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Q&A: Vincent Castiglia Paints Exclusively in His Own Blood (but Tried Semen Once)

Lots of artists stand out for designing some kick-ass metal covers -- like the recently deceased Storm Thorgerson, for example, who lent his art to everyone from Led Zeppelin to Black Sabbath over the course of 30 years. But when it comes to weaving together the heavy metal standard of horror, the d ... More >>

How to Make a Great Moscow Mule

Around the bar, it seems that this season's official cocktail is the Moscow Mule. Over the past few weeks, its popularity has skyrocketed. I'm a little surprised that people often say I make a really good one. It's such a simple drink, anyone should be able to put together a good one. See Also: Dri ... More >>

Music Fests Like Coachella Drive Concert Sales to New Heights

Tom Cruise's Oblivion Is Grand Until It's Not

For $40,000 You Can Get a Martini With a Four Karat Ruby In It

Last time we checked the most expensive cocktail in the world cost $13,000 but it seems that fancy drinks are a lot like gas: once their prices go up, they never come back down. We guess that means we shouldn't be surprised to hear there's a $40,000 drink available these days. At least you get a big ... More >>

Black Leaders in Phoenix Struggle to Retain Power in a District They've Historically Controlled

Phoenix Art Museum's Latest Show Is Not What You Might Expect -- in a Good Way

Yellow Minute Spaces Out

Most Pathetic Part of Eugene Maraventano's Alleged Murders?

Based on the cops' account, 64-year-old Eugene Maraventano's alleged murder of his wife and son were pathetic.Not only did Maraventano allegedly stab both of them to death for extraordinarily poor reasons, but he also tried unsuccessfully for the next four days to kill himself.See also:-Eugene Marav ... More >>

9 Things That Make Phoenix a Better Food (and Drink) Town than New York City

I've done it. I've committed to living in Phoenix again after spending years in Manhattan and Brooklyn. I was a student at NYU in a self-constructed program of Food and Environmental Studies, sourcing from personal experiences of discussing, working with and (mostly) consuming food in New York. I tr ... More >>

Eugene Maraventano Thought He Gave His Wife HIV and Believed His Son Was Handicapped, So He Killed Them Both, He Says

Eugene Maraventano, a 64-year-old Goodyear resident, told police this weekend that he stabbed his wife and son to death and failed to kill himself after multiple tries over the course of the next four days."I killed my wife and I killed my son; I can't kill myself," Maraventano told a 911 dispatcher ... More >>

Is Scottsdale's John Smith the Secret Love Child of Elvis Presley?

Best Kitchen Pranks from Valley Chefs

Welcome to Chow Bella's Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you'd like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com.With today being April Fools' Day, there's a good chance many of us will ei ... More >>

Sweet Republic's Helen Yung on Growing Up in Hong Kong, Investment Banking, and Foie

Helen Yung Sweet Republic 9160 East Shea Boulevard, Scottsdale 480-248-6979, www.sweetrepublic.com See also: -- Sweet Republic Makes U.S. News and World Report's List of America's Best Ice Cream -- Tastemaker 88: Jan Wichayanuparp and Helen Yung This is part one of my interview with Helen Yung, c ... More >>

Jim Carrey, Right on Gun Nuts, Fox News, Emma Stone...

Cold Dead Hand with Jim Carrey from Jim Carrey I've lived in New York, Los Angeles and a few places in between, but only in Arizona have I ever felt like I actually might need a gun. Not to protect myself from armed robbers and whatnot, but to protect myself from Sand Land's rabid gun nuts, ... More >>

Dark Star Orchestra To Bring an Acoustic Grateful Dead Set to MIM

There are an estimated 300 Grateful Dead tribute bands--by one website's account--including the Tempe-based Xtra Ticket. But of all those bands, only Dark Star Orchestra actually play the Dead. Let us be a little clearer. DSO picks a Grateful Dead show from a list of thousands spanning the Dead's 4 ... More >>

The Screwball Economics of Major League Baseball

Reclusive Neutral Milk Hotel Songwriter Steps Back into the Spotlight

Valley Sweets Expert Julia Baker Joins Paula Deen's Son Tonight for Dessert Edition of Not My Mama's Meals

Heavy Southern comfort food? Not in Bobby Deen's kitchen. See also: - Second Location of Essence Bakery Coming to Phoenix This Summer - 13 Best/Worst Jesus Cakes for Easter The son of Paula Deen, America's favorite butter enthusiast, Bobby Deen has a new show on the Cooking Channel called Not My ... More >>

Jacques Qualin of J&G Steakhouse on Head Cheese, Being an Apprentice, and Daniel Boulud

Jacques Qualin J&G Steakhouse The Phoenician Resort 6000 East Camelback Road, Scottsdale 480-214-8000, jgsteakhousescottsdale.com See also: -- Matt Pool on Chris Bianco, Andreoli Italian Grocer, and Phoenix as a Food Town -- Chef Kevin Binkley a Finalist for James Beard Award This is part one of ... More >>

Matt Taylor Becomes Head Honcho at Market Street Kitchen; Robert McGrath Stays On as Consultant

If you loved Matt Taylor's memorable Southern cooking at Metro Brasserie and Noca, here's a bit of good news: his new lunch and dinner menus -- loaded with Southern-inspired dishes he's given a decidedly eclectic spin -- roll out Wednesday, March 27 at Market Street Kitchen. See also: -- Matt Tayl ... More >>

Anthrax Gets Classic Rock with Anthems

You can't go wrong with a healthy dose of Anthrax in the morning. At least, that's what I thought as I listened to their new EP Anthems, released on Tuesday, March 19. Add that to the fact that these thrash metal legends are coming through town this Sunday on the Metal Alliance tour --alongside Ex ... More >>

Yasiin Bey AKA Mos Def, Celebrity Theatre, 3/21/13

Mos Def/Yasiin Bey @ Celebrity Theatre|3/21/13It's clear that Yasiin Bey A.K.A. Mos Def is one of the most likeable guys in hip-hop history. The 39-year-old rapper is most known for his critically acclaimed album Black on Both Sides, as well as his work with fellow New York emcee Talib Kweli, as the ... More >>

On the Road Is Tamed at Last

Michael Cimino Revisits His Notorious Flop Heaven's Gate, Which Maybe Was a Masterpiece All Along

Adam Leon's Stellar First Film — and TV show — Toasts the Tag Artist

Title Roll

Is the Michelin Guide Still Relevant?

Over a century old, the Michelin Guide, the star-ratings restaurant guide paid for by the French tire company, is arguably the best-known on the planet. See also: - What Are the Pros and Cons of Food Festivals? - What Are Three Cooking Skills Everyone Should Know? But recently, the guide has taken ... More >>

The Best Shows of SXSW 2013

This year, Houston Press music blog Rocks Off and Dallas Observer music blog DC-9 at Night, the music blog at our sister paper Dallas Observer, teamed up to bring you only the choicest moments from last week's SXSW madness. John Fogerty: Creedence Clearwater Revival survivor John Fogerty gets overl ... More >>

Former Guns N' Roses Manager Launches Arizona Record Label

Usually people move from places like the middle of nowhere to big industry cities like New York and Los Angeles to find musical success, and stay there. Not the other way around. But for former Guns N' Roses manager Alan Niven and his wife Heather Vincent-Niven, finding solace in Arizona's godfors ... More >>

Claudio Urciuoli on Olive Garden, Truffle Oil, and the Weirdest Thing He Ever Ate (Which Is Pretty Weird)

Claudio Urciuoli Noca 3118 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix 602-956-6622, restaurantnoca.com See also: -- Noca Re-Opens with New Look, New Breads and New Cocktail Program -- Noca Serves Up Wallet-Friendly Lunch with Nocawich This is part one of my interview with Claudio Urciuoli, the executive chef at ... More >>

Ten Raver Tips on How to Dress for Ultra 2013

By Liz Tracy They danced. They rolled. They yelled: Glitter! Yes, these are ten talkative fashionistas of Ultra Music Festival 2013. Certainly, there were some better dressed, and others more sensibly garbed. But the following folks found during night one of 2013's three-day shit fest -- they wer ... More >>

50 Important SXSW Questions

Editor: We have so many questions here in Austin. Here are 50 of them. 1. Will I like the pedicab costumed as The Hulk if he gets angry? 2. Are we all really just in New York? 3. Is this t-shirt rad? 4. Do you want to get some 'za, which is now absolutely the slang for pizza? 5. How far can you spr ... More >>

Climate Change May Lead to "Exodus from Phoenix," or Maybe Just Total Disaster

The end of Phoenix metro area may be nigh, at least, according to one guy.A writer who focuses mostly on environmental affairs in the Southwest says that Phoenix just keeps getting hotter, and among other problems, it could lead to a Superstorm Sandy-like or Hurricane Katrina-like disaster.

Judge Strikes Down NYC Soda Ban

A state Supreme Court Judge upended New York City's ban on some high-capacity sodas which was set to go into effect this Tuesday. Mayor Bloomberg, who championed the ban on some sodas over 16 ounces in size, was less than pleased and said that the judge had erred in his ruling. He also said that he ... More >>

Matt Pool On Chris Bianco, Andreoli Italian Grocer and Phoenix as a Food Town

Matt Pool Matt's Big Breakfast 825 N. 1st Street, Phoenix 602-254-1074, mattsbigbreakfast.com Giant Coffee 1437 N. 1st Street, Phoenix 602-396-7215 See also: -- Chili Challenge: TexAZ Grill vs. Matt's Big Breakfast -- Matt's Big Breakfast: New, Bigger Location Now Open This is part one of my i ... More >>

Enter to Win a Trip to New York for The James Beard Foundation Awards on May 6

Sure, Phoenix is far from being a favorite city of the JB foundation, but that doesn't mean we don't daydream about what it would be like to experience the biggest event in the culinary world. See also: - 2013 James Beard Award Semifinalists Announced: Four Arizona Candidates Make the Cut Aside ... More >>

Jared Porter of The Parlor on Vincent Guerithault and Working in Michael DeMaria's Kitchen

This is part two of my interview with Jared Porter, executive chef of The Parlor. If you missed part one, where Porter dished about cooking with chemicals and the problem with foodies, read it here. See also: -- Aaron Chamberlin Dishes on Daniel Boulud, Jean-Georges and What He Learned at LGO -- Cl ... More >>

Matt & Kim Make the Best NSFW Videos Ever

Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino do whatever they want. They play with whatever kind of bands they want, they get naked in videos, they do the "Harlem Shake," and they picked a band name, Matt & Kim, that immediately establishes their singular style of indie/pop. See also: -Matt Johnson of Matt & Ki ... More >>

Mesa Doctor Gabriel Ogbonnaya Found Not Guilty of a Dozen Sex-Abuse Charges

A Mesa doctor who was charged with a dozen sex-abuse charges in 2010 was found not guilty yesterday by a jury of his peers.Gabriel Ogbonnaya, who was a physician with Healing Touch Internal Medicine in Mesa, was accused by multiple women of making sexual advances toward them in his capacity as a doc ... More >>

Charleen Badman: On Male Chefs, Cooking for Famous People, and the Irrelevance of Her Lady Parts

This is part two of my interview with Charleen Badman, chef and co-owner of FnB, AZ Wine Merchants and Bodega. If you missed part one, in which Badman praised Lori Hashimoto, described her first meeting with Chris Bianco's mom, and talked about the kitchen phrase she hates, read it here. See also: ... More >>

Charleen Badman: On Lori Hashimoto, Chris Bianco's Mom, and the Kitchen Phrase That Gets Under Her Skin

Charleen Badman FnB 7125 East Fifth Avenue, Suite 31, Scottsdale 480-284-4777, www.fnbrestaurant.com See also: -- Charleen Badman and Pavle Milic to Open FnB on Craftsman Court on Tuesday -- FnB's Charleen Badman Tells Food & Wine Her Favorite Places to Eat, Shop and Sleep in the Valley -- 15 Met ... More >>

Top Five Phoenix Food and Restaurant News Stories of the Week

Every week, there's a cornucopia of Phoenix food news, features, and reviews to report here at Chow Bella. If you're like most people, you probably just don't have the time to get to all of it. It's kind of like those burgers at Old Town Whiskey; it just won't all fit in your mouth ... or in this ca ... More >>

Disappearing Ink: What Will Happen to All the Books?

Paint Your Pizza Lets You Paint a Pizza Online and Then Have It Delivered

Paintyourpizza.com is an app that lets you "paint" a pizza on your computer using something that looks an awful lot like Microsoft paint, then pay for that pizza and have it delivered to you in all of its terrible glory. The program gives you the option of painting collaboratively with other users o ... More >>

Picture Show

H. Joseph Ehrmann: On San Francisco's Cocktail Culture Past and Present

Chef Salad takes a detour this week to interview some of the leading beverage industry experts in the country -- all of whom have been participating in the second annual AZ Cocktail Week. Seminars were held at the Hotel Valley Ho. If you missed yesterday's interviews with Tony Abou-Ganim and Adam Se ... More >>

2013 James Beard Award Semifinalists Announced: Four Arizona Candidates Make the Cut

The James Beard Foundation Awards, also known as the Oscars of the culinary world, announced today its annual restaurant and chef semifinalists for 2013. As in years past, the list is gigantic, but come mid-March it will feature just a short selection of nominees. See also: Crudo Chef Cullen Campbe ... More >>

Excavating Heavy Metal's Blues and Jazz Roots

"The blues was like that problem child that you may have had in the family. You was a little bit ashamed to let anybody see him, but you loved him. You just didn't know how other people would take it." --B.B. King "Metal confronts what we'd rather ignore. It celebrates what we often deny. It indulg ... More >>

Arizona Produces More Porn Stars Than 43 Other States (Perhaps)

According to what appears to be very important research, Arizona-born folks tend to show up in pornographic movies more often than most other states.In fact, according to a 10,000-porn-star sample taken by writer Jon Millward, only six states have produced more porn stars than Arizona.See also:-Back ... More >>