Soft Drinks

Punch Your Coworkers

Gilbert gal gets cook-off kudos

Hideous cakes from hell . . .

Brew Review: Red Bull Cola

SECOND HELPINGS

Dew Process

Best Reason to Visit the State Capitol

Capitol Coffee Co.
1722 West Van Buren
602-716-0243

Best Place For A First Date

Farrelli's Cinema Supper Club

BEST FRIED OKRA

Lil' Mama's Soul Cafe

BEST WATER CART

Vincent on Camelback

BEST MEAL DURING RED ALERT

Sonora Brewhouse Pub & Restaurant

Pop Culture: Faygo Goes Fancy

By Martin Cizmar Few sodas divide like Faygo. The Detroit soda is maligned by many because it’s cheap, super sweet and associated with Insane Clown Posse-loving Juggalos. On the other hand it’s beloved because it’s cheap, super sweet, and also associated with happy Midwestern childhoods sp ... More >>

Pop Culture: Sidral Mundet

As a pop-head, I'm not exaggerating when I say that one my favorite things about living in Phoenix is the availability of Mexican sodas. Mexicans are the only people who drink more soda per capita than Americans, and they have a truly amazing array of flavors: usually fruity, a little sweeter and l ... More >>

Pop Culture: Wal-Mart's Grapefruit Soda

Normally the tasting team and I go in to these pop culture reviews on essentially equal footing, none of us terribly familiar with the product at hand. This time I threw the tasters -- Jonathan, Jasmine, Peter and Jay -- a bit of a curve ball, serving up one of my all-time favorite sodas, Wal-m ... More >>

Pop Culture: Peñafiel Strawberry

As I've written before, here in Phoenix we have amazing access to Mexican sodas - not to mention a store that sells nothing but soda - making this a truly great place to explore unusual soft drinks. Peñafiel Strawberry isn't quite an obscure soft drink, but it's not widely available stateside. I g ... More >>

Pop Culture: Coke, Pepsi and RC Face Off in Cherry Form

It's easy to forget now, when there are over a dozen flavors of Coca-Cola available, but a bottled cherry cola -- as opposed to the sort of cherry colas mixed up traditionally at drugstores and diners -- was once a revolution. Like you'd probably expect, Coke came up with it, Pepsi borrowed the idea ... More >>

Cherry 7UP with Antioxidants Reviewed

It seems like every product on the market nowadays has to make a nod toward either being "green" or being healthy, so it is that we get the new Cherry 7Up with antioxidants. Now, if you live in Arizona you probably don't suffer from a shortage of vitamin E, the antioxidant in this bottle, but it's ... More >>

Pop Culture: Mountain Dew Voltage

I'm not sure when the last time I had a Mountain Dew was, but the last time I remember enjoying one was back when the brand's Code Red flavor came out. I have vivid memories of using the stuff to wash down Flamin' Hot Cheetos while listening to The Writing's On The Wall.The Pepsi brand has released ... More >>

Pop Culture: Dry Soda (Lemongrass)

As I've mentioned a few times before, our tasting panel seems to loathe super-sweet sodas. In our last review, we made them get over it to appreciate Mountain Dew Voltage, a brilliant new Pepsi product. This week, we picked up something your dentist would like: Dry Soda's Lemongrass. With 50 calorie ... More >>

Agwa brews

As I've mentioned a few times before, our tasting panel seems to loathe super-sweet sodas. In our last review, we made them get over it to appreciate Mountain Dew Voltage, a brilliant new Pepsi product. This week, we picked up something your dentist would like: Dry Soda's Lemongrass. With 50 calorie ... More >>

The White Stripes

Icky Thump
(Warner Bros./WEA)

Meet Cute

Dueling luncheonettes

I'll take care of your kids!

For troubled 'tweens, forget the parents: Nothing beats the hip techie uncle with the PC room

Movie Madness

Grand reopening at the Valley Art Theatre

FIZZIN' EXPEDITIONPOPPING QUESTIONS ABOUT MEXICAN COKE

Grand reopening at the Valley Art Theatre

Local Lyricist Maja Rapping for McDonald's

Luke Holwerda Does anyone remember this guy? He's Maja, the local rapper, lyricist and anime-enthusiast who Benjamin Leatherman profiled back in 2007 because of his unique brand of hip-hop, which he called a "fusion of urban culture and dorkdom chic." Well, it's been a few years, but his name ... More >>

Concert Review: Kurt Vile and the Violators at Modified Arts

BY MIKE ESCOTO Shawn Anderson courtesy of ElectricMustache.com​In preparation for Tuesday night's concert at Modified Arts I spent a good chunk of my day listening to the latest album from Philadelphia singer/songwriter Kurt Vile. Although Vile (yes that is his real name) has released three solo a ... More >>

Caffiend: Jolt Orange Blast

E. Groves​Since it was introduced in 1985, Jolt Cola's had a well-deserved reputation as one of the world's most caffeinated sodas, proudly standing by its motto of "All the sugar and twice the caffeine" -- at least until the cane sugar in the original recipe was replaced with high fructose corn s ... More >>

Laarks

E. Groves​Since it was introduced in 1985, Jolt Cola's had a well-deserved reputation as one of the world's most caffeinated sodas, proudly standing by its motto of "All the sugar and twice the caffeine" -- at least until the cane sugar in the original recipe was replaced with high fructose corn s ... More >>

Newsflash: You Have to Be Bitchy to Make it in Beverly Hills, in this week's "TV Dinner"

If TV has taught us anything about Beverly Hills, it's that it's full of super-rich, catty a-holes who are beautiful, own Chihuahuas, and are anti-Clampett. For once, can't somebody tell these folks where they can stick their Chanel? Hey, maybe someone on Food Network's new scripted reality show, P ... More >>

Sangria: Monday Night Martha

​Welcome Spring. Pick a reason: the Arizona Diamondbacks' home opener, consumption of too many chocolate eggs, a beautiful 78 degree day here in the Valley. Any reason will do to make Sangria. We've decided to try out this Martha Stewart sangria recipe. This wine punch, typical of Spain an ... More >>

Top 5 Least Fattening Cocktails

fashiontribes.typepad.comOh to be drunk and skinny.​Last week we featured the Top 5 Cocktails That Will Make You Fat, so it's only fair to follow it up with what you may want to drink instead. Let's be frank: if you're trying to lose weight, you should probably stop drinking altogether; but ... More >>

Behind the Bar: Tyler Christensen at Malee's Thai Bistro

​Not only is Tyler Christensen the bar manager at Malee's Thai Bistro, but he's also a musician, world traveler (where he picks up ingredients and ideas for drink creations) and public-transit advocate. Oh, and did we mention he started his own independent record label?One of Christensen's other p ... More >>

Jack in the Box's 3 for $3 and the Battle for Economical Satisfaction

​Not only is Tyler Christensen the bar manager at Malee's Thai Bistro, but he's also a musician, world traveler (where he picks up ingredients and ideas for drink creations) and public-transit advocate. Oh, and did we mention he started his own independent record label?One of Christensen's other p ... More >>

7UP Fireworks Spectacular

​Not only is Tyler Christensen the bar manager at Malee's Thai Bistro, but he's also a musician, world traveler (where he picks up ingredients and ideas for drink creations) and public-transit advocate. Oh, and did we mention he started his own independent record label?One of Christensen's other p ... More >>

Caffiend: X-Drinx Kosmic Kola

​When it comes to high-octane sodas, few brands can compare to Jolt cola, which generally packs more than twice the caffeine of supercharged pops like Mountain Dew. But one fairly new "energy cola," X-Drinx, comes pretty darn close to Jolt-power.A 12-ounce bottle of X-Drinx Kosmic Kola contains un ... More >>

Caffiend: Black-Eyed Duce

E. Groves​The Duce, a new shopping and dining compound in Central Phoenix, offers everything from retro cocktails in the bar area to vintage French military fatigues in the shopping center. But one of the coolest components of this hub is a soda stand run by Jeff Guarino, owner of Pop the Soda Sho ... More >>

Rocket Burger & Subs' Sandwiches Go Down Easy with One of the Restaurant's More Than 200 Brands of Soda

E. Groves​The Duce, a new shopping and dining compound in Central Phoenix, offers everything from retro cocktails in the bar area to vintage French military fatigues in the shopping center. But one of the coolest components of this hub is a soda stand run by Jeff Guarino, owner of Pop the Soda Sho ... More >>

Pop the Soda Shop Closes and Moves to Downtown Phoenix

​Pop the Soda shop was always the place where you could find those rare, nostalgic beverages that seem to pre-date beverage behemoths like Pepsi and Coke. Birch beer, sarsaparilla, Moxie, and countless kinds of cola filled the shelves of the longstanding store in South Scottsdale. Now t ... More >>

Arizona is Getting Fat; Researchers Say Fast Food, Lack of Grocery Stores to Blame

newsgroper.com​The good news: Arizona placed in the top 10 in a national ranking. The bad news: It's a list of the top 10 states with the deadliest eating habits. According to financial news website 24/7 Wall St., Arizona has the ninth-deadliest eating habits in the country, a ranking based on gr ... More >>

Executed Murderer Eric King's Last Meal: Catfish, Collard Greens, and Corn Bread

Catfish, collard greens, and cornbread: yum.​If there's one good thing about getting executed, it's the food.Eric John King was put to death this morning for the 1989 murders of two men at a Phoenix convenience store -- but he didn't die hungry.According to the Arizona Department of Correcti ... More >>

Bernie Kantak's Pan-Seared Scallops with Roasted Corn Grits

Citizen Public House​Yesterday, we caught up with Chef Bernie Kantak of Citizen Public House in Old Town Scottsdale. Today, the busy chef shares a recipe for a dish that's currently on tap for Arizona Spring Restaurant Week.Pan seared scallops with roasted corn grits, snow pea greens and red rock ... More >>

Top Five Beers for the Road

Only one thing could improve this view -- ice cold beers ​Yes, you read that right. Beer for the road -- a.k.a. Road Sodas. Seriously, it's road trip season and what makes road trips more fun? Beer, duh. Okay before you freak out, we're not talking about drinking beer while operating a vehic ... More >>

Make Your Own Harry Potter Butterbeer

Food alchemy: Trying to turn ordinary cream soda into butterbeer.​In honor of this Friday's release of the long-awaited Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, The Virgin found it fitting to try to recreate one of the most magically delicious-sounding libations from the film series: Butt ... More >>

Hot Fudge Root Beer Float Cupcakes: Consigliere to the Cupcake Mob

How Sweet It Is​Is there no getting out of the cupcake mob? "Every time I try to get out, they pull me back in." -- AHHHHH! CUPCAKE GODFATHER! As much as I'd like to pass this one up, I simply cannot. Seriously, a hot fudge root beer float cupcake? With root beer frosting? That's fizzy? Fizzy ... More >>

Carla Logan's Olive Tapanade

Kholood Eid​In the kitchen with: Carla Logan, aka Carly Making: olive tapenade It's a sweltering July afternoon, but inside Carly's Bistro it's dim and cool, with blinds drawn to filter out the light. And although we came during the lull between lunch and dinner, the owner's life is plenty ... More >>

Talking Tonic with Rancho Pinot's Travis Nass

Image via Apartment Therapy Take a sip back in time with Rancho Pinot's gin and tonic featuring homemade tonic​When it comes to classic cocktail perfection, it's hard to beat the Gin and Tonic. Crisp, well-balanced and crystal clear, drop in a few ice cubes and a slice of lime, and you've g ... More >>

Spotted Donkey Cantina Concocts "The Cauldron" for Halloween

​Not to be outdone by "The Undead" and "Brain Dead," two Halloween hooches offered up by Hula's Modern Tiki in Central Phoenix, the Spotted Donkey Cantina at el Pedregal, the North Scottsdale spot of Southwest-Mexican cuisine, has created a scary cocktail of their own, and they're calling it, ... More >>

Science Friday

​Not to be outdone by "The Undead" and "Brain Dead," two Halloween hooches offered up by Hula's Modern Tiki in Central Phoenix, the Spotted Donkey Cantina at el Pedregal, the North Scottsdale spot of Southwest-Mexican cuisine, has created a scary cocktail of their own, and they're calling it, ... More >>

Five Favorite Sonoran Dogs in the Valley

Flickr- Accidental HedonistSonoran dogs, bacon-wrapped and piled high with goodness.​A good Sonoran hot dog is the sum of all its parts, from the bacon down to the bun. And honestly, we could care less whether or not Arizona was the first to bacon-wrap a hot dog. So long as we get to benefit f ... More >>