Subject: Jonathan McNamara

• Catch the Fever

  March 30, 2008

• Tempe Music Festival Wrap-up

  April 2, 2008

• This Weekend: Marijuana, Free Comic Book Day and Mini Kiss

  May 1, 2008

• Last Minute Monday: Cinco De Mayo

  May 5, 2008

• Caught in the Act: 1700 Curry

  May 20, 2008

• Benjamin’s Weekend Word: First Friday, Just Blazed, and Richard Cheese

  June 9, 2008

• Brew Review: Nut Brown Ale

  June 20, 2008

• In Your Own Words: Dan Saban, Barack Obama, Isabel Garcia, Sheriff Arpaio and the Ying Yang Twins

  July 30, 2008

• This Weekend: Breaking Dawn, Discount Assassin and Pret-a-Porter

  August 1, 2008

• Edgefest 2008: Recap

  September 28, 2008

• First Taste: True Food at Biltmore Fashion Park

  October 27, 2008

• Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Arizona Qualifier

  Jonathan McNamaraA group of competitive eaters downing dogs at the Nathan's Hot Dog Contest Arizona Qualifier at Arizona Mill Mall. See more shots in our slide show. Matthew Ramirez stepped out on to a raised platform in the Arizona Mills Mall food court and struck the sort of body building pose that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger proud. Unfortunately, muscular definition would be all but useless to the task that awaited 22-year-old Ramirez. No, he would require jaw strength above arm strength

  June 1, 2009

• Night Train: 12th Street/Washington (Stop #15)

  Where: Los Dos Molinos at 1010 E. Washington Street. It'll take you about five minutes to walk there from the station.  Drink: House Margarita. Yes, despite the fact that you've now stumbled your way through 13 drinks on our epic bar crawl, we're going to insist that you keep this one classy. Leave the frozen shit at home and order yours on the rocks with salt. Order a well version and it will only set you back about $7.  Scene: Los Dos' Washington Street cantina is situated betw

  December 13, 2008

• TheDirty.com, Combichrist, Religious Rockers and More Over the Weekend

  Jonathan McNamaraTheDirty.com's West Valley InvasionParty crasher Benjamin Leatherman spent Friday, January 24, boozing it up with The Dirty's Nik Richie at Hurricane Bay in the West Valley before saying hello to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie at Jilly's in Chandler...slide show Top 10 Musicians Turned to Religion In this week's music feature, Martin Cizmar analyzes former Puff Daddy protégé Mase and his move from spitting rhymes to rapping for God. We couldn't help but wonder what other music

  January 26, 2009

• Spooning: Baked Corn Casserole

  Jonathan McNamaraSee this recipe in slide show form.  In this week's Spooning column, Colin Redding illustrates the results of mixing dating with kids and America's favorite starch. Think you know some corny jokes? Watch out for this one.  Yet cobs of the yellow stuff have more than humorous applications. Take this recipe for a baked corn casserole for example:

  January 28, 2009

• Valentine's Gift Ideas from Downtown Phoenix Public Market

  Jonathan McNamara Jan's Baked Goods goes seasonal with treats that you could totes pass off as your own handiwork. Whether you love or hate Valentine's Day, you can soothe your heart and soul at Downtown Phoenix Public Market and grab a couple of nifty presents while you're at it. Many vendors also sell their goods at local stores, online, or at more than one Valley farmers' market, so check the links provided below or contact them through the main market site. (And have some back

  February 5, 2009

• Spooning: Steak Au Poivre

  Jonathan McNamara See this recipe in photos.For this week's Spooning, Colin Redding illustrates the joys of celebrating Valentine's Day with a tasty dish called Steak Au Poivre in addition to some other whacky holiday antics. Take a look at the recipe after the jump:

  February 11, 2009

• TequilaAZ Brings Agave Goodness to the Lath House

  Jonathan McNamara See more shots from TequilaAZ in our slide show. The Lath House at Heritage Park has never been as lively as it was on Saturday, March 22 for Tequilaaz, a tequila and mescal festival that had hundreds downing agave goodness and feasting on fare from local restaurants. The festival lasted from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and included live music, a silent auction of tequila gift baskets and a margarita show down that pitted 13 local mixologists against each other. We at Chow Bell

  March 23, 2009

• Sun Sessions: Darkness Dear Boy Does Three Doors Down

  Jonathan McNamara Yes, that's right, we've got another Sun Session for you today! What, you didn't think we'd just do one this week? This is probably the biggest music weekend of the year in Phoenix!The Sun Session, in case you missed yesterday's post (featuring Jim Bachmann and Tony Martinez playing Alan Jackson's "Chasin' That Neon Rainbow") are our way of previewing a big show by a national act while giving a local act a chance to strut their stuff. We're bringing local musicians in to do a c

  April 3, 2009

• "Seriously Funny" and "Aside and Besides" In Photos

  This week we had the chance to take an up close look at two new art exhibits on display at Perihelion Arts and SMoCA Jonathan McNamara "Aside and Besides" by Mark Maas Mike Maas' unique blend of vector design with layered, wooden pieces that seem to jump out at you made for quite the graphical spectacle of a show opening at Perihelion Arts on April 2, 2009. Roarke Lacey "Seriously Funny" by Dan Perjovschi Dan Perjovschi arrived at SMoCA to find a blank canvas which he filled with line drawings

  April 3, 2009

• The Flaming Lips Dazzle at McDowell Mountain Music Festival

  Jonathan McNamaraSee more shots of The Flaming Lips in our slide show. Major labels get a lot of flack. Whether it's because they supposedly put out nothing but overly-commercialized crap, or because they're suing computer-using kids in a vain effort to salvage their busted business model, it's rare to hear anyone say anything nice about the Big Four. That's why Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne snagged my attention Saturday night when he made offhanded mention of his band's nearly two decades w

  April 26, 2009

• First Friday in Photos

  Jonathan McNamaraSee more shots from First Friday in our slide show. Local music was the focus of First Friday on May 1, 2009. Back Ted N-Ted hit up Roosevelt Row for an outside gig, while local favs What Laura Says, and Dry River Yacht Club battled it out for band supremacy at Phoenix Art Museum. See more shots in our First Friday slide show.

  May 3, 2009

• William Elliott Whitmore Stomps and Strums at Chyro, Crowd Goes (Literally) Crazy

  Jonathan McNamaraWilliam Elliot Whitmore on stage at Chyro Arts.It's rare to see a fight at a Phoenix show. When that fight is between two girls standing outside a Scottsdale art gallery where they just witnessed a brilliant performance by a banjo-playing bluesman from Iowa? Well, that's just weird.Yes, William Elliot Whitmore's show at Chyro Arts was quite a weird one, but also an amazing evening for what the bearded ex-hardcore kid turned deep-voiced horse farmer called "a broad cross-section

  May 5, 2009

• Circus Mexicus: The Show Goes on Despite Swine Flu, Drug Violence

  Jonathan McNamaraWhen you're down there, you ain't worried about sick pigs.Roger Clyne has posted a blog entry on The Peacemakers' website declaring that Circus Mexicus will go on a month from today, despite the Mexican Swine Flu pretendemic and the very real surge in violence along the Mexican border as federal troops battle drug cartels.Judiciously and with full knowledge of the issues in today's headlines, RCPM again makes the choice to venture south, cross the border, and set up our stage in

  May 6, 2009

• First Taste: Brio Tuscan Grille

  Jonathan McNamaraChicken Milanese Pomodoro We tried to be good. We really did. Go take a quick step outside. Did you feel it? That's right. It's pool weather and if there's one reason we've been slogging it out at the gym day in and day out it's to enjoy this weather with preferably only two to three percent body fat. Mission failed. One of the things that's certainly not helping us get in shape is the opportunity to carbo-load at Brio, the latest in a nation-wide chain of "Tuscan grilles

  May 8, 2009

• The Sun Sessions: Bargrass Revival Does "Margaritaville"

  Jonathan McNamaraBargrass RevivalLast week I sent out a Twitter (twitter.com/martincizmar) asking: "Anyone know a local band that can capture the soul-crushing pain of alcoholism, as documented in J.W. Buffett's 'Margaritaville,' in a cover?""Bargrass Revival" is what we got back, so we lined them up. This Tempe-based bluegrass act is as much a collective as a band, bringing seven people to record their Sun Session (they left a couple behind, they say) which they absolutely killed. Jimmy Buffet

  May 13, 2009

• Star Swim Returns This Saturday

  Jonathan McNamaraThe scene at last summer's Star Swim. Last summer, one of the coolest (and indeed, hottest) places to be seen was at the Hotel San Carlos for the weekly Star Swim party. An absolute throng of hundreds of hepcats and kittens crowded the tiny pool area at the vintage auberge in downtown Phoenix for several weekends while an array of local indie bands and musicians like Miniature Tigers, Black Carl, and Mr. Meeble provided a summertime soundtrack. Co-promoter Jen Deveroux sums

  May 20, 2009

• Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Qualifier This Saturday

  Jonathan McNamara Get a good look at last year's mayhem in this Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Qualifier slide show.How many hot dogs can you eat? Ten? Twenty? Sorry, pal. You don't cut the mustard, but I'm betting a mustard-belt or two that there are a few Phoenicians who do and will be down at Arizona Mills Mall on Saturday for the Famous Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Qualifier. The wiener of this tournament gets to compete in the Famous Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contes

  May 28, 2009

• AZ Ghostbusters Raise Money for Salvation Army and Promote New Ghostbusters Video Game

  Jonathan McNamaraMatt Haynes (center) with the AZ Ghostbusters Though there were no spiritual apparitions at Gamestop at 5707 Northern Ave. in Glendale during the midnight launch of the new Ghostbusters The Video Game, there were plenty of EKG meters and "proton packs" just in case. These delicate scientific instruments belonged to none other than the AZ Ghostbusters, a charity organization based around dressing up like the iconic characters from the 198X film, who made a public appearance last

  June 16, 2009

• Ignite Phoenix 4: Sun Tzu, Death, Capoeira and More in Five Minutes and Twenty Slides

  Jonathan McNamaraJeff Moriarty (left) of the Ignite Phoenix Crew and other igniters hanging out at La Bocca Pizzeria on Mill Ave. during the Ignite Phoenix 4 after-party. "Now, where you go when you die is an age-old question. Here's the answer: 7th Avenue and Jefferson." Stacy Holmstedt didn't skip a beat between appearing on stage at the Tempe Center for the Arts and beginning her presentation about what happens when you die. Her audience was eating it up. "If you're an organ donor, that's gr

  June 17, 2009

• Budget Beat: The Welcome Diner

  Jonathan McNamara The Welcome Diner: Welcome!We at Budget Beat love hamburgers. Even if you've paid only scant attention to our humble blog over the past year, you've probably noticed that we like to order hamburgers when given the chance because: (a) they're a staple of American dining: (b) they're usually inexpensive; (c) the preparation of a hamburger can tell a lot about a restaurant; and, most important, (d) nobody doesn't like a burger. I've consumed some real good ones at Val

  June 19, 2009

• Devastation 2009: Street Fighter IV Attracts the Country's Top Fighters

  Jonathan McNamaraDevastation players Nicholas Cucio (left) and Brian Valez. Valez runs Street Fighter tournaments at his Las Vegas-based game store "Game Over" and came out to support some of his hometown players at Devastation. Determined to grasp victory, two warriors step onto an airfield unconcerned that a nearby military transport plane maneuvering to take off may disturb their encounter. On the right is Rufus, a fighter whose undulating belly and spandex outfit masks his deadly potential.

  June 22, 2009

• The Sun Sessions: The Sugar Thieves Play Eric Clapton

  Jonathan McNamara Out of the dozen or so talented locals we've featured thus far in our ongoing Sun Sessions series, Mikel Lander and Meredith Moore (a.k.a. The Sugar Thieves) have a singular distinction unmatched by the rest.A major-label contract? Distribution through Hop Topic? Nope, even better. The rootsy blues duo, who can be seen with their full backing band every Wednesday at Tempe's Sail Inn, participated in a "Sun session" of a different kind earlier this year when the

  June 25, 2009

• Brew Review: New Dogfish Head and Other Great Brews at The Draft Magazine Craft Brew Festival

  Jonathan McNamaraVolunteers pour Steamworks Brewing's delicious beers at the Draft Magazine Craft Brewing Festival Choosing the right horse requires a lot of luck and a certain willingness to watch your already mentally-spent earnings fail to materialize. That's why I took a different gamble at Turf Paradise Race Track this weekend and thought I'd try my luck with a bunch of micro brew enthusiasts instead of horse gamblers. Packed into Turf Paradise's club house on Saturday, June 20, 2009 were

  June 22, 2009

• Summer Beer Quest Week Four

  Jonathan McNamara This week we checked out the beers on tap at The Roosevelt in Downtown Phoenix. How does the house ale stack up to the other Summer beers we've tried this month? Check out the slide show to find out.  Check out the updated slide show to cast your vote via e-mail or twitter.

  June 19, 2009

• Summer Beer Quest Week Three

  Jonathan McNamaraSun Up's Stinger Pale Ale at Sonora Brewhouse. See this week's other beers in our slide show. As per @deonadee's request, I checked out Sonora Brewhouse this week to find their best Summer beer selections. My discoveries: Armadillo Red Ale, Hefeweizen, and Stinger Pale Ale.  Check out the updated slide show to cast your vote via e-mail or twitter.

  June 12, 2009

• The Sun Sessions: Green Day's "Longview" As Played By Nowhere Man and Whiskey Girl

  Jonathan McNamaraNowhere Man and Whiskey Girl​Nowhere Man and Whiskey Girl aren't a Phoenix band, per say. The duo lives down in Bisbee, a former mine town in southern Arizona. Shooting our latest installment of The Sun Sessions they regaled us with tales of life in the quaint town, where the temperature drops in to the 60s at night this time of year. Sounds pretty wonderful, doesn't it?After the jump, watch the band's great take on Green Day's breakthrough single "Longview," which comes from

  August 20, 2009

• Against Me! Proves They're Punk's Best Band at Phoenix Show

  Jonathan McNamaraAgainst Me!​There are probably some people who'd question the credibility of any punk band playing a show staged by a carmaker, especially if that carmaker didn't just stake out prime product placement, but actually paid for the whole shebang so it could give tickets only to people who test-drove a new model. As it happens, those people missed a hell of a show last night, as Against Me! proved they're likely the world's best contemporary punk band at an intimate downtown Phoen

  August 31, 2009

• Padre's Auctions Chairs to Benefit Orphanage in Mexico

  Jonathan McNamaraMark McDowell's "The Headache Chair"​Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., Padre's Modern Mexican Cuisine will auction off a collection of artistic chairs created by Valley artists. Padre's hopes to raise $10,000 for the Children of Tapachula Mission Mexico Orphanage. New Times took a look at the chairs, currently on display at the restaurant, and shot the following photos for your curious eyes to view. For more information, visit Padre's Web site. 

  September 11, 2009

• Twestival Local Phoenix Raises Money for St. Mary's Food Bank

  Jonathan McNamara​ Last night, local twitter-users gathered at the Aloft Hotel in Tempe to socialize, try great food from local businesses as donate money to St. Mary's Food Bank during Twestival Local Phoenix. Twestival started as a Twitter-based meet-up but has grown into an event that benefits local charities all around the world from Seotember 10 -13. Attendees checked in and began sampling treats from Sweet Republic, Joe's Real BBQ and more amidst sipping drinks from the W XYZ bar a

  September 12, 2009

• Iron Chef 2: The Duel in the Desert Pits Mel Mecinas Against Payton Curry

  Jonathan McNamaraChef Mel Mecinas plates his final dish as time runs out. ​Allez-Cuisine! Whether you're viewing the uniquely Japanese original or Iron Chef America, the concept of pitting culinary greats against each other in a timed cooking battle has been proven time and time again to result in an amazing spectacle and tasty dishes. Last night's Iron Chef II: The Duel in the Desert sponsored by CRAVE Arizona 2009 and Arcadia Fine Wine proved no different. Held at the Sub Zero and Wol

  October 1, 2009

• First Taste: Smashburger in Tempe

  Jonathan McNamaraThe "All American Smashburger" with "Haystack Onions."​ The first thing you should know about Smashburger, the new burger joint that opened today on College Ave. in Tempe near the ASU Fulton Center, is that there are several items you won't find on the menu. No, I'm not talking about secret menu items all the cooks dole out to worthy patrons who know the right terminology and secret handshakes. I mean the menu varies from state to state undoubtedly in an attempt to fulfill

  October 7, 2009

• Tempe Farmer's Market In Photos

  Jonathan McNamaraAngie Dutton, Art Wong, and Diana Perrone, staff members at Tempe Farmer's Market​It seems that Tempe is hopping these days. First we announced a new bar, then a new burger joint and now a brand-new, daily farmer's market. We poked our noses in and checked the market out. What did we find? A lot of organic produce, fresh-baked bread, hummus, fresh sandwiches and a coin-operated horse. Check out the market in the photos below.Tempe Farmer's Market is open every day including

  October 12, 2009

• New Against Me! Record Will Be Called "White Crosses"

  Jonathan McNamara​I've been excited about the new Against Me! record since we got to hear half of it at the band's stellar Kia-sponsored show at The Icehouse a little while back. Now, it has a name: White Crosses. Bitch Vig (Nevermind, Siamese Dream, etc.) produced the record, which was finished in Los Angeles last week and is due at the beginning of 2010.w00t!

  October 22, 2009

• Microsoft Strikes Back: Touring the Microsoft Store

  Jonathan McNamaraThe Microsoft Store at Scottsdale Fashion Square​Just last week Scottsdale Fashion Square became a new home for chain department mega store Barneys New York and now this: the first ever Microsoft store. Jumping on the coat tails of another high-end computer store we won't mention, the Microsoft store is clean, shiny and covered in gleaming screens. In fact, walking by you might confuse it for, well, that other high-end computer store we won't mention. There were a few featur

  October 23, 2009

• Concert Review: Wait, Peaches is a Gay Icon?

  Jonathan McNamara​Stop me when this sounds like a Seinfeld episode: Our leading character, a music critic, decides to indulge an old vice on a Tuesday night, going out to see a foul-mouthed female electronica artist/rapper who amused him back in his college years. Upon arriving, he's surprised by how many people came out to see this show -- he has to park waaay down the street from the venue. And by how fashionable this ultra-eclectic crowd is -- there's everything from beardos to mohawked pun

  October 28, 2009

• Shonen Knife at Plush in Tucson

  Jonathan McNamaraNaoko Yamano of Shonen Knife​Here at Up on the Sun, we're constantly shaking our fists in frustration watching band after band head to Tucson and pass us by. Last night, we rebelled. If Tucson's going to take our bands, we're going to take Tucson! At least that was the sentiment running through my head as I barreled down I-10 toward the Shonen Knife show at Plush. Shonen Knife freaks will tell you that the band formed in 1981 in Osaka, Japan. They'll add that much of the

  November 5, 2009

• Ra Sushi's New Dishes

  Jonathan McNamaraRa appetizers.​Let's just get this out of the way: Ra Sushi is not Japanese cuisine. Not proper Japanese cuisine anyway. That being said, it can be delicious as I found out at a new menu tasting at Ra Sushi in North Scottsdale last night.

  November 11, 2009

• Concert Review: Everclear at The Big Pour

  Jonathan McNamaraEverclear at The Big Pour.​It's a well-established fact that the mark of a truly brilliant pop song is its ability to stand the test of time, captivating new generations or, at the very least, remaining meaningful to it's intended audience over a lifetime. As an admitted Gen X/Y cusper with a 90s obsession, I can't claim I'm an unbiased and wholly legitimate source when it comes to declaring the work of Portland-bred alt-rock icons Everclear to be on that level -- but it sure

  November 16, 2009

• Stuffing Showdown: Hot Italian Sausage Stuffing With Thyme

  Jonathan McNamara Where is my fork!?​From now 'til Thanksgiving, we'll be sharing various stuffing recipes -- all tested and taste-tested first-hand by Chow Bella contributors. On Thanksgiving Day, our "celebrity judge," New Times food critic Michele Laudig, will weigh in with her favorite of the lot. Yesterday we checked out Nicki Escudero's vegan "sausage" stuffing. Today's recipe is anything but vegan.

  November 20, 2009