We've already rounded up our reasons for loving Arizona in the summertime. So, desert dwellers, here's a reason to love Arizona this weekend: There's a ton to do. Here are our top five picks for how to spend the next few days.
Cory Basil's "Skinny Dipping in Daylight" @ Astor House It sounds like an appealing alternative to the Valley's summer temperatures, but "Skinny Dipping in Daylight" is the debut poetry collection from Cory Basil -- who returns to his home state this week with a reading at Coronado eatery Astor House.
Basil describes his work as both introspective and vulnerable. Expect to hear pieces like, "All of this Madness for a Cup of Coffee" ("about the lemming-like nature of society and lack of true connection," he says) and "Falling Like Leaves," which "speaks of the power of aging and our inability to defeat it."
See also: 11 Reasons to Love Summer in Arizona "The Art of Video Games" Now Open at Phoenix Art Museum 5 Favorite Vintage Shops on 7th Avenue in Phoenix
Cocktails and a small plate menu will be available for prose-goers, and local musical duo (and married couple) The Bear and the Bird also perform.
Take a dip from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, June 21, at Astor House, 2243 North 12th Street. Admission is free; copies of the book will be available for $20. Call 602-687-9775 for details. -- Janessa Hilliard
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Cincinnati Reds @ Chase Field The Arizona Diamondbacks have had plenty of good seasons, but their successes always seem to be fleeting. An NL West title in 1999 was followed by a mediocre 2000, the team that won the World Series in 2001 was a bottom dweller by 2003, the run to the 2007 NLCS was followed by three seasons of mediocrity, and the team that won the division in 2011 fell to third in 2012. None of this is an indictment of the franchise, but it provides a valuable lesson for Diamondbacks fans: enjoy it while it lasts.
There's no telling what next year holds for the D-Backs, but they appear to be having another good season this year. You can catch the Diamondbacks at Chase Field, 401 East Jefferson Street. Friday, June 21, when they open a series against the reigning NL Central champion Cincinnati Reds. First pitch will be at 6:40 p.m. Tickets start at $5. Visit www.azdbacks.com or call 602-462-6500. -- Ed Kummerer
In Flux: Cycle 3 Multi-City Tour @ Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts It's common to see chartered party buses pull up to nightlife hot spots and deploy hollering bros and dolled-up divas. Scottsdale Public Art flips the script on Saturday, June 22, by gathering culture-minded passengers for IN FLUX Cycle 3 Multi-City Art Tour.
IN FLUX was founded in 2010, to connect local artists to local businesses and spaces to create temporary site-specific art installations. It's grown to include Goodyear, Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Chandler. Leading the air-conditioned journey to sights all across the Valley from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. are tour guides and Road Trip Bingo leaders Leslie Barton and Michael Weakley, a pair of performance polyglots. The lunch-break picnic includes an acoustic performance from rockers Rough Tough Dynamite. When the tour bus circles back to Scottsdale, adventurers will enjoy free admission to SMoCA.
The tour starts at 9 a.m. at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7373 East Second Street. The tour is all-ages. Tickets are $15 and include lunch. Visit www.influxaz.com for more info. -- Jose Gonzalez Downloaded Screening @ FilmBar Maybe it's 'cause we're Millennials and all, but we sure as shit didn't sympathize with Metallica's Lars Ulrich when he decided to take on/down Napster. We don't want to be force-fed your MTV; give us the music.
And, in case you hadn't heard, that stance has had quite the effect on the music industry - a negative one, maybe mostly. Like it or not, the ramifications and innovations spurred by Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker's file sharing service have been great. That's what Alex Winter's documentary Downloaded explores: the digital revolution. Winter examines the changes and their impact through interviews with record execs, including former Sony Music Chairman Don Ienner, such musicians as Noel Gallagher and Mike D from The Beastie Boys, and the pair of Napster founders themselves.
The film shows at 10 p.m. Saturday, June 22, at FilmBar. Tickets to the 21-and-over screening are $8. Visit www.thefilmbarphx.com or call 602-595-9187. -- Becky Bartkowski
Lunar Flow @ The Clarendon When the sun goes down, the yoga mats come out. Sutra Midtown and the Clarendon Hotel invite you to bend and stretch in the full moon glow with an all-levels yoga class happening throughout the summer.
This month's Lunar Flow session will feature instruction by Christian O'Connell and beats by DJ Y Knot on Sunday, June 23.
Lunar Flow will occur every full moon of the summer through August. Flow classes take place poolside from 8 to 9 p.m. at 401 West Clarendon Avenue. Space is limited. Tickets are $5 and benefit the studio's Karma Sutra Initiative. For more info, visit www.sutramidtown.com or call 602-253-9525. -- Katie Johnson
For more things to do each and every day, peep New Times' Calendar of Events.
