication nor Estrella Publishing is an agent of or in any way affiliated with the associated Developer nor Homeowners Association, or any of their respective affiliates. This publication has not been approved by, sponsored by, or endorsed by the associated Developer nor Homeowners Association in any way.
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From Me To You... There are things your mother tells you that you nod along to, fully confident she is wrong, only to arrive at fifty and realize she was right about every single one of them. Handwritten cards are on that list.
a handwritten card is one of the last truly personal things we send each other. It takes actual effort. You have to find a card, locate a pen that works, think of something to say, write it legibly, and then physically put it in a mailbox. Nobody does all of that by accident. They did it for you, on purpose. The other point is this - mail these days is mostly bills, takeout menus, junk, and your favorite magazine ;) So when something arrives with your name written by an actual human hand, everything stops. You sit down, read it twice, and then put it on the mantelpiece where it stays for a week as a reminder that somebody was thinking of you. My mother knew all of this, of course. She always did. She was right about the cards, right about the sunscreen, and probably right about that boyfriend in 1987. I should have written that on a card and sent it to her years ago. She would have put it on her mantelpiece. Catherine Uretsky Editor, CB Living Magazine info@estrellapublishing.com 623.398.5541
After my wedding, while my new husband and I were packed and ready to leave for the airport, my mother sat herself down in the armchair by the front door and simply refused to move. She was not leaving, she informed us cheerfully, until every last thank you card was written, addressed, and sealed. Not started. Not mostly done. Finished. She had stamps. She had time. She had her knitting and a cup of tea. She had absolutely no intention of budging. I thought she was being ridiculous. We had a flight to catch and a honeymoon to get to. What possible difference could it make if the cards went out next week? Or the week after? People didn’t really expect them, did they? They did. And more than that, they remembered them. What I didn’t understand then, and what I have only come to appreciate as I’ve become older, is that
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Healing takes Give yourself some grace. time.
info@sadd.org
www.sadd.org
SADDNation
May 2026 5
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Cook With Zona May is the perfect time to get into the kitchen. The farmers’ markets are full of bright, fresh produce, and with the end of the school year just around the corner,
• 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice • Salt and pepper to taste Instructions: 1. Cook the pasta with a grown-up’s help, then drain and let it cool completely. 2. Combine the pasta, tomatoes, corn, cucumber and cheese in a large bowl. 3. Mix the olive oil and lemon juice together, then pour over the salad and stir. 4. Season with a little salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate until lunchtime. Tip: This tastes even better the next day, so try making it the night before!
there is plenty to celebrate. This recipes is simple, colorful and delicious. It makes a great lunchbox, a lovely Mother’s Day surprise, or just a fun Saturday afternoon project. Read through the recipe first, wash your hands, and let’s get cooking! Sunshine Pasta Salad Prep: 20 minutes |Makes 4 servings Ingredients: • 2 cups cooked pasta, cooled (bowties or penne work well) • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved • 1 cup corn kernels (canned is fine) • 1 cup cucumber, diced small • Half a cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Want to see previous recipes by Zona? Scan the QR code to see all past recipes on our website!
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Vets Golf Tounament
The spirit of service and community was on full display at the recent Corte Bella Vets Golf Tournament, an event that brought neighbors, volunteers, and supporters together for a meaningful cause—raising more than $20,000 to benefit veterans across Arizona.
participants a chance to launch a ball down the fairway with impressive force. The putting contest challenged golfers with touch and timing to see whose ball could land in the hole, while the ball drop and 50/50 contest provided additional entertainment. Behind the scenes, a dedicated team of volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure every detail
Held at the beautiful Corte Bella Country Club, the tournament blended friendly competition with heartfelt purpose. From the first tee shot to the final putt, participants embraced both the fun of the game and the significance behind it: supporting those who have served our country. The day featured an exciting lineup of contests that kept golfers engaged and energized. Two highly anticipated hole-in-one opportunities offered remarkable prizes—a car or a golf cart. Players also competed in longest drive and closest-to-the-pin challenges, while the ever-popular air cannon gave Your Corte Bella Luxury and African Safari Specialist Sue Bauer with Uncharted-A Travel Agency
ran smoothly. Their efforts created an atmosphere that was both welcoming and well-organized, allowing participants to fully enjoy the day. Guests were treated to a delightful lunch and a delicious BBQ dinner prepared by the club’s grill, providing the perfect opportunity to relax, connect, and reflect on the day’s success. Adding to the excitement, the silent auction drew enthusiastic participation and generous contributions. With a wide array of items and experiences up for bid, it became a focal point for additional fundraising and community involvement.
Most importantly, every dollar raised from the tournament will go directly toward supporting veterans throughout Arizona—helping to provide resources, assistance, and a sense of community for those who have given so much. The Corte Bella Vets Golf Tournament was more than just a day on the course; it was a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished when a community comes together with a shared purpose.
Submitted by Donna Norton, Corte Bella resident
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Hi Neighbor!
Why Are You in Corte Bella? A couple I know almost left Corte Bella a while back. In a snit after another run-in with HOA rules, they took a look elsewhere. They mainly looked at Verrado, touted for its walkable main street district with shops and restaurants close by. Houses there, it seems, are required to have a front porch with chairs for sitting in the mornings and evenings to greet the neighbors strolling by on the sidewalks gracing both sides of the streets—nostalgic, like a Rockwell painting. They visited that community half a dozen times over a few weeks. They liked it. A grocery store was nearby. They looked at houses for sale and saw at least one bargain needing work that they could have done. But they also began noticing that very few people sat on those front porches and that very few neighbors strolled down the sidewalks any time of the day. Downtown Phoenix and Scottsdale, places they go for entertainment, were much further away from that corner of the valley. Eventually the positives and negatives didn’t add up to any great advantage for them. And they would still have HOA rules to run afoul of.
Returning through Corte Bella’s front gate, it hit them that their home was in a resort setting. The look and feel in Corte Bella was suddenly just right. Even the size of Corte Bella—small enough to walk the whole community, large enough to never be able to know everyone—seemed just right. And the size of the lots puts neighbors close enough to see and know people in their corner of our community. They began to admit that HOA rules and regulations make the community a better place, while still reserving the right to complain about those they think silly. This is a good fit for them. But not everyone will feel at home here. A few people I know also complain about the HOA citing them for violations and about HOA fees constantly rising. They swear they will move if it happens one more time. And some have left for Verrado, one of the Sun Cities, even Indiana! But for everyone who leaves, another comes to Corte Bella. No community is perfect for anyone 100% of the time. We have our community grouches and those who don’t seem to mix with any of their neighbors. Some houses have loud motorcycles and barking dogs, but not too many unless you live next door. There are other animals that were here before us—rabbits, javalinas, bobcats, coyotes, and some people swear to have seen cougars. We have all sorts here, people and animals, usually pretty well-behaved, and that seems to make Corte Bella perfect for this couple and for me, most of the time. Why do you live in Corte Bella?
Submitted by G. G. Wosi, Corte Bella resident
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WE'LL HELP YOU RECLAIM YOUR PROPERTY BY MAKING YOUR PEST PROBLEMS A THING OF THE PAST Most Popular Services BOOK NOW GENERAL PEST CONTROL TERMITE EXTERMINATION SCORPION EXTERMINATON 623-680-6619 www.estrellamtnpest.com Larry Cash - Veteran Owned & Operated
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May 2026
The Bug Guy
They Were Here First Every Spring, West Valley residents perform the same sacred ritual: stepping barefoot onto the patio, inhaling the warm desert air, and immediately retreating inside after spotting something with eight legs that appears to be assessing property values. Welcome to pest season. The scorpions have been planning this since February. * The bark scorpion is the undisputed mascot of the West Valley in May. Translucent, glow-in-the-dark under a blacklight, and capable of squeezing through a gap the width of a credit card, it is nature’s way of reminding Goodyear, Avondale, and Surprise residents that no amount of HOA dues buys you safety from the Sonoran Desert. They climb walls. They climb ceilings. They have been found inside shoes, towels, and — in one legendary Buckeye incident — inside a Croc, which frankly feels like a personal attack. * The ants arrive next, organized with a military precision that would impress a logistics consultant. Argentine ants form supercolonies that span the whole street, which means your neighbor Dave’s failure to treat his yard last October is now your kitchen’s problem. They have located the crumb under your refrigerator, have opinions about it, and are sharing
those opinions with forty thousand of their closest friends. * Cockroaches, meanwhile, are simply living their best life. The desert variety did not get the memo about being secretive. They walk across your kitchen at noon. In good lighting. Making eye contact. They are 65 million years old and have survived five mass extinctions, and something about that history makes them extremely difficult to embarrass. The solution, of course, is a good local pest control plan — perimeter treatment, sealed entry points, and the monthly visit from a professional who has seen things and remains calm about them. Schedule it before May hits, not after. Treating an active infestation reactively is like mopping during a monsoon. The West Valley is beautiful, warm, and gloriously sunny. It is also, technically, a desert, and the original residents — the ones with exoskeletons — have not forgotten that. Shake your shoes. Call your guy. Enjoy the sunsets. Submitted by Larry Cash, of Estrella Mountain Pest Control.
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Healthy Lifestyle
Staying Active When It’s 100°F May is the sweet spot. Mornings are warm but still workable, the parks are quiet before 7am, and there is just enough time to walk before the heat takes over. By June that window closes and staying active requires a different plan altogether. The good news is, that plan is not complicated, you just need to make it before summer arrives. • Use the morning while you have it For now, get outside early. Before 8am in May, most shaded paths and community park loops are entirely manageable. Bring water, wear a hat, and pay attention to how your body feels. If you are on regular medication, it is worth a quick conversation with your doctor about whether any of it affects heat tolerance. Some common medications do, and knowing that now is far more useful than finding out mid-July. • Plan your indoor summer When outdoor walking stops being practical, the options that work best for most seniors are aquatic exercise, chair yoga, and structured group fitness classes. Water-based exercise is particularly good because it reduces joint stress significantly while still building strength and cardiovascular fitness. If you
are on Medicare Advantage, check whether your plan includes SilverSneakers. A large number of seniors already have free gym access through this benefit and have never used it. Mall walking is another option worth taking seriously. It is flat, air-conditioned, free and social. Several local malls open their doors early specifically for walkers. No membership, no The hardest part of an Arizona summer is not the heat itself. It is the way a disrupted routine quietly becomes no routine at all. Group activities help with this more than solo exercise does. A class you have paid for, a walking partner expecting you, a pickleball game already on the calendar. These things create the small obligations that keep people moving when motivation alone is not enough. equipment, no excuses. • Keep it consistent The seniors who come through an Arizona summer feeling good are almost always the ones who sorted their routine before the heat made it urgent.
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Solutions are on our website www.EstrellaPublishing.com, or scan the QR code.
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www.igotgows.com
“I Got Gows” “15 years as a Corte Bella resident. 250+ successful sales.”
Our Highlighted Active Listings
Model: Golf Arcada Model: Golf Arcada
Model: Arcada Model: Arcada
Model: Alameda with Casita Model: Alameda with Casita
23219 N Hank Raymond Dr. Sun City West, AZ 85375 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,684 sq ft
13668 W Figueroa Dr. Sun City West, AZ 85375 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,684 sq ft
23216 N Gaviota Dr. Sun City West, AZ 85375 4 Beds+Casita 3.5 Baths 2,973 sq ft
Model: San Marco Model: San Marco
Model: Golf Figueroa Model: Golf Figueroa
Model: San Ysidro Model: San Ysidro
13434 W El Sueno Ct. Sun City West, AZ 85375 2 Beds+Den 2 Baths 1,904 sq ft
22014 N San Ramon Dr. Sun City West, AZ 85375 2 Beds+Den 2.5 Baths 2,784 sq ft
12958 W Rincon Dr. Sun City West, AZ 85375 2 Beds+Den 2 Baths 1,837 sq ft
As the 2026 snowbird season winds down, Corte Bella continues to shine with its gated, resort ‑ style lifestyle and beautifully maintained homes. Buyer interest has remained steady throughout the season, especially for well ‑ priced, thoughtfully upgraded properties. Even as many seasonal residents head home, Corte Bella’s amenities, warmth, and sense of community keep it at the top of buyers’ lists. It’s one of the many reasons I love living and working in a community I truly believe in.
CONTACT ME NOW!
“Corte Bella’s most established real estate authority.” Eileen Gow
EGow@hsmove.com
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623-398-4077
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16 Estrella Publishing - CB Living magazine See what makes us the best! Schedule your visit today: Call 623-738-0226 or visit FreedomPlazaArizona.com 13373 N Plaza Del Rio Blvd. in Peoria, Arizona
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May 2026
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