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Photo by Nikki Buchanan   Burrata & Beets at Francine Restaurant How I love Francine! The dining room is gorgeous, and the menu, which hovers around the south of France, offers so many appealing options that I struggle to confine myself to one or two courses. I began a recent blissful al fresco lunch with this inspired combo: a pure white orb of burrata overlaid with oven-softened wedges of golden beets. If you think you’ve...

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The Joy Bus, a Valley nonprofit devoted to making and delivering chef-inspired meals to homebound cancer patients, recently welcomed celebrated Valley culinarian Josh Hebert as head chef. Hebert, who closed his popular ramen shop Hot Noodles, Cold Sake in March, and once owned Posh Improvisational Cuisine, was ready for a change. Now, he’s helming the kitchen at The Joy Bus Diner and implementing menus for the “More Than a Meal” program, working alongside Joy Bus...

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Big & Rich | Photo by Tom Frisch   Every week, we present a curated list of live music in a wide range of genres all around the Valley. A cadre of indie artists hits local stages this week, along with some country music legends and a sultry jazz singer. Julien Baker Monday, November 1 at The Van Buren Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Julien Baker, known for being one-third of supergroup boygenius, performs in support of...

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Excitement and suspense permeate the Valley as Halloween draws closer. Get in the spirit with festive local events, from spooky laser tag to a dog costume contest. Octane Raceway Velocity VR Scream Fest Looking for a way to immerse yourself in the horror of Halloween? Fight for your life against virtual reality zombies at Octane Raceway’s Velocity VR Scream Fest. A variety of games are available, including Zombie Survival, Far Cry, Undead Arena and more....

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Get Your Fix of Fried Everything Before the Fair Leaves Town You only have a couple days left to take in the thrilling rides, midway games, animal exhibits and the latest trend of fried whatever before the Arizona State Fair closes for the season at 10 p.m. Oct. 30. Pro tip: Get there before 6 p.m. Oct. 29 for Foodie Friday, which offers an array of smaller portions of fair food faves, so you can indulge...