Sharon Needles The Phoenix Place Hotel & Suites Saturday, July 21, 2012 “If you’re sick of the Republican, Democratic, or Independent parties, vote for the ‘Wig party’…” Sharon Needles, the most recent winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, is well-known for being the voice of underdogs. Growing up in a small…
JJCNV Trunk Space Saturday, July 14, 2012 See also: Seriously Joking: Local Punk Trio JJCNV Brings the Noise — And The Knee-length, Airbrushed Boob T-shirts Phoenix trio JJCNV — which used to stand for Janis Joplin Crap N Vomit until the deceased singer’s estate made them stop using her name…
Nothing’s better than finding an amazing deal on frequently purchased foodstuffs at the grocery store. But that thrifty thrill can be cheapened when you return the next week and notice that sale is no more. Luckily, there are several great discount food stores that have those so good you should…
Have you been smooch-less during New Year’s Eve past? Well, look no further than Scottsdale’s Ultimate Block Party. Because, once the clock hits midnight, there will be about 7,000 kisses to give out, and you should be able to score at least one. Hot. Just how ultimate will the shindig…
One thing that we always crave this time of year is shortbread cookies. The buttery, crumbly cookie is the perfect canvas for any flavoring. For our purposes, we took dark chocolate and drizzled it over the cookies, then sprinkled on some crunched up candy canes, and topped it all with…
Looking for a relief from politically correct holiday cheer and sappy family fun? Look no further than the [Sic] Sense Holiday Show. The [Sic] Sense Comedy Troupe will be doing what they do best on stage, which is singing warped and disgruntled carols while performing original skits like “You Ruined…
Sick of rum cakes that don’t deliver on the rum? We are, too. Luckily we know a recipe that has been a family favorite for as long as we can remember. The recipe came straight from mom’s secret stash, and we got permission to share it with you.The recipe is…
So we know we’ve given Baiz Market four Best Of awards since 2005, but we really can’t get enough of this place. The unique selection of Middle Eastern food combined with fresh produce and a wide variety of tasty cheeses and grains really has no rival in the Valley. Not…
Be transported to a simpler time – one of static-y sound effects transmitted from radio towers – with Carrie Behrens’ original production Night of the Chicken. The radio play, which tells the story of a sassy teenage girl who morphs into a spooky chicken, will be hosted by Space 55,…
It’s cold and we’re wimps unprepared for the winter climes. Good thing that the Phoenix Tequila Fest decided to come to town, because, you know, one of the best ways to warm up is with tequila. Lots of it. According to the event’s Web site, the fest includes every tequila…
Baking for vegans may seem like a task, but ever since we made a gaggle of vegan buddies, it’s become a necessary evil. Really, it isn’t that difficult to do, with the help of some simple tricks like using Earth Balance in the place of butter and replacing eggs with…
Local purveyors of all things adorable are huddling together Friday for the 3rd Annual Indie Crafeteria. The event touts 30 local artists and live music, but here at Chow Bella we can’t keep our eyes off Smeeks’ Sweets Alley.The “alley” will feature tasty cakes and such from Sweet Pea Bakery,…
After our trip to China Harvest Buffet yesterday, we were about ready to give in to the claims that there is no such thing as a five-star buffet. Scottsdale’s Oriental Garden Super Buffet was pretty good, maybe good enough to rate three to four stars. But then we found it:…
Dozens of Valley residents have found their own way to reduce their foreign egg dependence, and they want to share their secrets with you Saturday at the Phoenix Tour de Coops.The tour will go to several local chicken coops to show how the Valley can get sustainable and self-sufficient in…
We’ve been around the soup block many times before. We thought we found all there was to find, but leave it to Barrio Café to prove us wrong with a soup that’s truly unique.Barrio Café has shown us time and time again what to expect from a Mexican eatery. The…
Yesterday we visited the Oriental Garden Super Buffet and were dazzled by the clean restaurant and fresh, hot food. Today we head to way up North Phoenix to China Harvest Buffet to see if we can duplicate our positive experience. We’ll give you a clue: we didn’t… at all…
When we asked Lucinda Scala Quinn what recipes she absolutely loves in her book, Mad Hungry, the crunchy sesame chicken wings were at the top of the list. She described the recipe as “super simple” and the results “dynamite.”According to Scala Quinn, the wing recipe came from the constant dinner…
Creamy, crunchy, sweet, spicy, tangy: When done right, the coupling of grilled cheese and tomato soup should have all of these things. When done wrong, it still tastes pretty good, but undoubtedly lacks the sophistication one expects from an $8 meal. We’ve all had this classic combo growing up, but…
We’re not quite sure how to classify this one. It’s a cupcake for chocolate lovers, bar flies, and people who generally like to eat rich. The Irish car bomb cupcake is a rich, moist Guinness chocolate cake with a flavorful whiskey chocolate ganache piped in the center and creamy Baileys…
Understandably, there is some major hesitation to give any buffet a five-star rating in the foodie community. There are a lot of moving parts in a good buffet experience, from overall cleanliness to quality and just plain temperature of food. When done right though, Chinese buffets offer the unique chance…
Lucinda Scala Quinn, the host of Everyday Food on PBS and Martha Stewart’s food biz guru, is touring the country to promote her new book, “Mad Hungry”, a cook book that teaches how to cook for a family full of hungry men. Quinn will be heading to Changing Hands Bookstore…
Even temperatures in the 80s can’t stop the feeling of fall. Slowly but surely, we find our tastes drifting from cold to hot, casting aside our iced coffee for a steamy cappuccino. And this time of year always makes us crave a big bowl of hot, homemade soup. One of…
