Cycle: Five Super Steep Ascents in the Valley

A cousin, who was in town from San Francisco to compete in last weekend’s Ironman Arizona, turned to me during a relaxed pre-race ride through Papago Park and asked, “So how far do you have to go to get to some hills?”OK, we get it…Phoenix is flat.That’s not to say…

Your Guide to Black Friday in Metro Phoenix

Once a year, the act of camping outside Best Buys and Targets is as American as apple pie — and gorging yourself on apple pie to the point of abdominal pain. Now, we love shopping. Really, we do. (See evidence in our weekly column Gem.) However, no matter how sweet…

Defending the Caveman at Phoenix Theatre

The setup: In 1991, standup comedian Rob Becker developed his observations about men and women into a full-length one-man show, Defending the Caveman. Its premise that the differences between the sexes are age-old, inherent, and the source of our strength must have something to it, because the show is still…

Laurie Notaro’s DIY Lamp Shade (A Semi-Disastrous How-To)

Laurie Notaro is an author, crafter, and expert at finding a good cocktail. She grew up in Phoenix, but is currently based in Eugene, Oregon. Each week, she’ll be joining us to share a crafting adventure, draw a flowchart, or remember a few of her favorite things about Phoenix. Today,…

8: Tomas Stanton

Tomas Stanton is a poet, writer, teaching artist, and community activist. He says he’s a self-taught artist dedicated to advancing the art of spoken word through fusion with theatre and dance. Stanton is co-founder of Phoenix’s premiere youth spoken word ensemble, Phonetic Spit. He uses hip-hop pedagogy to inspire youth…

Five Must-See Arts and Culture Events This Week

We know, the beginning of the work week sucks. But if you take a quick look at the calendar, you’ll see we’re off to a pretty good week of art events, sports games, dance parties, and more. Here are our must-see events from now to the weekend… Monday, November 19:…

Weekly Freebie: Glendale Glitters

One of the nice things about living in Arizona is being able to endure winter parades, which is why you should take advantage of holiday traditions including Glendale Glitters. See Also: Weekly Freebie: Phoenix Metro Art Walks Nine Thanksgiving Weekend Parties in Metro Phoenix…

Five Things We Love About the Wii U

Nintendo’s latest console is an effort to bring the company away from the nostalgia trap and into the mainstream. The Wii, while a fun way to shake up the typical console release, was a gimmicky letdown and took up residence in closets everywhere a few months after release. The Wii…

Top Phoenix Arts and Culture Stories of the Week

If Bob Ross were alive today, he’d be painting happy little trees all over the place in ecstatic fervor for all the arts and culture happenings in Phoenix. To help you see the forest for the trees, here’s a recap of the top arts and culture stories of the week…

Top 5 Things to Do This Weekend

Looking for ways to fill up your weekend? Here are your five best bets for getting out and about in the Valley of the Sun. Movember Party @ Rips Ales & Cocktails The mustachioed and their admirers will gather Friday night for an evening of lip fringe festivities, in honor…

Five Exhibitions to Check out During November’s Third Friday

Be it a ​First Friday or a Third Friday — we’re just excited about having an excuse (not that we need one) to see some great art exhibitions. And you better believe that we’re making the loop and stopping by these five. 5. “Sue Chenoweth: Real and Applied” @ Modified…

The Immigration Paradox Documentary Screens This Weekend at FilmBar

We’ve now been able to screen Lourdes Lee Vasquez’ The Immigration Paradox, which premièred in Phoenix in September. Though lengthy and sometimes a bit eye-glazy with legitimate sociohistorical info, the film’s thought-provoking and beautifully shot. Whether it leaves you in hope or despair about the human tendency to exploit one…

Hard Goods: Concrete Artisan Brandon Gore to Open Shop in Phoenix

Come late November, you’ll need to add a must-see stop to your holiday shopping route. Brandon Gore’s been busy crafting concrete furniture pieces and decor in his studio and hauling them around the country for trade shows and clients, but he announced this morning that after Thanksgiving weekend, he’ll be…

A Quick and Fashionable Guide to Yoga — What Not to Wear

New to yoga? Heading for a class reunion and doing some yoga to tone up? Looking for an escape from the computer screen? Yoga in wonderful but can be intimidating. Never heard of Lululemon or Spiritual Gangster? No worries…What Not to Wear to Yoga is advice to help you enter…