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Luna Kemp | Photo courtesy The Publicity Collective    In 2019, Luna Kemp was working as the beverage director for a local catering company. When the company suddenly closed, she decided to “take a leap of faith.” “I thought, ‘Why not try doing this on my own?’” Kemp recalls. That’s when Kemp launched Tipsy Moon, a Gilbert-based mobile bartending service that provides everything from custom cocktails to a Champagne bar to classic beer and wine...

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Graze Box | Photo courtesy BlackSheep   Sometimes being the black sheep isn’t such a bad thing, especially when wine is involved. Join the herd at downtown Chandler’s newest wine bar, BlackSheep, where you’ll find an array of authentic wines from around the globe, specialty craft cocktails and light bites. The bar, which opened in July, has a sleek, modern aesthetic. The patio is home to 1940s-era streetlamps with multiple table sections, perfect for those...

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Lemon Meringue Pie Cut through the richness of a holiday meal with Buck &Rider’s bright and citrusy showstopper. Available by the slice at B &R or whole at LGO Bakeshop ($44-$55/pie). lgobakeshop.com Tropical Pies Just want a slice? Pop into HULA’S Modern Tiki for a quick trip to a dessert-ed island via coconut or key lime pie ($7/slice). hulasmoderntiki.com Pumpkin Pie Is it Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie? Sweet Provisions’ iteration boasts a halo of whipped...

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Though the recipe, presumably, has changed somewhat since the days when brew master Jonathan Buford “threw a whole pecan pie in the beer while making it,” as he told The Arizona Republic back in 2013, this AZ Wilderness offering remains a seasonal standard in the Valley of the Sun. Brewed with maple syrup, vanilla beans and dairy extracts sourced right here in Arizona, it’s candy in a can, and perfectly suited to the irresponsible sucrose...

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The Vanilla Gorilla interior | Photo by Nikki Buchanan   If you’re up on urban slang, you probably already know that “vanilla gorilla” is the term for a big, burly white guy. It’s also the shared nickname of feuding UFC fighters Chase Sherman and Jason Witt. More importantly, in my food-and-drink-loving world, it’s the moniker for a terrific new tap room and bottle shop that sits alongside Hush Public House in North Scottsdale. For all...

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Sliders, lemonade and live music for a good cause? It’s all on tap as the Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation (AFFCF) hosts its 11th annual Slider Throwdown, which will take place at High Street in North Phoenix on Sunday, November 14 from noon to 3 p.m. Susie Timm, the PR director and event producer of the Slider Throwdown, says, “It gives you time to do sports with your kids in the morning, if they...

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If you’re searching for a novel brunch dish to serve your holiday guests (or perhaps tuck away for your own use), the folks at Z’Tejas have shared their popular huevos rancheros recipe. The multi-layered dish has a lot of components, but if you have all the ingredients lined up, you can make it in a snap. As for the Mexican cheese, Z’Tejas Chef Diego Bolan uses a mix of Oaxaca, Monterey jack, asadero, panela and...

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Miracle cocktails | Photo by Melissa Hom   All the news that’s fit to nosh.  Christmassy Carousing: Holiday revelers, mark your calendars. Two beloved pop-up concepts are returning this winter. Sippin’ Santa: Head to Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour from November 23-December 24 for Sippin’ Santa, a holiday-themed tiki takeover. Tiki expert Jeff “Beachbum” Berry will be selling collectible tiki mugs and barware, and seasonal libations will include Yule Log Grog, White Russian Christmas, Azul Navidad and The Regifter. No reservations; everything is first-come, first-served.    Miracle: From November...

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Photo by Nikki Buchanan   Caviar and Crème Fraîche Crêpe at Christopher’s at the Wrigley Mansion Yep, it’s true. I have been to Christopher’s twice now. Lucky, lucky, lucky! And although much of the menu was the same as my first visit, we did find this lovely changeup: a dainty crêpe, adorned with flowering herbs and a glistening orb of Black River Oscietra caviar, positioned on its perch with a dab of house-made crème fraîche....

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Photo by Leah LeMoine   THE SCENE I’d heard about Linger Longer Lounge for years, but I never knew where it was. Downtown Phoenix? Midtown? CenPho? Scottsdale? As I pulled into the parking lot for a media happy hour there a couple of weeks ago, my confusion was validated. It’s tucked into the far corner of a plaza that itself feels somewhat recessed from the intersection of 16th Street and Sierra Drive, just north of East Maryland Avenue....

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Phoenix Pizza Festival | Photo courtesy Flargus   All the news that’s fit to nosh.    Pizza Party: The Phoenix Pizza Festival is back! To celebrate its sixth year, the fest has grown to include two days: Saturday and Sunday, November 13-14, at Margaret T. Hance Park. Limited tickets are available for $12 each – sold exclusively online – and attendees will be able to sample $2-$4 slices, full pies, drinks and desserts from 15-20 pizza makers, food trucks and vendors. Valley...