We’re thrilled that Arizona now has two Restaurant Weeks — one during the spring season and another in fall. But it kind of sucks that you have to wait around for months just to partake in the event’s dining and drinking deals, especially when the Phoenicians who actually stick around…
Last week, The Cooking Virgin whipped up a tasty batch of frothy, alcoholic Butterbeer in celebration of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Two. But the Potter endgame isn’t the only geek-flick to hit the big screen this summer. Comic book fans are equally stoked for the release of Marvel’s Captain America: The First…
My first thought when I saw the “Coming Soon” sign for the new Red Mango location on Mill Avenue in Tempe: Are you kidding?Ever since the fro-yo craze revived a few years back, along with cupcakes and bacon (and bacon cupcakes, shudder), self-serve yogurt shops have been popping up in…
Back in March, around the time Artlink’s annual Art Detour was scheduled to take place, many members of the art community argued whether Artlink’s existence as a local, overarching arts organization was still necessary (our answer: “no”). And in a better-later-than-never response, Artlink’s making a few changes. Earlier this year, Artlink president…
Literary geeks and fantasy fans across the nation are lining up to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which opens in theaters at midnight tonight. Anyone who’s read J.K. Rowling’s book series already knows how the final battle pans out, but there are some locals who might…
Glow sticks are normally the tools of kindergarten age kiddies or ravers with candy bracelets and furry legwarmers – not exactly the type of accessory that you’d find on a polo-wearing golfer. These disparate worlds will come together for Night Flight Golf, teeing off at the Palo Verde Golf Course…
Harry Potter isn’t the only hotly anticipated geek flick on the horizon. Following right on the heels of the magical finale is Captain America: The First Avenger, Marvel and Paramount’s flick about the comic book super-soldier. And what better way to commemorate the birth of an All-American hero than with red, white, and…
In honor of this Friday’s release of the long-awaited Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, The Virgin found it fitting to try to recreate one of the most magically delicious-sounding libations from the film series: Butterbeer. There are a wealth of resources on the subject, including a dedicated Wiki entry and…
There was a surprise turnout for this past Friday night’s Zombie Bikini Contest at Evermore Nevermore — not because zombies aren’t popular, but because a day prior to the event only a couple of brave girls were signed up to compete. According to owners Bob and Debbie Leeper, the phone at Evermore Nevermore started ringing off…
All doubts about Phoenix being a big-league city will be put to rest this weekend as Major League Baseball’s All-Star Week continues around the Valley. But whether you’re a sports fan or an artsy type more apt to be found at Friday’s Arizona Between Nosotros performance at the Arizona Latino…
If the recent emergence of a monster museum and indie movie house (in addition to the already existing Evermore Nevermore, Mesa Arts Center, Gotham City Comics and Nile Theater) didn’t clue you in, Downtown Mesa is finally getting away from its earlier image as a culturally barren suburban wasteland. Many…
In the summer, Old Town Scottsdale can be a ghost town. The snowbirds have flown the coop by June, tourists are in short supply, and even local residents eschew molten streets for the bliss of central air conditioning. Twenty-two years ago, the city wised up and started luring locals out…
The phrase “cage match” conjures up images of spurting blood, ripping flesh, and thugs pounding each other inside of a steel trap. Not exactly a gentleman’s sport. At the Torch Theatre’s Cage Match series, however, raging fists are replaced by clever quips and verbal barbs. Each week, two teams take…
Phoenix-born playwright Philip Dawkins doesn’t believe in soul mates – especially where his career is concerned. “I know a lot of people say ‘Oh, I write because I couldn’t imagine doing something else.’ I can imagine doing a lot of other things,” Dawkins quipped in a recent interview for Phoenix…
The end is nigh — and no, we’re not talking about the supposed Armageddon of 2012 or any of crackpot Harold Camping’s shaky predictions. Fans of the Harry Potter film series based on J.K. Rowling’s mega-successful book franchise are about to see the decade-long setup for the final battle between good…
Ever since filmmaker Morgan Spurlock gained 25 pounds in one month by eating McDonald’s grub for his documentary Super Size Me, the public eye has scrutinized fast food’s contribution to the American obesity epidemic. Obama’s 2010 legislation requires large chains to post calorie counts, which prompted many restaurants to alter their menus…
Independence Day brings a host of family-friendly events, festivals and fireworks to dazzle the eye. But if you’re not busy blowing up melons at the Arizona Science Center, sweating it out in the JCC Triathlon or taking in the glittering spectacles of Fabulous Phoenix Fourth or the Tempe Town Lake…
A small crowd of locals gathered outside the new Oakville Grocery Co. at Cityscape this morning, hungry for a bite and a peek inside the new store, which opened to the public at 10 a.m. Fans of the old location at Scottsdale Quarter will be pleased to see that not…
We’re all for freedom and justice and the American way, but what we don’t appreciate is Phoenix’s continued decision to throw outdoor Independence Day bashes crammed with a zillion sweaty, flag-waving “patriots” too blitzed on brewskis and sugary barbecued meats to realize you can watch the same damn thing on…
There’s a reason why Americans love the TV show Mythbusters, and it’s not because we’re all gung-ho about scientific experiments (yawn). There’s nothing we love more than watching shit explode, as evidenced not only by the show’s ratings but by our yearly tradition of setting fire to the sky to…
Ever since Gypsy Rose Lee slid off her first satin glove in the 1930s, audiences have gone wild for burlesque — so much so that, over seventy years later, cities are still rife with sexy dancers steaming up the stage with their mere presence. Inspired by the classic art of…
When Independence Day rolls around this coming Monday, it’ll bring with it the usual holiday fare: fireworks, kitschy patriotic crap, and family barbecues. The latter can be a chore, especially if the real fireworks start when your Aunt Sally brings up her wacky conspiracy theories or Cousin Ed threatens to…
