Tucked away in the Scottsdale Arts District, Schmooze has one of the city’s most garden-like patios. Filled with vibrant flowers, trailing vines, leafy trees and gurgling fountains, Schmooze provides an enchanting backdrop for a business meeting, quick breakfast or glass of wine with friends. You won’t find a more charming or inviting outdoor space in Scottsdale.
Local artist Sarah Hurwitz is the queen of whimsy, and she brought her considerable talents to bear this spring with a limited-edition series of stickers celebrating – of all things – coronavirus, with creepy hands waiting to be washed, a hermit crab sheltering in place and more. Last we checked, she was sold out, but you can definitely see them on her Instagram feed, @chocowitz. DM her, maybe you can convince her to make more....
In early 2019, Scottsdale hair stylist Ryan McKinley opened a picture-perfect salon with a sleek modern design, assembled a staff of 25 highly knowledgeable stylists and set out to provide clients an extraordinary beauty experience. Looking for a new image? Ryan M offers a cut, style, color and makeup package that will turn your world upside down.
Speaking of Gallego: On the flight back, the guy was feeling his oats so good that he downed a few drinks and tweeted, “F*ck it let’s do an #AMA.” At press time, the tweets from March 27 – including one in which he promised to “take out” U.S. Senator Martha McSally if challenger Mark Kelly doesn’t accomplish the feat this year – still exist.
Parking in places like San Tan Village and the Uptown Phoenix Farmers Market, Rooster Bus stocks an array of casual but snappy men’s apparel, from zip-up sweatshirts and button-down shirts to beanies and denim. You might have to duck on your way into the repurposed chalk-white school bus, but the shop within is polished and filled with nice finds.
Make your inner child happy by doodling in Disney-princess- or Hot Wheels-themed coloring books while simultaneously satisfying your adult needs: wine, beer, cider and mead. Colorful fairy lights, nostalgic board games and lashings of whimsy add to the cheer.
For some of us, Taco Tuesday has gone from an early ’80s marketing gimmick to a fun tradition to something close to mandatory. This hip taco shop offers a real diversity of intriguing street taco choices, from chorizo to chicken, for $2.50 each, to help console you about how far off Friday is.
Not every trail run has to be an obstacle course of rocks, roots and hills. For runners seeking an easy jog among the saguaros and creosote, head to one of the trailheads along Reach 11 Recreation Area’s 18 miles of paths. We like the one off Tatum Boulevard, south of Highway 101.
Out in Sacaton, among patchwork fields, the Ramona Farms store stands on the dusty roadside. Magic ingredients line the modest shelves inside. O’odham staples raised in our dry climate for centuries. Pima wheat. Field-roasted corn in many colors, ground into many forms. Tepary beans. The kinds of crops that showcase the timeless best of our Sonoran Desert.
Commemorate COVID with John Gleason’s “We Home School,” a mixed media piece made from copper wire and fishing lures.
Masa devotees will swoon over Salvadoreño’s vast pupusa menu, which boasts about 20 varieties of El Salvador’s national dish. The griddled masa flatbreads are filled with everything from revuelto, a traditional El Salvadoran mashup of simmered pork, beans and Monterey Jack cheese, to loroco, an edible Salvadoran wildflower. These masa morsels hit the spot.
Has booked music shows around the Valley for 20 years.
To make a splash far bigger than any Hallmark clone, head on over to this shop in Gilbert’s Barnone maker-mall for a house-designed, hand-pressed card. Mark Johnston and Lauren Elliot use a century-old letterpress machine they’ve named Gladys to stamp their cards. They also carry postcards, coasters, art prints and more, including seasonal gift boxes.
Insider-y favorite of Uptown restaurant industry workers for a late-night nosh… and they should know, right?
Step across the threshold of Jason Asher and Rich Furnari’s latest booze-centric brainchild – an immersive Prohibition-era train station and clickety-clacking railcar – and you’ll feel as awestruck as any kid at Disneyland. Like that kid, you’ll need a “ticket” for a 90-minute choo-choo ride in the train, where wildly creative cocktails make the passing landscape on the hi-def TV “windows” (filmed along Colorado’s Durango and Silverton Railway) all the more dizzying.
