Local video game arcades have nothing on Jeff Jimenez. As a lifelong fan of video games, Jimenez probably has any game in any platform you can think of. His collection of video games includes around 2,500 titles, and he has all gaming systems dating back to Atari.Jimenez, who works in…
The historic Buckhorn Baths in Mesa, which we visited for a Hidden Valley blog in June, may survive despite the death of owner Alice Sliger last Tuesday.The sprawling property, known for its natural mineral hot springs, was once a haven for professional baseball players during Cactus League spring training. Buckhorn Baths opened…
We love any excuse to visit Cave Creek, but one of the best reasons to visit this sleepy arts community is Cave Creek Coffee Company’s new Bacon Infused Mocha Coffee.That’s right — “bacon infused.” Seems like bacon-flavored drinks are all the rage these days, and we’ll admit the idea didn’t…
Ever climbed up onto a World War II bomber plane and played with the machine guns? No? Well, you can, and you won’t have to worry about coming under enemy fire. The Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing Aviation Museum in Mesa has a fully restored B-17 plane called “Sentimental Journey”…
This week began with the news that Proposition 203, Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Initiative, is still alive. Though the latest figures show the measure is failing by a little more than 3,000 votes, there are still around 59,000 early and provisional ballots that must be counted by week’s end. We’ve long…
This week is the Jeopardy! College Championship, and for the first time ever, Arizona State University will be represented.ASU senior Marshall Flores, a native of Avondale and a lifelong fan of the Jeopardy! show, is one of fifteen college students who’ll be competing for a grand prize of $100,000 (other…
When local group Axé Capoeira Arizona says “Bring your Axé,” they’re not referring to the bladed chopping instrument. Axé (pronounced AH-shay) is a Yourba word meaning “positive energy,” and that’s what Capoeira practitioners will bring to Scottsdale this weekend for the 10th Annual Batizado and Afro-Brazilian Dance Event.Capoeira is a…
There’s only about a week left to see the Mariposa Monarca Monarch Butterfly Exhibit at Desert Botanical Garden. The exhibit, which closes November 14, appears at DBG every year, and remains the best way to get up close and personal with hundreds of beautiful butterflies. We attended this past weekend,…
This past First Friday, we tried an Arizona coffee blend, from a mobile vendor on 9th Street and McKinley. We were pleasantly surprised to not only see some action east of Roosevelt Street, but at the robust flavor of said local coffee, called What’s Your Grind.This family-owned Arizona company specializes…
Most smoke shops are pretty standard — you’ll find lots of shelves with pipes, pot leaf motifs here and there, and maybe a poster of Bob Marley somewhere. But one local head shop owner is trying to make his new location more like an art gallery, and he’s enlisted the…
There are a lot of new buildings and businesses popping up in downtown Phoenix, especially around Central Avenue and Jefferson Street, where the CityScape project is about to open. But there’s a place on the corner of Central and Jefferson that pays homage to Phoenix’s past. It’s the Phoenix Police…
When last call came to Alice Cooper’stown last night, Prop 203, Arizona’s medical marijuana bill, was losing by less than one percent of the vote margin. But the advocates and proponents who gathered at the downtown “rock and jock” restaurant behind US Airways Center were prepared for passage of medical…
As we reported, more than 70 percent of precincts have delivered voting results — and Proposition 203, Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Initiative, is losing by a narrow margin. As this is being written, Prop 203’s down by less than a percentage point. In other words, Prop 203 looks like it’s…
As initial poll results start to come in, Proposition 203 — the Arizona Medical Marijuana Initiative — is losing by a small margin. The mood at Alice Cooper’stown– where supporters of Prop 203 have gathered to await election results — is one of reserved excitement and hope…
What will be the hottest dance club in Tempe this Saturday night? If you guessed someplace on Mill Avenue, like Crave or Rula Bula, you wouldn’t be too far off. But how about Tempe Center for the Arts? Yes, that beautiful building off Rio Salado Parkway where they usually host…
Tomorrow is election day, and Arizona voters will decide the fate of many politicians and many propositions. But one of the biggest decisions facing voters is whether or not we’ll follow states like California and Colorado and allow the sale and use of medical marijuana here. As we outlined in…
We make regular trips to Giant Coffee for their delicious scones, but this past weekend, we had a different kind of sweet tooth. We were craving a sugary, flavorful iced coffee — and boy, did we get it, with Giant Coffee’s Honey Vanilla Latte…
This Saturday night in Queen Creek, actor Charles Ross will perform three movies — by himself and without costumes or props — in his One Man Star Wars Trilogy. Ross’ stage show manages to condense Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi into a 75-minute stage…
It seems like everybody’s a wannabe zombie these days. In the past two months, we’ve seen the faux undead at various events all over the Valley, and this Friday, they’ll be invading Heritage Square for the annual Phoenix Zombie Walk.If you want to join the flesh-eating fray, you’ll need to…
Once upon a “past that never was,” Mitch, Casey, and Ben Brose were members of a zeppelin crew, under attack by evil gremlins. The three brothers saved their ship with the help of Ruby the Ray Gun, a “gremlin incinerator” flamethrower they made from recycled paint canisters and brass. But…
Before it became all about costumes and candy, Halloween was traditionally a time to commune with the dead, a night when spirits were free to roam the Earth. Historically, it’s also been a day to die some strange or sudden death.From fiery car crashes and magic tricks gone wrong, to…
The original idea behind this “Hidden Valley” blog was to find unusual things and interesting places in Phoenix that are in the heart of the city, but often overlooked. This weekend, we found the epitome of that in beautiful, vintage neon bunny signs at Bunny Auto Sales, Inc.We’ve driven down…
