Am I a Book Snob? (A Flowchart)

From time to time, Jackalope Ranch contributors will provide a visual guide to every day and extraordinary situations … and Claire Lawton will illustrate them. This week: author Laurie Notaro answers a very important question: Am I a Book Snob? Welcome to Charted Territory. Laurie Notaro’s Summer Reading List for…

Wet Paint Artist Supply to Stay Open

Good news for fans of Tempe’s venerated art supply joint Wet Paint: The shop is going to stay open after all. Despite announcing the impending closure of the long-running store (which has sold paint and other supplies to local artists and graf fiends for more than 11 years) back in…

Top 5 Things to Do This Weekend

See also: Grab a Golden Ticket for “Independents” Week See also: Five Must-See Movies in July Looking for ways to fill up your weekend? Here are your five best bets for getting out and about. 5. Independents Week There’s nothing quite like Independence Day for lighting up our love of…

Five Must-Attend Lectures in July

See also: Submit Your Raunchy Ideas and Off-Beat Passions to Ignite After Hours See also: Five Must-See Movies in July Shine up those spectacles, aspiring poindexters, because there are plenty of ways to up your I.Q. in July. Here are five lectures that will fit the brainy bill. 5. “300…

Downtown’s First Friday (July 6)

Art walks are more often about people watching and shenanigans and less about the actual art. We’re here to guide you through both. Presenting our very own Field Guide — an evolving guide to art walks around town. From time to time, we’ll introduce some of our favorite spots and dish out…

Ignite Phoenix Announces Speakers for After Hours No. 3

Tickets for the annual and edgy Ignite Phoenix After Hours don’t go on sale until Saturday, but event organizers released the line-up this afternoon, and boy does it look raunchy. After Hours is scheduled for July 27 at Radius in Scottsdale, and will feature 14, 5-minute talks on hell, lust,…

Faux-Vagina Undies: Yep, They’ve Arrived (And They’re Definitely NSFW)

Fans of junderwear, the kissenger, and the ever-popular brain-controlled cat ears can once again thank Japanese designers for another haunting, wearable invention. Brace yourselves for Vagina Panties. Described by Japan-based Kanjo Toys as a “simple and easy-to-wear belt in a skin tone color” that is also “paipan (hairless) for that…

A Weekend in Jerome

It’s summertime, which means it’s the perfect chance to make an exodus from the Valley, either by hitting the open road or jetting off to somewhere cool. Over the next few weeks, Jackalope Ranch will profile a few unique destinations around Arizona and the southwest that are perfect places for…

Cirque du Soleil Brings Kooza to University of Phoenix Stadium

The performers of Cirque du Soleil aren’t shy. In fact, with their gravity-defying stunts, the costume-clad actors aim to make you trip balls while they maintain extraordinary poise. Basically, Cirque brings together the bendiest, stretchiest, most extreme performers around, but with its new show, Kooza, the troupe veers onto a…

Vintage My Florist Sign Saved — For Now

I used to tell people that I grew up on the same block as a local TV legend who owned a giant flower shop in downtown Phoenix. Neither of these things were true. But as a very small child, I was convinced that Gladys Vaught, the old woman who lived…

Street Regal

If Scottsdale’s artwalk isn’t on your weekly route, we suggest you do a little reorganizing — especially for the annual Summer Spectacular Artwalk. On Thursday, July 5, from 7 to 9 p.m. artists will fill galleries and line the streets of the Scottsdale Arts Distrct — along Main Street and…

Light Work

Yes, the Arizona Diamondbacks played at home on the Fourth of July, and, yes, there were fireworks at that game. But if metaphorical fireworks are more your thing, you’ll want to head to Chase Field on Thursday, July 5, when our boys will ignite a fiery home series against the…

Fly The Coop

Local artist Joseph “Sentrock” Perez is skipping town at the end of summer, but before he leaves, he says he has some serious work to do (and show). “GOOD by: Bird City” is a tribute to the 25-year-old’s hometown, his experiences growing up, and his involvement with educational programs including…