Some artists tattoo for the money. Others do it to make a name for themselves. For Byron Winkelman of Black Lotus Tattooers in Gilbert, tattooing isn’t about the money or the acknowledgments, it’s about a love of all things artistic. “It’s hard to make money as an artist. The starving…
The 2014 Arizona Taco Festival took place this past weekend at Scottsdsale’s Salt River Fields. There was enough sun, tacos, and booze to go around for the two full days of festivities, with tacos coming from every type of establishment from food trucks (including Traveling Monk) to casual bars (such…
When he graduated from the University of Oregon with a journalism degree in 1986, Chuck Palahniuk probably didn’t think he would go on to be a bestselling author and one of the most popular novelists for a generation that isn’t exactly known for its love of books. And when Palahniuk,…
Now that the weather is cooling down, it seems like a good time to pick some nice pumpkins, squash, kale, and other vegetables just in time for fall. Here are five of our favorites from around the state. Today The Simple Farm is hosting a pumpkin patch. If you don’t…
Sometimes, we don’t text what we really mean. That’s totally understandable, but there are some texts that pretty much never mean what they say, and have pretty strong connotations or impacts on your relationships with the opposite sex. If you’ve dated in the age of texting, then odds are you’ve…
The Guilty Pleasure: Oreo O’s Cereal Where to Get It: eBay, Amazon and South Korea Price: About $20 including shipping What it Really Costs: An explanation to the manager of the Post Office that you really did order breakfast cereal shipped directly from Korea. As one of the most delicious…
Like many other 18-year-olds, Josh Carter had earned himself a scholarship to community college. And like many other community college students, Carter didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life. “I was at Pierce College [in California], just taking some random classes, and I met this girl who…
With the popularity of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte, companies in every field are trying to cash in on the seasonal flavor. Of course, not every pumpkin spice product you see on the internet is actually being produced, some are just photoshop hoaxes. See if you can guess which are actual…
Like many tattoo artists before him, Tony Goeke got into tattooing when a shop opened up in his hometown. “A shop opened up in my town [Richmond, Indiana], and I ran into one of the guys who owned it,” Goeke says. “He was trying to get more people to come…
Ralphie May didn’t take the stereotypical route to comedy stardom. But it doesn’t really matter how you get there, because you’re going to pay your dues in one way or another. “There are a lot of different paths to be a stand-up comic,” May says. “But there’s no easy path…
Going to the fair is one of those date ideas that you see in the movies and it seems really cute. For all we know, maybe it is a really cute date for some. But, for most people, the Arizona State Fair isn’t exactly the most romantic setting. There are…
Sneakerheads in metro Phoenix have always faced a difficult challenge. Simply put, there are too many sneakerheads and not enough sneaker stores in the Valley for everyone to get the releases they want the most. Unlike in New York, where we’ve seen extremely limited sneakers sit on mall shelves for…
One of Phoenix’s biggest sneaker events, Heated Sole Summit, took place on October 4 at Bourgade Catholic High School. The fourth Heated Sole Summit event brought sneakerheads from all over the state together for a cause, and to buy, sell, or trade their rare kicks…
Since news broke last month that James Franco had optioned author Chuck Palahniuk’s novel Rant for the big screen, there has been a lot of speculation over whether Franco will act, direct, and/or produce the film. It looks like fans finally have a (likely) answer…
Some people choose to do comedy. Others feel like they were born to do it. For Pauly Casillas, it might be a little of both. “Well, I’ve always been fat, so I had to be funny,” Casillas says. “I’m a fat comedian, but I’m not a fat comedian. I mean,…
When William “Boomer” Baker lost his left index finger to a gun malfunction about a decade ago, he thought it was the end of his artistic career. Instead, it turned out to be just the life-changing event that he needed. “I used to collect guns. One time I was messing…
Whether you use the social media/online dating platform known as Tinder, you’ve probably at least heard about it by now. For the three of you who don’t know what it is, Tinder is an app that allows you to communicate with people with whom you have a mutual attraction (based…
As September wraps up, that can only mean one thing, it’s Oktoberfest time. Grab your lederhosen and your mug-shaped hat and prepare to stuff your face with beer, bratwurst and pretzels. Here’s our list of the Oktoberfest activities going around in Metro Phoenix…
If Age Drago’s mom had been all right with him getting his lip pierced, it might’ve changed his entire life. “We had just moved from Mississippi to Arizona my sophomore year of high school, and I was really into punk rock,” Drago says. “I told my mom I wanted to…
We don’t condone having or being a side chick, but the fact of the matter is that it happens. Not everyone can be the starter all the time, so some ladies end up settling into their role as a back-up, regardless of their intentions. Just because you don’t know you’re…
When Matt Storrs was asked in middle school about what he wanted to be when he grew up, the teacher probably didn’t expect him to answer “comedian.” Growing up, Storrs watched stand-up specials on channels like Comedy Central while other kids were watching cartoons. As a teenager, he’d take drama…
When we heard there was going to be a “7 Chef Steakout” at Tempe’s Top of the Rock, we immediately began counting down to the moment when the beef-filled extravaganza would begin. Seven dishes from seven of the Valley’s top chefs and seven local beers and cocktails from Four Peaks…
