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Downtown Phoenix’s Steele Indian School Park is home to many special events throughout the year, including this month’s Fabulous Phoenix Fourth. If a group of Valley veterans has its way, it will also soon be home to a new “museum monument.” The USS Phoenix Cold War Monument will feature salvaged parts of the USS Phoenix attack submarine and chronicle the United States Navy’s submarine force’s contributions to the Cold War between 1946-1991. The group is...

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THE SCENE Like any The Real Housewives of New York City fan worth the salt on her Skinnygirl Margarita, I have a bit of an obsession with the Hamptons. I live for Ramona’s volcanic dinner parties (and questionable design choices), Luann’s out-of-touch pizza order (“Mrs. de Lesseps… The Countess!”), Sonja’s kooky jitney bathroom rituals, Bethenny’s avoidance of guests at her own home, high-stakes brunch battles and, of course, Barbara’s clambake, complete with doggie bags full of lobsters.   Alas, I am but a desert girl in an average tax bracket, so I figured my Hamptons enjoyment would remain vicarious unless I somehow befriended a celeb –...

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Every week, we present a curated list of live music in a wide range of genres all around the Valley. A diverse lineup this week includes African interpretations of bluegrass music, a celebration of Motown, psychedelic rock, regional Mexican music, and off-the-cuff country. Pascal Bokar Afro Blue Grazz Band Monday, August 9 at The Nash Wednesday, August 11 at Ottowa University Musician Pascal Bokar, born in France and raised in Senegal, West Africa, leads eleven...

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Grassrootz Bookstore in Downtown Phoenix is more than a place to find rare reads. “Everything we do is rooted in community,” says co-founder Ali Nervis of the shop, which opened in 2019 and operates as a bookstore, co-working space, event center, community library and art gallery. It is also the only black-owned bookstore in Arizona. Right now, store manager Kylie Chamblee infuses tea with berries and citrus and sells it at the shop, but later...

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Lean but not especially mean, this highly quaffable sour from Tucson-based 1912 Brewing Co. takes its name from the Spanish slang toma güey, or “take that, dude.” True to its word, the beer delivers a clean punch: tart but not pucker-y, with jabs of lime zest and crisp apple courtesy of Ekuanot and Citra hops. Known for his preoccupation with fruited beers, owner and brewer Allan Conger takes a more austere route here. No fruit....

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PHOENIX magazine has named a lot of best bands over the years. And then the bands played on (well, some of them). Here’s what a handful of previous Best of the Valley winners are up to now. THE SUGAR THIEVES (2013, 2014) After months of isolation during the pandemic, the local blues folk group exploded with music, releasing two new albums in summer 2020. They continue to play a few times a month around the...

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City cores were hit hard by a year of people working from home – less foot traffic meant less patronage of local businesses. To encourage a rebound, cities across the Valley are hosting recurring events to lure shoppers and diners downtown. Park After Dark, Downtown Tempe Authority’s series, has live entertainment, a beer and wine garden by Pedal Haus Brewery and takeout from local eateries to enjoy in Sixth Street Park. It runs Saturdays from...

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Test Your Pedal Power in Tempe It’s the hottest time of the year so why not hop on your mountain bike for a Day Drinker Devil Ride, Aug. 7? The grueling, 10-mile gravel/mountain bike course features eight landmarks in and around Mill Avenue, Papago Park and Tempe Town Lake. Riders receive a raffle ticket for each of the landmarks they take a selfie at on the day of the ride, plus two bonus raffle tickets...

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photo courtesy Kähvi Coffee + Cafe   Open 36 Below A new speakeasy has taken over the former UnderTow space located beneath Sip Coffee & Beer Garage. 3620 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, 480-336-8812, 36belowaz.com BlackSheep Wine Bar & Merchant “Uncork and unwind” at Chandler’s newest wine bar and eatery. The restaurant serves everything from brunch to late night snacks. Watch for daily specials. 98 S. San Marcos Place, Chandler, 480-912-1212, blacksheep.wine The Bread &...

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Root Beer Float Feel like a kid again with this combination drink and dessert at Joe’s Real BBQ in Gilbert, where the root beer is made in-house ($4). joesrealbbq.com Vegan Pistachio Cherry Ice Cream No dairy? No problem. Downtown Glendale’s Papa Ed’s Ice Cream stocks vegan flavors from local ice cream maker Karen’s Kreamery ($3.50/single scoop; $4.75/double scoop). papaedsicecream.com Butterscotch Bread Pudding There’s a beautiful alchemy when vanilla gelato meets whiskey caramel atop this luscious...

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Would a custom message from an Arizona Diamondback tickle your sports-loving spouse? Would your rocker friend be thrilled by a birthday greeting from Alice Cooper? Such are the celebrity close encounters you can book via Cameo, a video sharing website that allows fans to receive personalized videos or direct messages from their favorite celebrity for a set price. More than 30,000 actors, musicians, athletes, authors and reality TV stars can be commissioned to wish you...

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While glitzy Las Vegas gets most of the attention, Reno has its own charms. Plan a visit to this northwest Nevada city to learn about its history and enjoy the emerging hospitality scene. Weird Reno Walking Tour This new 75-minute walking tour gives visitors a glimpse of the history of Reno. It was created during the COVID-19 pandemic as a fun yet safe way to interact with and learn about the Reno community. Magician tour...

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Locals in the national news cycle. Jordin Sparks The American Idol winner and Phoenix native recently participated in a virtual panel about social media and emotional well-being. The series is produced by People magazine and Bring Change to Mind, a nonprofit destigmatizing dialogue about mental health. Dr. Michael T. Lawton Credited by actress Sharon Stone for saving her life after a major stroke in 2001, the Barrow Neurological Foundation president and CEO got another publicity...

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In this episode of Deep Cuts, PHOENIX magazine’s music podcast, we chat with Valley musician Veronica Everheart about her “sarcastic, soulful, genuine” brand of rock, why The Strokes’ Is This It is an elite album, our first concert experiences and Everheart’s new single, “Sour.” Follow Veronica Everheart on Spotify, Facebook and Instagram.

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Photo courtesy Pronto   All the news that’s fit to nosh.  Taco the Town: Love the customizable menu, fast service and efficiency of Chipotle, but long to support a local restaurant over a chain? East Valley institution Serrano’s Mexican Restaurants has a new fast-casual concept for you. Pronto will open in Serrano’s Tempe location (6440 S. Rural Rd.) this fall. “We’ve learned a lot over the past two years, and we know that fast-casual concepts have experienced significant recent growth,” says CEO Ric Serrano. “Our Pronto concept will offer...