HGTV fans will go gaga over this boutique lumberyard off Grand Avenue (there’s also a Clearwater, Florida, location), stacked high with planking, beams and siding made from recycled barns. The re-sawn boards have a gorgeously weathered, rustic look, but can also be adapted into surprisingly modern projects. Get wood!
What’s not to love about Sriracha? The spicy but not scorching paste of chiles, garlic, vinegar, sugar and salt has earned a permanent spot on American tables for its kicky versatility. At Clever Koi, they take it up a notch with house-made red and green varieties, available as sides (25 cents) or by the bottle ($8 each). The red is made with Fresno chiles, and jalapeños are employed for the green. Both get a sweetening...
“We’re getting Bianco” is a surefire way to titillate your party guests. See the blurb on page 92 for details.
When the pandemic erupted this spring, the nation’s most celebrated pizzaiolo returned to his New York roots. He started baking the large-format pies from his youth in the Bronx, a more family-friendly alternative to the single-serving Venetian-style pizzas that made him famous. Available at both Pane Bianco locations, his Bronx-style pizza comes red or white, wheel-cut into floppy triangles blitzed with cheese blends and heady char.
You’ve learned to bake sourdough – the official skill of 2020. Now master mozzarella, Brie, cheddar, feta and blue cheese. In just a few hours, Making the Cheese will teach you the magic of curds and whey at venues throughout the Valley.
Cut his teeth in the booking biz way back in the 1990s at classic punk venues like Nita’s Hideaway.
Literary events built around women’s voices, including As We Speak: A Black-Centered Open Mic.
You’ll find Millennial scenesters, middle-aged professionals and Arizona State University students all co-mingling on the wraparound patio at this supposedly haunted hangout. Downing a few Cactus Coolers and watching them interact on a Saturday night is practically a rite of passage in the Valley. Bonus points if you make it to last call and watch the sloppy swarm spill out into the parking lot.
I can think of a dozen reasons to fall in love with Javier Verdugo’s polished Mexican restaurant, hiding in plain view on 16th Street: fresh-tasting margaritas; crunchy chips and an excellent salsa bar; slurpable aguas frescas; enchiladas swathed in Corazon’s signature beet-chile sauce; juicy cochinita pibil; heavenly tacos al vapor; beefy steak Mexicano – all of it so deliciously spot-on there should be lines out the door.
These days, one of the best happy hour deals in Phoenix has nothing to do with half-off potato skins and cheap beer. The designers at this spacious modern flower shop prepare stunning arrangements, some of which get marked down for a brief period each week. When? Friday afternoons, when you can duck into a refrigerated room to nab 50-percent-off posies and boxes.
You can order stunning bouquets and artful arrangements at all five of this Valley floral institution’s shops, but the Scottsdale location offers a little somethin’-somethin’ extra: delivery of local wine and beer along with your peonies and hydrangea.
As Bunky Boutique’s greeting cards say, “It’s been a real f**k of a year” and “Sh*t is bananas.” Comfort a friend with a care package featuring a face mask fashioned by a local artist, an AZ Love shirt for socially distant hikes, and a ceramic wine cup so they can drink Cabernet all day and claim it’s cappuccino.
One of our favorite Phoenix retail experiences is a trip to Bunky Boutique, Rachel Malloy’s sweet little shop. Even before the state officially shut down, Malloy brought Bunky to us – hopping on her bike to deliver orders of her accessories, paper goods and clothing for men and women. She recently added masks in adorable patterns, preparing us to return to her shop in style.
A stop at most gas stations means little to no service today, but pull into Bridwell, and seconds later, an attendant rushes out to fill the tank, wash the windows and check the oil. The Bridwell family has been pushing petrol in Scottsdale since 1971, offering full-service treatment from the start. Steve Erwin says some customers are surprised when he comes out to fill up their tanks, but most can’t imagine fueling up anywhere else.
Without giving it much thought, early this year we snapped up several tickets to see a production of Carrie, the musical based on the book that launched Stephen King’s career. Then we googled Carrie the Musical and learned that we were on our way to see the musical that went down in history as Broadway’s biggest flop. Horror story, right? You’re bloody wrong. Brelby nailed it with strong acting and voices and a campy take...
