Northern California

Big Brain Awards 2013

Michael Babcock and Jenn Robinson: 2013 Big Brain Awards Finalists, Culinary

You submitted nominations for awards given to the Valley's emerging creatives and the results are in. Introducing our Big Brain 2013 Finalists. Leading up to the Big Brain Award awards announcement and celebration on April 27, Chow Bella and Jackalope Ranch will introduce the finalists. Up today: ... More >>

Original Breakfast House: A.M. Eats and S.O.S. in Northeast Phoenix

When a new spot opens in town, we can't wait to check it out -- and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that have just opened, sampling a few item ... More >>

Friends of the James Beard Benefit Dinner Last Night in Scottsdale

If you've ever wondered why chefs do what they do, look no further than a kitchen on a night like last night to find the answer. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it takes an army of chefs to put on a James Beard-worthy meal -- and they have a whole lot fun doing it. See also: - ... More >>

Rebelution: Reggae Rockers Brave Cold Season for Winter Greens Tour

While Mother Nature continues to wreak havoc on our thermostats, most people are bundling up and keeping indoors during the chilly season. Everyone except California-based reggae rockers Rebelution that is. The Santa Barbara-natives are ditching the warm embrace of their sandy sunny digs to embark o ... More >>

With Praying Monk, Aaron May Continues to Go His Own Way

New Food Truck Alert: Old Dixie's Southern Kitchen

Pie Social's just around the corner and if you're wondering about the savory options to counteract the inevitable excess of sweet, don't worry, we've got you covered. Let us present Old Dixie's Southern Kitchen. From Northern California to Nashville, New Orleans and Phoenix, Michael Babcock has be ... More >>

Two Great After Dinner Drinks: Stinger and Golden Cadillac

Ring the bell, it's time for Last Call, where JK Grence, bartender at Shady's, serves up booze advice and recipes. Got a burning question for your bartender? Leave it in the comments and it might be answered in a future column. The other day, someone emailed me an excellent question. Namely: What ... More >>

Minibosses Gear Up for Their 250th Show

If you're a diehard fan of video games and you've never listened to The Minibosses, you should be ashamed of yourself. The local band by way of Massachusetts performs rock versions of classic Nintendo video game soundtracks. The Minibosses are scheduled to perform their 250th show at Yucca Tap Roo ... More >>

Bouquet: Tom Filardo (ex-Asleep In the Sea) Crafts Dark Pop; Tours with Mt. Eerie

See also: Filardo, "I Can Love You More" See also: Key Losers' Katy Davidson: "Phoenix Is Way Cooler than Portland, In a Lot of Ways." Discussing the inspiration behind his new dark pop outfit Bouquet, Tempe songwriter Tom Filardo says the idea is fairly literal: a number of self-contained contribu ... More >>

Beach Boys, Grand Canyon University Arena, 7/7/12

Beach Boys Grand Canyon University Arena Saturday, July 7, 2012 See also: The Beach Boys' Al Jardine On The Band's Wild and Woolly Days, 50th Anniversary and New Album See also: Beach Boys Brian Wilson and Al Jardine Reflect on 50 Years of West Coast Pop See also: Our full Beach Boys (and Fans) @ G ... More >>

The Beach Boys on 50 Years of West Coast Mythology

Dead Winter Carpenters: Not Your Typical Virtuoso Punky Bluegrass Combo

Dead Winter Carpenters are another group of virtuoso musicians toiling in bluegrass obscurity. But it shouldn't--and won't always--be that way? Though it would be easy to write this band off as another Yonder Mountain String Band or Trampled by Turtles knock-off giving a punk spin to tradgrass as t ... More >>

Nine Places in Arizona to Pick Your Own Summer Produce

If you think that you have to live in Portland or Northern California to participate in the gratifying experience of picking your own fruit off a tree (or bush) then you are wrong. Arizona has all sorts of places to pick your own produce -- apples, blackberries,artichokes, cucumber, peaches, and mor ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Beaten By Houston Rockets as Steve Nash is Named to the All-Star Team

​Yesterday had both its highs and lows for the Phoenix Suns. First the good news: Steve Nash was named to this year's NBA All-Star team as a reserve on Thursday, which shouldn't come as a surprise based on his outstanding play thus far in the season (including leading the league in assists). A ... More >>

Radio Moscow: Escaping to the Woods With Parker Griggs

Say what you will about the changing commercial landscape of the music industry, but record labels still matter. Anyone can upload some tunes to BandCamp, but the stamp of approval from a great record label can still inspire confidence in the heart of a record browser. Labels still serve as expert c ... More >>

Indie Pop Hero Allen Clapp Offers Sumptuous and Sunny Second Disc from His Orchestra

Mystery Lawn Music/Minty Fresh Records Allen Clapp, center, and his Orchestra light up the night.​If sunshine were audible, it would probably sound a lot like Allen Clapp's music. Based in the Bay Area, the Northern California native has been producing a gorgeous soundtrack to the Golden State ... More >>

We Were Here: Five San Franciscans Remember the AIDS Crisis

Marijuana Legalization Opponent Richard Valdemar Tells Cartel Vs. Hippies Tale That Seems to Support Need for Legalization

Retired Los Angeles Sheriff's Office Deputy Richard Valdemar, who now lives in Arizona, says that legalizing marijuana won't hurt drug cartels.​ Richard Valdemar believes the central character of his medical-marijuana story would be executed by a Mexican drug cartel if he was named, so he refe ... More >>

Should Police Be Taking an Extra Hard Look at Mother of Missing 5-Year-Old Jahessye Shockley?

KPHOJahessye Shockley's parents, George Shockley and Jerice Hunter. Yep...those are mugshots.​Jahessye Shockley, a Glendale 5-year-old, has been missing for what is now over two days.Frankly, as MSNBC holds hourly updates on the search for missing Kansas City baby Lisa Irwin, we figured the disapp ... More >>

Slightly Stoopid's Rymo On the Band's New Album, Surfing, and BBQ

Silverback Management/Slightly Stoopid​ The members of Slightly Stoopid have been making music together for more than a decade. Slightly Stoopid's sound is varied. Its six members wield an array of instruments including congas, harp, trumpet, keyboard and saxophone. They've toured with such ... More >>

Christopher Gross' Perfect Food Day

Christopher Gross​ We've known and loved Chef Christopher Gross' French-inspired cuisine for so many years -- we guess you could say we have a "crush" on him - sorry, couldn't resist. For a little fun, Chef Gross likes to fly across the pond and jump on his bike to give it a spin. This is him at ... More >>

Teaching Spanish to White Kids Is All the Rage -- Even in Mexican-Bashing Arizona

Out of Reverie Tour: Day 5

Jake KraussThe farm​ Out of Reverie finally played a show today. After days of inactivity, the guys killed it at a house show in Eugene. The promoter for the Eugene Underground show up-and-disappeared and a friend stepped in to give us a place to play. We woke up at Jake's family farm in N ... More >>

Out of Reverie Tour: Day 4

Out of Reverie is finally back on the road. We got off to a late start in the morning, so we ended up arriving a little late to the Shine Coffee Shop in Sacramento. Rena, the place's proprietor, was very cool about it, though, and still had a spot for the band following the open mic.

Out of Reverie Tour: Day 2

The band and I had the chance to spend another day with the Dain Griffin's very hospitable and friendly family. We also got to walk around the neighborhood for a bit and enjoy some nice (78 degree) sunny weather.

Anthony Spinato's Get Meaty Pizza

Kholood EidIn the kitchen with Anthony Spinato.​ In the kitchen with: Anthony Spinato Making: Get Meaty Pizza This week, Chow Bella gets a behind-the-scenes look into the fifth--and newest--location of Spinato's Pizzeria in Ahwatukee. After the lunch rush on a recent summer d ... More >>

Medical Marijuana Is Under Attack in Arizona Again -- But This Time, Voters and Patients Hold the High Ground

Free Yoppi Yogurt and Chicken Waffles on a Stick in Today's Eater's Digest

snappygourmet.com​Hungry for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives?It's free yogurt day! Yoppi Frozen Yogurt is inviting everyone down to their new south Tempe yogurt shop for a free cup of their frozen yogurt. The yogurt chain first opened in Northern Califo ... More >>

Homemade Tofu

Carol Blonder fresh tofu​I got my first taste of fresh tofu in Northern California, and I was immediately taken by the mellow flavor and creamy texture. It was nothing like the store bought, mostly firm tofu I had been cooking with. Like a taste of freshly prepared ricotta cheese ... More >>

Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, May 26, 2011

Ask a Mexican on Manifest Destiny and Going to Museums

Papago Brewing's 'Pliny On Tap' April Fool's Day Prank Backfires

http://twitter.com/papagobrewing Papago Brewing has removed all mentions of the Pliny prank from Facebook, but forgot to scrub Twitter. The apology tweet here goes to a dead link. ​An April Fool's Day prank by Scottsdale's Papago Brewing backfired Friday. In fact, the situation is ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Fall To Oklahoma Thunder After Fouling Up The Fourth Quarter

www.nba.com/sunsVince Carter had his best game yet in a Phoenix Suns uniform, but couldn't help his team get past the Oklahoma Thunder on Friday night.​The Phoenix Suns ended their latest homestand on a down note on Friday night, losing to the Oklahoma Thunder 111-107 despite a heroic scoring effo ... More >>

Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, January 27, 2011

Becky Windels of The Herb Box - Part Two

​Yesterday, we heard from Chef Becky Windels at The Herb Box. Today, the conversation continues... Windels is as much a savvy businesswoman as she is a chef. "We run our business like a business," she says. "We have lot of amazing people, and we keep them on task." Thanks to that ... More >>

ASU, UA Men's Basketball Teams Struggle During Oregon Trip To Start Pac-10 Season

We got a chance to watch a lot of basketball on TV over the holiday, between, of course, doing chores and "catching up" with stuff around the house.​We especially were interested in the start of the Pacific-10 basketball race, and what we expect will be a topsy-turvy season with no one team (with ... More >>

Fund-Blazer

Learn about the green that makes more green

Fishtank Ensemble

Born from the jammin' of a traveling show

Lord of the Kings

Suns look to sweep Sacramento

Youth In Revolt: The Cult Novel Must Continue It’s Search for a Worthy Film Adaptation

Singer-Songwriter Brett Dennen Finishes Our Thoughts

Behind the Bar: Belle Alvarez at Palazzo

Benjamin LeathermanBelle Alvarez hangs out at Palazzo in downtown Phoenix.​Belle Alvarez admits she doesn't believe in vampires, period. It doesn't matter if they're the vintage bloodsuckers you read about in Bram Stoker's tomes or the more sparkly sanguinators that will be flying across silver ... More >>

Oakville Grocery Co. Coming Soon to Scottsdale Quarter

​Oakville Grocery Co., a California-based market cafe founded in 1881 that's considered by many to be the West Coast version of Dean & Deluca, is getting ready to open its doors in early December at the new Scottsdale Quarter shopping complex -- already home to hot retailers like H&M ... More >>

On the Mexican-Salvadoran Rivalry, and Hiding Away Artistic Talents

Kai Alum Takes Over at Central Grille

It's only been open two months, but Sunnyslope's Central Grille is already undergoing a menu overhaul -- and an upgrade, from the sounds of it. Executive chef Bruce Griffin III, who took the helm in the kitchen last week, is the former sous chef at the AAA Five Diamond dining destination Kai, a ... More >>

Recipe: The Dragon Berry Mojito from Merc Bar

Lauren Gilger Barry Solomon with the Dragon Berry Mojito at Merc Bar.When Barry Solomon was 12 years old, he got a job in a restaurant. Apparently, they let you do things a little prematurely in small towns like the one he came from in northern California.  "I didn't want to be a shop ... More >>

We May Be Losing Cultural Cornerstones Like ASU’s “Duke” Reiter and SMoCA’s Susan Krane, but Just As Much Talent Is Coming to the Valley As Leaving It

Cloning With the Devil

If you build them a replica, they will come. Van Halen, AC/DC, Rush and Mötley Crüe tribute bands have more than just their members wigging out.

ZEROING IN ON ZERO-DOWNLIKE VAMPIRES, LAWYERS GOUGING THE POOR WITH QUICK-FIX BANKRUPTCIES