It took Hal Sparks awhile to catch fire, but quirky commentary helped him find his true sense of comedic timing.The 44-year-old made a name for himself with his role as comic-book loving Michael Novotny on the stateside version of Queer as Folk, a British-developed drama about the interwoven lives of…
Frances, oft-heralded one of central Phoenix’s best boutiques, continues its popular hands-on craft series this fall. Taught by local talent, the monthly workshops, which in the past have ranged from terrarium building to jewelry making to cocktail creation, are designed with both the craft capable and novices in mind…
Ever wondered if you’re a poet, and you didn’t even know it? Not so for the competitors at this year’s Copper State Poetry Slam. The two-day event pits teams of four or five poets each against each other in slam rounds, leading up to Sunday’s championship bout. But even if…
Foodist favorite The Clever Koi takes the concept of grandiose family dinners out of the home and into the restaurant with its increasingly popular Day Off Dinner.The series, which debuted this spring, has already hosted menus dreamed up by Payton Curry of Brat Haus, Welcome Diner’s Michael Babcock, and the…
A Tempe-based spoken word group has teamed up with a Scottsdale art museum to present a verbal rather than visual approach to the arts.Phonetic Spit and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art host the second summer session of a crash course in performing pieces, poetry, and hip-hop. This year’s event,…
Don’t expect to hear a lot of “roses are red, violets are blue” at the Copper State Poetry Slam this weekend. There’s a time and a place for childlike rhyming, but this Southwest slam competition isn’t it. The third annual state poetry championship takes over Phoenix Theatre’s Playhouse on the…
One could argue that downtown Phoenix dries up come the summer season, but hundred-degree temperatures and vampire hours be damned. A handful of artists have been hiding from the heat, creating work for gallery exhibition, “Future Shock.”Organized by Ishmael Dueñas, the collaborative show includes work from art scene staples like…
“They say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice/I say the darker the flesh, then the deeper the roots,” Tupac Shakur raps in his hit 1993 single, “Keep Ya Head Up.”Phoenician Noelle Martinez touches on similar ideas in her upcoming solo exhibit. “Back in the Daze: An Exploration of…
A wave of nostalgia is sweeping the nation for a decade that, in reality, was not so long ago. The 1990s brought with it flannel and grunge, crop tops and pop, and gold chains and hip-hop. Each has had a lasting impact on not only fashion and the music scene,…
Arguably when one thinks of art, one thinks of the visual and tangible. Paintings, portraits, photographs, and sculpted pieces dominate both museums and immediate word association. But there is something to be said for the power of another art form, one that comes from a deeply personal space: spoken word…
Painter Ishmael Dueñas has gathered together an impressive list of some of the art scene’s most well known for “Future Shock,” a collaborative collection that opens at Grand Avenue’s Frontal Lobe Gallery this Friday. The seven-person show is mostly made up of paintings — which, despite the name, have little…
Most tout the importance of hydration through water during the summer months. We prefer wine. Lucky for us, The Capital Grille shares our vino vice with the return of its eight-week-long bender, The Generous Pour.Highlighting seven varieties of California wine, each rated 90 points on a hundred-point scale, the event…
The Arizona Celebration of Freedom 2014 is America’s birthday party — and you’re invited.The annual freedom fete highlights plenty of indulgences worthy of a salute, from classic car shows to beer gardens and live performances from bands with names like Rock Lobster and Whiskey Kiss. Displays include a showcase of…
Usually when life’s a drag, it’s not by choice. For these ten ladies drag wasn’t a choice either, but rather a calling. From veterans to newcomers and everything in between, here are 10 of our favorite men known for primping, pinning, and tucking to become some of the Valley’s most…
Elizabeth Maria Naranjo is a petite woman with long, black hair that today she’s pulled back, save for a few wisps that frame her face. She’s personable, but not bubbly, and passionate without being overbearing. She alternates between sips of water and coffee and she is, as she’ll later admit,…
Get those ones ready, gentleman. (And ladies.) Noted Valley drag queen Pussy LeHoot takes to the stage in her weekly soiree Pussy LeHoot and Friends.This Sunday night special is the second in a weekend practically dominated by LeHoot, who hosts a popular patio performance Saturday nights as well. LeHoot, whose…
Sometimes it takes more than two to tango.That’s where Fifth Row Dance Studios comes in. General classes range from hip-hop to contemporary courtesy of instructors like Liliana Gomez and Angelina Ramirez, who performs with Flamenco Por La Vida around the Valley. With a rotating variety of workshops it’s safe to…
This week marks the second annual “Most of” edition of Lit Lounge, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art’s outside-the-box monthly speaker series. “Most of” is more of a “best of,” featuring prominent national and local performers like Annabelle Gurwitch, Beth Lapides, and local playwright Kim Porter who share secrets and…
Comedian and author Annabelle Gurwitch has a habit of turning the negative into positive — or, at the very least, a lucrative book deal. When Woody Allen fired her from the cast of his off-Broadway New York production, Writers Block, in 2003, she created Fired, a collection of essays about…
Jackalope Ranch is hitting the road this summer — and you’re coming, too. Well, sort of. With Going Places, our writers recommend the best things to do and see during your travels. A picturesque tiny town with a history as rich as the mine that made it famous, Bisbee has…
Fancy yourself a DIY-er or maybe just hardcore? Check out this hands-on metalworking class at downtown’s shop on the corner and community garden. Chris E. Reesing, a Tempe-based artist, is more or less GROWop’s go-to gal when it comes to all things metal — she’s taught at the boutique’s Third…
When Lindsey Michaelree spoke, you could tell she was slightly nervous. In a floor-length black and white dress, her short blonde hair pulled away from her face, she pitched her plan. And as she continued her voice became stronger. Louder. Impassioned. The nerves were understandable — Michaelree was one of…
