Figure skater Karina Manta has come a long way from growing up roller skating in her cul-de-sac in Chandler. “I went to a skating birthday party at the rink that is now Ice Den Chandler and I fell in love with it and I begged my parents to take me to skating lessons,” she says. “Here I am now, 17, 18 years later.” Manta went on to compete professionally with her partner Joseph Johnson. In...
Four Peaks Brewing Co. recently announced the newest addition to its brood of award-winning brews. For fans of the brewery’s best-selling Kilt Lifter, Gilt Lifter is a lighter alternative with a toasty flavor and smooth finish, 3.4 percent ABV and only 99 calories per 12-ounce serving. A lower calorie count doesn’t mean less flavor, according to Andy Ingram, Four Peaks’ co-founder and head brewer. “You don’t find many beers this drinkable with this much flavor,”...
Kaleidoscope Juice, a local health and wellness company, will open its eighth Valley location in Gilbert next month. Kaleidoscope offers fresh-pressed juices, nutritious smoothies, coffee, acai bowls, grab-and-go salads and gluten-free baked goods. It uses high quality, organic ingredients that are locally sourced when possible. The new location will feature a walnut wood bar, banquet seating and a community table. It will also include a baking production area that will allow the company to expand...
A recent study of art museum collections across the country revealed that female artists make up an average of 12 percent of all artists. “Considering this revelation, SMoCA [Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art] dedicates a yearlong exhibition to women artists to bring attention to this inequity, to foster awareness and to promote inclusivity,” says Jennifer McCabe, the museum’s director and chief curator. The all-female exhibition – “Unapologetic: All Women, All Year” – includes a selection...
Chef Donna Sites is bringing a bevy of knowledge and talent to the table at Cock N’ Tails Modern Brasserie, a rock ‘n’ roll-themed restaurant that’s slated to open in Uptown Phoenix on January 24. Decked out in eclectic rock memorabilia, the eatery features an elevated, chef-driven menu full of classic American dishes with a few twists. Handcrafted cocktails are also a key component of the concept, which will open at 7th Street and Bethany...
Thousands of fruit trees will arrive in the Valley in January and February for the 20th annual Pop-Up Fruit Tree Nursery, a program that educates the public on urban farming and provides food for the community. Participants of the program can pick from a plethora of trees producing dozens of fruits, including apples, peaches, apricots, plums, figs, pomegranates, olives, grapes and berries. The pop-up nursery’s founder, Greg Peterson, says he started the event because he...
Bryan McCormick’s dream of bringing his brewery to the 12 West building in downtown Mesa has become a reality. McCormick founded 12 West Brewing with Noel Garcia in 2016. The pair began brewing on a one-barrel system at its original location at Barnone in Gilbert and quickly started producing on a 10-barrel system due to increased demand. Now, the duo is finally expanding their business to a former events venue at 12 West Main Street...
Marauders, a pirate-themed bar and restaurant that recently opened in south Tempe, is “built by musicians for musicians,” according to owner D.L. Marble. The singer-songwriter identifies with the pirate lifestyle, spending much of his time on his sailboat in San Carlos, Mexico and frequently visiting San Diego. He is also a yacht rock enthusiast, so he named many of the nautical watering hole’s cocktails after songs of the genre. Marauders features drinks, many of which...
Art of the Cowgirl founder Tammy Pate grew up rodeoing on a ranch in Montana. “Horsemanship was a very important part of [my] life, as was ranching” she says. Her grandmother taught her how to cook, sew and paint and she apprenticed with a bootmaker. “I’ve always been an artist at heart,” she says. Then, she started doing yoga and horsemanship retreats and was looking for a way to give back to the industry. “I...
Things don’t always go according to plan, but how you react when life throws you a curveball is how real change happens. This is the concept behind the new Broadway-aimed musical Americano!, which is inspired by the true story of Tony Valdovinos, a DREAMer and Phoenix community reformer. Americano! chronicles Valdovinos’ trials and triumphs as he grapples with the realization that he can’t fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a U.S. Marine. The Camelback High...
Paul Gosar The U.S. congressman from Prescott sent out 23 tweets in a row ranting about President Donald Trump’s impeachment hearings. Upon closer examination, the first letter of each post spelled out the phrase “Epstein Didn’t Kill Himself.” The theory went viral after convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his New York prison cell in August. Scott Warren After providing two Central American men with clothes, water and shelter in 2018, the...
The road to Mount Lemmon Ski Valley starts with sun-drenched saguaros and ends with towering, snow-dusted pines. This stark change in landscapes seems fitting for the country’s southernmost ski destination, which is nestled in the snow-capped Catalina Mountains about an hour north of Tucson. Because its overnight accommodations are scarce, Ski Valley is largely a day-trip destination. That’s all about to change. University of Arizona alums and husband and wife Justin and Andrea Hafner are...
Valley nonprofit one•n•ten has teamed up with local chefs to curate a holiday cookbook that showcases diversity while celebrating community. The e-book, Now Serving: Everyone, features recipes from 15 award-winning Arizona chefs including Christopher Gross, Bernie Kantak, Tandy Peterson, Jeremy Pachecho and Gio Osso. All proceeds from the book will benefit one•n•ten, which helps LGBTQ youth and young adults with housing, employment and social opportunities. “We enhance their lives by providing empowering social and service...
Russo and Steele founder Drew Alcazar lets us peek inside his ride.
Four years ago, Karen Greenstein was looking for a way to simultaneously support the environment and adults with autism. Greenstein, who has a son with autism, decided to take a leap, buy some bees and get into the honey business. Based in Tempe, Rango Honey produces raw, natural honey while providing job training and support for autistic adults. Its profits also fund Neshama, an assisted living community for people 18 and older with autism. Neshama...