If Bob Ross were alive today, he'd be painting happy little trees all over the place in ecstatic fervor for all the arts and culture happenings in Phoenix. To help you see the forest for the trees, here's a recap of the top arts and culture stories of the week.
8 Reasons Hiking in Phoenix Is Awesome
As the heat wave rolls on and we start to question our commitment to 120-degree weather, let's take a moment to remember the amazing things about Phoenix and the state of Arizona as a whole. We may not be Boulder, Portland, or Seattle, but we have incredible outdoor activities at our fingertips.
Here are some reasons why it is so wonderful to hike in and around Phoenix.
-Nina Gruber
Monsterland in Mesa Won't Re-Open
Grab a shovel and heap some extra dirt onto the grave of Monsterland -- it turns out the horror-themed Mesa venue apparently won't be resurrected. Nope, despite previous proclamations to the contrary, it seems the defunct haunted attraction and event space, which closed in January, will stay dead and buried, as owner Kevin Wynn reportedly has other plans.
Here's the full story on Monsterland.
-Benjamin Leatherman
Paul Frank Collaborates with Native American Designers for Fall 2013 Collection
Jessica R. Metcalfe complains. It comes with the territory, being a prominent watchdog blogger and scholar who covers and studies how Native American imagery is appropriated for fashion.
She calls designers and companies out on her blog, Beyond Buckskin, when they misuse Native imagery (think: headdresses on the Victoria's Secret runway, "Navajo" print panties at Urban Outfitters). Sometimes they apologize; sometimes they don't. She complains, and usually that's it.
But when Metcalfe (who is Turtle Mountain Chippewa) lodged a complaint against family-friendly clothing and accessories company Paul Frank Industries in September 2012, the brand's response surprised her.
-Becky Bartkowski
5 Favorite Vintage Shops on Roosevelt Row in Phoenix
Downtown Phoenix's Roosevelt Row is home to some of the most eclectic shops in Arizona, and they're within only a few blocks (sometimes steps) of each other. The shops near Roosevelt are a reflection of the diverse people in the area that seamlessly cohabit in close proximity. Everyone brings something to the table whether it be glamorous frocks, rock 'n' roll T-shirts, earthy blouses, western wear, or hipster Hawaiian print shorts. The shops come to life on First Fridays, but they really shine during the day, when things are a little quieter.
Check out JR's five favorite vintage shops on Roosevelt Row.
-Jessica Dollin
True Blood: The 10 Best Sex Scenes (NSFW)
There are those who say that Truebies (a.k.a. fans of the HBO series True Blood) only watch the show for its plentiful, raunchy, and often blood-soaked sex scenes. While in plenty of cases that's not entirely true, no one seems to be complaining about seeing Nordic hottie Alexander Skarsgård, who plays Eric Northman, get naked or Ryan Kwanten's character Jason Stackhouse bone, like, everyone on set.
A few seasons ago it seemed like we couldn't go more than 10 minutes without watching someone get it on -- hell, there was a whole plot line about a supernatural woman who made people have orgies! But we have to admit things have calmed down of late. We're nearly halfway through season six, and so far there's been a serious dearth of sexy times.
-Lauren Saria
