Whether it's breakfast in bed, a charming bracelet, or a beautiful bouquet, Mother's Day is about showing her you care. And while each of those is sure to please the woman who -- literally -- gave you life, it's time to start thinking outside of the gift box.
Mother's Day is Sunday, May 10, and this year we're proposing showering Mom with something we're sure she'll love: your presence. Yes, a mimosa-filled brunch is nice and those greeting cards keep getting sweeter, but spending time with her will is the ultimate way to show you care. Tour a museum. Take a hike. Create your own gifts. Skip the commercial charade and give her something that will truly last a lifetime: a memory.
See also: 8 Spring Workshops to Take in Metro Phoenix
Build Your Own Bouquet at Camelback Flowershop
Can't remember whether mom prefers lilies to roses? Why not create your own -- with her help. Pith+Marrow presents "Sunday Brunch: An Intro to Floral Design," which doubles as the conclusion to their otherwise sold out spring series. Between crafting arrangements and avoiding thorns, budding florists will also enjoy a light brunch and mimosas. And, of course, everyone gets to keep their creations.
The two-hour class starts at 10 a.m. on Mother's Day at Camelback Flowershop, on Indian School Road east of 40th Street. Spaces are $300 per mother/daughter duo; $165 for a solo ticket. Reservations are required and seating is limited. Register online or call 602-840-4646.
Spend at Day at the Phoenix Art Museum
The Valley has been abuzz with the arrival of Andy Warhol -- his portraits, that is.
On loan from The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, "Andy Warhol: Portraits" is a must-see for those who love pop art, pop culture, or simply American history. This collection chronicles forty years of his work, from the 1940s to the 1980s, during the defining moments of the pop art movement. The exhibition includes Polaroids, silkscreen, paintings, and film, featuring more than 200 pieces depicting everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Grace Jones, Sylvester Stallone to the artist himself. Warhol's portraits are on view through Sunday, June 21, at the Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 North Central Avenue. Museum members are free; general admission $15 with various discounts.
Other ongoing exhibitions include "Pattern Play: The Contemporary Designs of Jacqueline Groag," on view through Sunday, August 9, in the Ellman Fashion Design Gallery inside the museum. Groag re-introduced the dress-wearing public to the whimsy of color and pattern in a post-WWII era. The collection includes both drawings and dress fabrics.
The downtown institution will also screen Bolshoi Ballet's Ivan The Terrible, a haunting, dramatic portrayal of life in 16th century Russia under, well, Terrible rule. The two-hour film screens at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 10. Tickets are $15 for members, $18 for the public.
Paint Your Own Masterpiece at Art of Merlot Gone are the days when you could get away with a hand-crafted card -- colored outside the lines, of course -- as a go-to gift for mom. Instead, get creative with mom, at a side-by-side painting party.
Art of Merlot's annual Mother's Day Van Gogh series draws out the artist in you. Professional painters guide patrons are guided through the impressionism era of the 19th century, providing paint, canvas, and encouragement. Though bottles of red, white, and domestic beer are available for purchase through the studio, would-be painters are also encouraged to BYOB to keep the inspiration flowing. Some events are alcohol-free, so call ahead to confirm at 480-945-1108.
Three classes Saturday, May 9, including Van Gogh's 12 Sunflowers (noon to 3 p.m.); Van Gogh's Iris (4 to 6 p.m.); and Springtime in Paris (7 to 10 p.m.). Special evening session Mother's Day of Van Gogh's Red Poppies, from 4 to 7 p.m. Classes are at Art of Merlot's Old Town Scottsdale Studio, 7036 East Main Street. Tickets are $25 to $35 with discounts for groups and those under 21. Visit www.artofmerlot.com for reservations.
Shop and Stroll in Historic Downtown Glendale
Mom is queen during the West Valley's 8th annual Mother's Day Celebration. Make crafts and cards and snag shopping steals from participating vendors along white-picketed Historic Catlin Court and the brick buildings of Old Towne. The first 250 moms will get to spin the wheel to receive special prizes.
The day-long shopping soiree is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, in Historic Downtown Glendale. Information booth and event maps available at the Glendale Visitor Center, 5800 West Glenn Drive. Admission is free. Donations of non-perishable, essential products toiletries, sunscreen, and feminine hygiene products of will be collected for Operation Women Warriors, which sends care packages of like items to female soldiers who are stationed overseas. Call 623-930-4500 for event and activity information. Click www.visitglendale.com for details.
Take a Tour of the Desert Botanical Garden
Mother's Day is the final day for the Spring Butterfly Exhibit at Desert Botanical Garden, and the final event hosted on-site in the Maxine and Jonathan Marshall Butterfly Pavilion. Spend your Sunday drinking in the distinctive desert beauty of the gardens, standing among butterflies in this intimate, hands-on experience. It will be nearly two years before you can stand in a sea of these fluttering creatures again; the Garden will open a new "Butterfly Landing" exhibit in Spring 2017.
The Spring Butterfly Exhibit is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the Garden is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is $3.50 per person, in addition to entrance fee, which is $22 for general admission. Call 480-481-8188 or visit www.dbg.org for tickets.
Pick Your Peaches at Schnepf Farms Peach Festival
When one door closes another opens. The beginning of May might mean the end of spring exhibits, but it ushers in the start of one of the desert's most popular festivals: the Schnepf Farms Peach Festival. For 20 years the town of Queen Creek has turned, well, peach for this celebration of all things fruity. The two-week festival features pits, pies, pancakes and more, including hay rides, train rides, carousels and booths from vendors like Queen Creek Olive Mill and Rachel's Bake Shop.
Check out the free festival from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 9 and 10, at 24810 South Rittenhouse Road. Visit www.schnepffarms.com for event info.
Stories of Mom During "Mothers Who Write" at SMoCA Lounge
New Times managing editor Amy Silverman and contributor Deborah Sussman have hosted a slew of seasonal writing workshops Valleywide, highlighting topics like food, fashion, and family. With their "Mothers Who Write" series, a 10-week class for moms of all ages and talents, writers are encouraged to expand their voice through fiction, poetry, and creative storytelling. The annual Mothers Who Write Mother's Day Reading is a culmination of new stories from participants both past and present. While some of the material may not be suited for young children, these stories of life, love, and the peaks and valleys of motherhood will not only offer insight into these mothers, but might get your own talking as well.
Listen in the Lounge at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 East Second Street. The reading begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. Admission is free and open to the public. Visit www.smoca.org or call 480-874-4666.
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