Zachary Spiecker, Author at PHOENIX magazine

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Summer is here, and with it, our oppressive heat. Cool down with a trip up to Prescott to see what’s new. La Planchada Prescott’s first modern taqueria and tequila bar was an instant hit when it opened in February. A fun environment combined with an upscale Mexican menu – featuring green chile tequila chicken tacos and brisket tacos – makes La Planchada one of the most exciting new places in town. Tequila and mezcal cocktails...

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There are plenty of amazing trips in this month’s 13 Southwest Summer Getaways feature (pg. 104), but if you want something a little greener, a little cooler, head to the Pacific Northwest. Katie Johnson, a proud Oregonian and communications manager for Visit Central Oregon, says the Beaver State “provides really cool vacation experiences for all types of travelers. You can have a meal on a patio, but also summit a mountain!” Johnson recommends Sunriver Resort...

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“There was so much beauty,” Jennifer May says of the land in Sedona where she and her sister, Colleen TeBrake, are building Ambiente. The siblings own Two Sister Bosses, a luxury hotel development and management company creating what they call North America’s first “landscape resort,” a property meant to seamlessly blend with its surroundings instead of disrupting them. They wanted to “build around [the land] and enhance it,” May says. Each room will feature floor-to-ceiling...

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Alison Bailin is a fixture in wine country, and the Valley-based PR pro and food and beverage writer says she’ll never grow tired of it. Bailin visits the Sonoma County area with her mom, Carol, and her boyfriend, Cory, every year. In all of her “spirited” adventures, she says there is nowhere better than Healdsburg and Dry Creek, where she went this past November. Bailin shares some of her favorite restaurants, wineries and experiences with...

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When Coley Arnold and Lindsey Holt met more than a decade ago at a church group for newlyweds, the two could not have imagined the success they’d have together. In 2011, the friends started Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market, which became a Valley institution. Looking for something a little more stable, the duo opened their first brick-and-mortar store in February 2020. “It was kind of a pipe dream,” Arnold says. “We always had the...

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Marcellino Ristorante gnocchi | Photo courtesy Knife & Fork Media Group   Arizona Restaurant Week is coming back! From May 21-30, the Arizona Restaurant Association’s premier event will present some of the best dining options the state has to offer. Participating restaurants, which range from established five-star restaurants to small, locally owned hidden gems, will offer three-course prix-fixe menus in addition to their regular offerings. Each tasting menu will be priced at $33 or $44...

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Talking Stick Resort’s new Mediterranean restaurant, Tash, opened on February 6 to great fanfare. The menu fuses food from different cultures, a drink list including everything from margaritas to other popular mixed drinks and incredible views of Camelback Mountain. I got the scoop at a recent media lunch. Location 9800 Talking Stick Way., Scottsdale Opened: February 2021 The Scene Patrons are immediately greeted with commanding views when walking up the stairs that lead to the...

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UnderTow was one of Scottsdale’s premier bars before its closure in December due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, that didn’t mean its staff was done working. A new UnderTow pop-up recently opened at Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale. I took a visit to see how the Valley’s standout tiki bar has fared during the sea changes. Location 6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale Opened: January 2021 The Scene: This tropical oasis feels like you’re taking...

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For more than 50 years, PHOENIX magazine's experienced writers, editors, and designers have captured all sides of the Valley with award-winning and insightful writing, and groundbreaking report and design. Our expository features, narratives, profiles, and investigative features keep our 385,000 readers in touch with the Valley's latest trends, events, personalities and places.