All the news that’s fit to nosh. Flower Power: To honor National Autism Awareness Month, on April 14 Flower Child will donate 5 percent of its sales – up to $10,000 – to The Autism Community in Action. This year marks the restaurant’s third Give Back Day to TACA. It has raised more than $33,000 for the nonprofit since 2019. Reason enough to feast on the Flying Avocado wrap and gluten-free mac and cheese. Meat...
Phoenix-born and -bred author Peng Shepherd (The Book of M) is back with another page-turner. The Cartographers (HarperCollins, $27.99) is a thriller that follows cartographer Nell Young as she attempts to solve a mystery left behind by her late father, himself a legend in their shared field. Her journey is complicated by an enigmatic yet destructive map collector and a race against time. Through her fast-paced narrative, Shepherd introduces uninitiated readers to “phantom settlements,” intentional...
All the news that’s fit to nosh. Tea Party: Fancy a spot of tea? Head to Mountain Shadows on April 21 to celebrate National Tea Day with the new Library Teapot. Conceived as an addition to the resort’s Library Coffee Cart (with specialty coffee drinks holding court with design books), the Library Teapot will feature Royal-Tea, a custom tea concoction created by Allison DeVane of Phoenix company Teaspressa. Royal-Tea combines Teaspressa Charles Grey...
March is National Frozen Food Month! Keep a chill supply of local essentials from these Valley brands. Pierogi Channel an Eastern European grandma and fry up some frozen pierogi ($9.99-plus/dozen) from Mesa dumpling emporium All Pierogi. allpierogi.com Pizza Order take-and-bake (or take-and-freeze) personal pizzas ($5.50-$7) at Saffron JAK’s North Phoenix bakery and café or its Downtown Phoenix outpost at Walter Station Brewery. saffronjak.com Ice Cream Stock up on pints ($10) of your favorite flavors (vanilla,...
Some of Mesa artist Nicole Manchester’s most treasured moments have revolved around handwritten words. From saving old high school notes about crushes to re-reading cards from her grandmother, “keeping in touch through writing has always been important to me,” she says. “Writing really is an artform, and it’s an easy way to make loved ones feel special.” After nannying for many years, Manchester started her own stationery line, The Polka Dot Pug Collection, in 2015....
Cool new lodgings are popping up around Arizona. Senna House Old Town Scottsdale’s buzziest new hotel opened in December 2021. Marvel at the succulent-draped “living walls” and dine at coastal Mediterranean eatery Cala, helmed by chef Beau MacMillan. thesennahouse.com The Citizen Hotel This Tucson hotel opened in fall 2021 in the building that once housed the city’s oldest newspaper, the Tucson Citizen. Now its tasting room is a hot spot for winos. thecitizenhoteltucson.com The Jenesis...
Photo courtesy Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort All the news that’s fit to nosh. Architecture of a Great Meal: After shuttering dining institution Frank & Albert’s, the legendary Arizona Biltmore reconceived its space and recently debuted McArthur’s. The new restaurant is named after the resort’s lead architect, Albert Chase McArthur, a disciple of consulting architect Frank Lloyd Wright. “McArthur’s is a direct tribute to the heart of Arizona Biltmore, which is Albert Chase McArthur,” general...
THE SCENE When one of your work perks is trying new restaurants and menus, you quickly become the go-to gal for friends’ dining inquiries. Not a week passes that I don’t get a few imploring Facebook messages or frantic texts asking for food recommendations. “I’m in Tempe for an appointment. What’s the best place for a quick lunch?” “In-laws visiting this weekend and they hate fish and spicy food. Any recs in the North Scottsdale...
Photo courtesy Tía Carmen All the news that’s fit to nosh. Tía Favorita: Wonderful news for my fellow Top Chef devotees. Chef Angelo Sosa (seasons 7, 8 and 17) is opening a new restaurant here in the Valley. Contemporary Southwestern eatery Tía Carmen – named in honor of his beloved aunt – is set to open in April at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. “Throughout my life, my Tía Carmen instilled in me...
THE SCENE As I get older, I find myself ruminating about how so often we are the products of our time and place. For example, I grew up in the West Valley in the 1990s and early 2000s. In my sprawling slices of suburbia (I lived in Peoria, Glendale, Surprise and Avondale at various times), there weren’t a lot of independently owned and operated places – restaurants nor retail. I came of age with birthday...
The Diné people of the Navajo Nation make up the largest indigenous tribe in the United States. Their number would be even greater if they hadn’t lost more than one-third of their population in 1864 during the Long Walk of the Navajo, a forced relocation and attempted ethnic cleansing by the United States government. In 2018, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Dinés’ return to their homeland, Navajo champion runner Edison Eskeets and his...
Former 3TV journalist and actor Mike Watkiss has joined the YouTube fray with Story Hustler, a true-crime channel inspired by his 2020 book of the same name. His co-host? His daughter, fellow journalist and former PHOENIX intern Dylan Chryst Watkiss. Their family chemistry is palpable, and their stories are fascinating.
Photo by Jacob Tyler Dunn All the news that’s fit to nosh. Fry Baby: Back off, burgers. Hop along, hot dogs. Check you later, chicken fingers. French fries are once again emerging from their supporting role to take center stage at FRIED French Fry & Music Festival on Saturday, April 9. Downtown Phoenix’s Margaret T. Hance Park will host the potatopalooza, which has been on a pandemic hiatus since its debut in 2019. The...
“You don’t win friends with salad,” they sang on The Simpsons. Clearly, those Springfield silly billies never tried these enticing ensaladas. Chicken Panzanella Nothing wins over a salad skeptic like panzanella, Italy’s glorious salad of crusty bread soaking up vinaigrette and tomato juices. Federal Pizza adds chicken ($13.75). federalpizza.com Grilled Watermelon Salad No ho-hum fruit plate at the larder + the delta. Chef Stephen Jones grills his watermelon and playfully pairs it with watermelon radishes,...
Call it the Food Truck Effect – businesses offering everything from mani-pedis to art classes are going mobile. Here are three new local ventures to flag down. Puzzle Rides Scottsdale Escape rooms meet scavenger hunts on these golf-cart excursions, which boast themes like Pirate’s Treasure Adventure. puzzlerides.com GameTruck Throw your kid the best birthday party ever with mobile video games, laser tag or GellyBall, a gentler alternative to paintball. gametruckparty.com Tap Truck Need a bartender...
