Photos by Mirelle Inglefield
There are lots of perks in a career in lifestyle journalism. We’re often on the guest lists for restaurant openings, ribbon cuttings, parties and previews. We go on press trips to experience gorgeous destinations and then tell you all about them. Perhaps most amusingly, we’re the recipients of a tremendous amount of “swag,” ranging from cheap promotional tchotchkes to legitimately luxurious gifts. Inspired by the stunning chef knife restaurateur Joey Maggiore (Hash Kitchen, The Sicilian Butcher, et al) recently sent us (see below), we rounded up some of our favorite freebies from the past decade in Valley media.
Stickers
These stickers are part of a growing collection that documents our affection for local businesses like Rafi Law Group, Sunday Goods, Peixoto Coffee, Rewined Beer and Wine Bar and Jackalope Trading Post.
Chef Joey knife
We thought the complimentary Steak 44 cutlery from 2013 couldn’t be topped, but this custom knife bestowed upon us by the Valley culinary kingpin takes the cake – and can cut it, too!
Chambong
When Cottontail Lounge at The W Scottsdale debuted its brand-new brunch offerings last spring, a small gaggle of journalists were gifted this custom Chambong – a quintessential apparatus for bachelorette bashes, sorority soirées and other occasions where the rapid consumption of sparkling wine is ideal – to commemorate Cottontail’s tableside mimosa service.
Pedal Haus Brewery beer glass
The only thing that boosts our serotonin more than the Belgian-style ales and barrel-aged stouts from this Valley-born microbrewery is its media merch.
Bottled blonde baseball cap
If a hat communicates your loyalty to a team, we’re happy to align ourselves with pizza. This hat was the souvenir of an Evening Entertainment Group property crawl that culminated at Bottled Blonde, its Old Town pizzeria and beer garden. We’ll rep the pep ‘til we die.
