Claire Lawton

Quick PHX 2013: Art

Make Your Own Chocolate Chip Heath Bars: Chow Bella's Halloween Showdown

Trick... or treat? For the latest Chow Bella showdown, our writers whipped up a dessert reminiscent of, or incorporating, their favorite Halloween candy. Check back all week for recipes; tomorrow our critic Laura Hahnefeld will pick her favorite. Today: Claire Lawton's Chocolate Chip Heath Bars S ... More >>

Am I a Beer Snob? (a Flowchart)

From time to time, Zach Fowle will provide a visual guide to every day and extraordinary situations ... and (because he has bad handwriting) Claire Lawton will illustrate them. Welcome to Charted Territory: See also: Zach Fowle's weekly Brew Review archives See also: A Summer Guide to Beer See al ... More >>

Am I a Food Snob? (A Flowchart)

From time to time, Zach Fowle will provide a visual guide to every day and extraordinary situations ... and (because he has bad handwriting) Claire Lawton will illustrate them. Welcome to Charted Territory: The world of a food snob is an often-confusing world of trends, vocabulary and kitchen app ... More >>

A Hipster's Guide to Farm Animals

So you're planning on jumping the hipster bandwagon and getting a farm animal. No judgment here -- chickens yield free eggs, goats give free milk, and micro pigs are, well, a mess, but if Clooney can fall for the real deal, so can we. But before you start building a coop, knitting a collar, or prepp ... More >>

99: Craig DeMarco

From now 'til we publish the 2012 edition of Best of Phoenix, New Times and Chow Bella present 100 Tastemakers -- Valley residents who make the cut in our culinary scene. Some you'll know; for others, it'll be a first introduction (but likely not the last). While you're here, check out our 100 Creat ... More >>

Paper

Art

Meet New Times' Big Brain Finalists and Celebrate the Winners at Artopia on April 7

​We're throwing a party. Our annual Big Brain Awards celebrate emerging creatives in a variety of media throughout the Valley (and give them cash prizes to put toward their passions). And while we're still taking nominations for this year's winners -- you have until March 5 to submi ... More >>

Your Plans for Valentine's Day (a Flowchart)

From time to time, Zach Fowle will provide a visual guide to every day and extraordinary situations ... and (because he has bad handwriting) Claire Lawton will illustrate them. Welcome to Charted Territory.

10 Favorite Street Art Sightings in Phoenix

​Street art is (thankfully) on the rise in Phoenix. In the past few years, we've seen hearts pasted, mural projects started, huge dripping landscapes painted, and stencils galore mark the sidewalks and corners of the city. There's a beauty in artwork that's painted, pasted, stenciled onto the st ... More >>

On Public Art and Ephemera: Should Rose Johnson's Prayer of St. Francis Be Restored?

​If you take a drive down 16th Street in Phoenix, you might notice a few coats of fresh paint on sections of the Mercer Mortuary building at 1541 E. Thomas Road. The mural was originally painted by local artist Rose Johnson and a group of students in 1998. It's in her signature style; la ... More >>

Resolution Guide 2012

Making Terrariums with The GROWop's Kenny Barrett and Joshua Hahn

​Kenny Barrett's no stranger to dirt and a few plants. The local creative and one of the founders of the Roosevelt Growhouse and the GROWop in downtown Phoenix spends most of his time tending to the boutique/urban garden's produce and managing Valley of the Sunflowers, the two-acre lot-revitalizat ... More >>

Revera: A Beauty and Aromatherapy Shop Coming Soon to Roosevelt Row

​Violet Brand and Susan Kerr are bustling around in their new storefront, rearranging bottles, testing logos, and preparing their full line of skin, body, and hair care. They say just a few things need to be done before they open the doors to their new shop this Friday. Revera, at 610 E. Roos ... More >>

Amy S.'s The Holidays Really Take Their Toll (House) Cookies

Cookie dough porn. ​Our latest Chow Bella showdown: a traditional holiday cookie exchange. Today: our final entry, Amy Silverman's "The Holidays Really Take Their Toll (House) Cookies."   Let's face it: You've made it this far in the holiday season and all you really want right now is ... More >>

Deborah Sussman's Chocolate Christmas (and Hanukkah)

Claire Lawton​Christmas comes a little early to Chow Bella this year -- in the form of some darn good holiday storytelling. Today, in honor of the first night of Hanukkah (which begins tonight at sundown) we bring you Deborah Sussman's chocolate-dipped memories. I know everybody says ... More >>

Susan Tully's Wassail Christmas

Christmas comes a little early to Chow Bella this year -- in the form of some darn good holiday storytelling. Today, Susan Tully shares a booze-filled tale of love and cheer. Claire Lawton​The first time I met my next-door neighbor, I was a guest at his annual Wassail party. His Wassail wa ... More >>

Kim Porter's Ham Taco Christmas

Claire Lawton​Christmas comes a little early to Chow Bella this year -- in the form of some darn good holiday storytelling. We had so much fun with our Misfit Thanksgiving last month we decided to do it again for Christmas and Hanukkah, and we're glad we did. Today, local playwright, actor ... More >>

Downtown's Pie Social (A Field Guide)

There's going to be a lot to see and do at the Chow Bella/Roosevelt Row Pie Social today. But more important, there are going to be people on the same mission: Drop off the pies (optional), get the tasting tickets, find the best pies, taste, and repeat. Note: Winners of the celebrity ... More >>

Seven Dibs-Worthy Seats in Phoenix Coffee Shops

Claire LawtonLola Coffee on Roosevelt Street​A regular coffee shop spot is a sacred (and often secret) thing. All-too-often the lighting is bad, the music is loud, and the a/c vent seems to be at just the right angle to totally freeze the table -- and you. We've spent our fair share of time in ... More >>

Windsor and Churn: A Design Tour

Claire Lawton ​When restauranteurs Craig DeMarco and Lauren Bailey went for a walk through the Windsor neighborhood in uptown Phoenix, they found a home for their third restaurant endeavor (they also run the Postinos in Arcadia and on Central Avenue). The building was old, even for Phoenix s ... More >>

New Times' Writers, Designers and Photographers Win Honors from Arizona Press Club

Phoenix New Times walked away with nine first place awards Saturday night at the state Press Club's 2010 Best Journalism in Arizona contest -- including for the paper's comprehensive immigration series, "Amongst U.S."The newspaper received more than 30 awards for work during 2010.Sarah Fenske, ... More >>

Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, April 14, 2011

Province at the Downtown Westin

  Claire Lawton From top left: goat cheese fondue, a pretty patio, green lentil soup, Caesar salad with chicken, spring squash cupcake, open-faced salmon sandwich. ​ Hey Phoenix, meet Province. From the bright green framed moss on the wall to the hot pink chairs in the bar and the tr ... More >>

Roosevelt Row's A.R.T.S. Markets Bring Food to First and Third Fridays

photo by Claire LawtonStreet food, Short Leash Hot Dog style. ​If you're hungry between gallery shows on any given First or Third Friday on Roosevelt Row, be sure to check out the empty lot-turned-market that'll debut April 1. (Not a fool's day joke, we promise.) A.R.T.S. Market, is part of Roosev ... More >>

Five Destination Desserts in Phoenix

Claire LawtonGallo Blanco's chocolate pudding. ​Not long ago, a friend posed a good question. He wanted to know where he could get dessert in central Phoenix. And not just a meal-ender. This needed to be dessert worth leaving the house for. Here are Chow Bella's five suggestions for destinati ... More >>

Cycle Gives a Sneak Preview, Announces First Chef

Photos by Claire Lawton​The Lexington Hotel was an unexpected stop on the Art Detour route over the weekend, as the group behind Cycle, downtown Phoenix's first pop-up restaurant, opened their doors for a secret opening. There was no kitchen unveiling or menu sampling during the event. Inste ... More >>

Resolution Guide: The Extreme Edition

Brewed For Battle: Doppelbock

Claire LawtonAventinus, Salvator, Celebrator, and Liberator.​At what point does one elevate from merely drinking beer to being a full-on beer snob? Answer: when you feel compelled to tell other people what to drink. And the inevitable result of this peculiar ailment is the beer argument. In t ... More >>

A Pie Social Field Guide

Let's face it, there's going to be a ton to see and do at the Pie Social on Saturday. But more important, there are going to be even more people that have the same goals in mind: Drop off the pies (optional), get the tasting tickets, find the best pies, taste, and repeat. You might need a little he ... More >>

Where Am I Eating?

Photo by Claire Lawton​ While it was definitely a cookies 'n' milk kind of afternoon, we couldn't sacrifice the opportunity for some much needed caffeine (plus these guys tends to make some pretty killer java). There are a bunch of places that use these feel-better-about-wasting-plastic recycl ... More >>

Where am I Eating?

photo by Claire Lawton​After a grossly humid morning of packing and moving -- highlighted by a few-too-many pivots with a queen-sized mattress up an outdoor staircase -- we were on the hunt for anything cold and full of protein. Enter chicken lettuce wraps. Oh, but these aren't your run-of-the-mil ... More >>

Where Am I Eating?

Claire Lawton​ On a semi-gloomy Friday afternoon, we were in need of a seriously energizing lunch. So we thought, 'Why not fill our plates and stomachs with a "Raw" salad?' (though to be quite honest, we weren't quite sure what a "cooked" salad would have been). A few lemony leaves of kale with ... More >>

Where Am I Eating?

Claire Lawton​ Talk about a breakfast of champions. It was far too early to be up on a Tuesday morning, but a weekly breakfast with a great friend is a must do. Any sleep sacrificed was quickly forgotten when the waffle arrived. Considering there aren't too many breakfast joints around town, ... More >>

Where Am I Eating?

Claire Lawton​ We stopped into a downtown joint this week for an early dinner and went a little hog-wild. In fact, after splitting (between two) and downing this flat bread -- with bacon, Gruyere and onion-fennel marmalade -- it was a little difficult to face our main courses ... and then our dess ... More >>

Where Am I Eating?

Claire Lawton​Nothing says, ready for the weekend like a big bowl of nachos and a house-made brew. ... Whoops, sorry, we just caught ourselves drooling. This spot is a southern oasis during sports games and weekends -- really, we'd go any day. Can you guess where I'm eating?Last Week's contest h ... More >>

Where Am I Eating?

photo by Claire Lawton​ Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks and stuff your face. While it's well past November, we did both of these things after chowing down this turkey and cranberry sandwich. From our large glass table, we dutifully people-watched, commented on the lack of Diet Coke, and sn ... More >>

Julie Hillebrand's Thangan

Claire Lawton​Yesterday, we learned of Julie Hillebrand's love of fresh herbs and penchant for lighting things on fire. Today, she shares the recipe for one of her newest cocktail creations, the Thangan -- a citrusy, spicy drink made using curry and homemade bitters, of course.

Julie Hillebrand at J&G Steakhouse

Claire Lawton​ Since helping open the Phoenician's J&G Steakhouse over a year ago, Julie Hillebrand has been hard at work changing the way people think about cocktails. A trained chef, she's an advocate of fresh ingredients and unique flavors who uses her culinary skills to concoct impro ... More >>

Where Am I Eating?

photo by Claire Lawton​ Lunch time was calling and this downtown hot spot was packed. Nabbing one of the rustic tables took a few pointed glances at foodies who were clearly monopolizing prime-time seating. But as we waited for our carne asada, our spirits were lifted as the salsa bar came in ... More >>

Where Am I Eating?

photo by Claire Lawton​ Friday blessings come in many forms. Today, they're iceberg lettuce, mango, jicama, queso oaxaca, lime cumin vinaigrette and sun-dried dried tomato. You can TGIF all you want, but we'll be thanking the chef for a seriously tasty lunch. Can you guess where I'm eating? ... More >>

Sous Chef Talk: Nick Sheley of Boa Bistro

photo by Claire Lawton Nick Sheley's boss, Chef Payton Curry is hard to catch. Between his two restaurants, Caffe Boa in Tempe and the newly opened Boa Bistro in Mesa, Curry clocks in around 90 hours per week. Luckily, we were able to nab his sous chef for a quick rundown on the Boa ... More >>

Takeshi Hosoda's Sweet Potato Roll

photo by Claire Lawton​ This week, Takeshi Hosoda of Radio Cafe has dished on shokunin, sexy sushi and sharp knives. Today, he shares a new addition to the Radio Cafe menu, his sweet potato sushi roll. Here's how it's done...

Chef Talk: Takeshi Hosoda of Radio Cafe (part two)

photo by Claire Lawton​ Yesterday we heard from Chef Takeshi Hosoda of Radio Cafe. Today the conversation continues. One of Chef Hosoda's passions is cooking rice, which may sound simple (there are appliances that do that with a press of a button!), but the chef insists there's a better method ... More >>

Chef Talk: Takeshi Hosoda of Radio Cafe

photo by Claire Lawton​"Trust Me," says the sign above Chef Takeshi Hosoda's head in Radio Cafe as he busily chops ginger for tonight's sushi orders. You can trust the sign. Hosada was raised in a suburb of Tokyo and moved to Phoenix because he needed a change of scenery ... More >>

Kelly Fletcher's Fromage D'Affinois with Homemade Strawberry Preserves

photo by Claire Lawton​In this week's Chef Talk, we heard from Chef Kelly Fletcher of House of Tricks. Fletcher says another one of his most valuable tools is his iPhone, which stores hundreds of his recipes. We were lucky enough to grab one. Introducing his Fromage D'Affinois with Homem ... More >>

Table for Six: Meetup's Culinary Cupid

Claire Lawton​Kathy "Meetup" collects things in sixes: Chinese serving spoons, typewriter-key wine charms, aqua dessert bowls. As a natural hostess, she gathers these often-unrelated, yet always-entertaining details with a certain sort of dinner party in mind. She created Table for Six a year ago ... More >>

Top Chefs: Phoenix Culinary Students Compete for Regional Title

Claire Lawton Culinary students Abel Ley, David Cooper and Justin Cooper critique the ingredients they prepared during a practice skills relay. ​There's no secret ingredient here; just nine culinary student teams competing for The America Culinary Federation's Western Regional title. On Sat ... More >>

Arizona State's Budding Cake Boss

Claire Lawton​ Working out of her mad-lab apartment kitchen, Gabi DiFerdinando never thought her cake hobby would make more than a few good birthday presents. More than 30 cakes later, she's starting to change her mind.