People & Places

What is wrong with Arizona that a scummy politico like Attorney General Tom Horne is the state's top law enforcement official, while the most ethical prosecutor in the state will probably never occupy that position. The latter, of course, is Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, a staunch Republican who does not let party or ideology get in the way of doing what's right. In 2009, during the darkest days of the sinister partnership between Sheriff Joe Arpaio and then-Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, she took a stand against the pair, referring to their antics as "totalitarianism . . . spreading before my eyes." Thomas was disbarred in 2012, in part because of the actions Polk decried. More recently, the campaign finance case against Horne landed in her lap, and she's ordered Horne and his henchwoman Kathleen Winn to pay back $400K in campaign contributions, despite Horne's winning an administrative hearing in the matter. Horne, Arpaio, and Thomas are all Republicans, but Polk's all about integrity, not party loyalty. We hope she runs for AG one day. But then, in Arizona, you almost have to be ethically challenged to win a political campaign, it seems. Sigh.

There's an old joke: What's the difference between Phoenix and yogurt? Yogurt has culture. No more, friends. No more. Old is the operative word here, because in the past decade this city has turned a well-earned reputation on its ear. Don't believe us? Flip through the pages of this year's issue of Best of Phoenix — the pages are exploding with art, music, food, shopping, sports and, yes, culture.

With his temporary installation piece Familiar Glass with Theatrical Spectacle with Transparent Illusion and Artselfie, Phoenix artist Daniel Funkhouser not only engaged the work's viewers, he created something of an Instagram sensation. As part of the spring 2014 ARTELPHX event, Funkhouser created a piece that, when looked at with 3D glasses, served as a funhouse mirror. Standing to face it, the viewer sees frames within frames within frames that end at a seemingly far-off point where they can see themselves. Encouraged to take selfies while both looking at and becoming part of the work, Phoenicians took to Facebook and Instagram to make Funkhouser's Artselfie into one of the most viewed new works by a Phoenix artist this year.

Artist James B. Hunt is the best kind of disrupter. In addition to his hilarious, satirical music and culture reporting for www.tempeart.com — which has earned the ire of some local music press and confused local musicians — Hunt made national headlines this year by hiding art throughout Tempe and Phoenix, stashing his otherworldly portraits in alleys, behind dumpsters, and in trees. He posts clues about the art's whereabouts on his social media sites, allowing finders to "earn" his art rather than buy it. It's all about the "secret Phoenix" Hunt wants to foster and help keep alive, making the very streets of the city his gallery.

Considering its billing as the world's largest independent hotel art installation, we weren't sure at first what to make of ARTELPHX. But after attending the recurring event, which places both fine artwork and performance pieces throughout The Clarendon Hotel in the spring and fall, we have to say it's become one of the most anticipated happenings in Phoenix. At each edition, a roster of 20-plus artists in varying media create installations inside hotel rooms, stage poolside performances, and surprise viewers at nearly every turn over a three-day showing. Mary Shindell, Lauren Strohacker, and Nathaniel Lewis are among those who have displayed pieces, while performers have included members of Dulce Dance Company and CONDER/dance. Being immersed in art is a rare thing, and even rarer is an event that generates real excitement. ARTELPHX excels on both levels, thanks to a welcoming atmosphere and a diverse display of the city's art.

When it comes to handcrafting our own creative knickknacks, most of us are in DIY denial. Fortunately, there's one night of the year when Martha Stewart wannabes and Pinterest pariahs can holster their sad glue guns and hand themselves over to the professionals. In the midst of the holiday season, talented makers of all media gather in Medlock Plaza, at the corner of Camelback and Central, to sell one-of-a-kind jewelry, clothing, candles, toys, accessories, and more. Put aside your notions of patchouli oil perfumes and poorly knit sweaters because Frances boutique owner and Crafeteria founder Georganne Bryant holds her handmade merchandise to a much higher standard. Mark your calendars and avoid the mainstream department stores because you're buying custom gifts done right this December.

At first, it seemed the name of CONDER/dance's yearly contemporary dance festival was a little presumptuous, but groundbreaking actually is a good description of the impressive choreography we saw in this year's celebration. Breaking Ground was started in 2007 to showcase new choreographers from around the world, but these days CONDER/dance makes a special effort to highlight local talent as well. During this year's performances at Tempe Center for the Arts, visitors were greeted by pre-show, site-specific dances staged throughout the lobby, adding a new level of intimacy for audience members. There were two separate Breaking Ground programs for the main stage event, with 17 total artists featured over the course of the weekend. The pieces left us feeling excited about the future of contemporary dance (no small feat, to be sure).

Technicolor us impressed. In its 14th year, the Phoenix Film Festival brought to Harkins Scottsdale 101 nearly 200 films from emerging and established filmmakers. Over the course of a week, world-class (and critically acclaimed) flicks including Gillian Robespierre's abortion rom-com Obvious Child, Clark Gregg's Trust Me, and Steven Knight's Tom Hardy vehicle, Locke. Perhaps more impressive were this year's selections of local films. Both documentarian Randy Murray's The Joe Show, an upsetting exploration of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's media savvy, and Kiernan Thompson's comedy Broken Leg sold out screenings. Great movies, butts in seats, and the chance to talk with filmmakers about their vision . . . What more could Valley cinephiles ask for?

Presented by New Times and Stateside Presents, Viva PHX felt like the downtown we've always imagined, with big names like Pinback, the Neighbourhood, Yacht, Z-Trip, and Arizona acts like Sergio Mendoza y La Orkesta, Dry River Yacht Club, Playboy Manbaby, Cherie Cherie, and more playing at downtown venues such as Crescent Ballroom, Bar Smith, CitySpace, Last Exit Live, Hotel San Carlos, and more. It wasn't just a concert; it was an event that felt like South by Southwest. It was a sprawling, massive middle finger in the air toward anyone who says "Phoenix isn't a music town." And it'll be back in 2015.

Long before standing onstage and telling stories became the next big thing, South Mountain Community College was making a name for itself in the ancient art of storytelling. Storytelling is more complex than simply memorizing a script; no two performances are the same, and the tradition is steeped in the humanities and how we all get along (or don't). Led by director Liz Warren, an internationally acclaimed storyteller in her own right, the institute is a great place to take a basic class or even study for an academic certificate.

It seems every time we turn around, there's a new food festival going down around town. At some point, they all start to blend together into a sea of tiny plates, wine samples, and chef demonstrations. And inevitably, by the end of the festival season, the one that stands out is Devoured. Not only does this event gather the city's top chefs, but each participating restaurant puts forth an effort you just don't see at other events.

This year at the two-day event held at Phoenix Art Museum, we tasted all manner of delicacies, from oysters and truffles to so much foie gras that we thought we would burst. And don't even get us started on the wine. There were so many local wineries pouring samples that we had to pop into a cooking demonstration just to sober up. In fact, our only recommendation for next year's event would be to add nap rooms where guests can take a rest. Pipe dream? Maybe, but if the trend took off anywhere, it would be at Devoured.

You didn't have to be a beer fanatic to enjoy this year's inaugural Real, Wild, and Woody Beer Festival — but if you are, you'll have no trouble understanding what made it a knockout success. Organized by the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild, this event gathered all the state's top breweries for a throwdown of epic proportions. Nearby brew houses brought a specialty cask or barrel-aged brew, which they released only at the event. It was a showcase of beers unlike any you've ever tasted before and which you're unlikely to have the chance to ever taste again. Add the fact that the festival went down indoors during the middle of summer — as opposed to during the busy fall and spring event seasons — and you've really won our hearts.

Culinary events tend to fall into one of two categories. There are fun events that center on enjoying great food and drink and educational events from which you walk away with a new understanding about a food-related topic. Arizona Cocktail Week is the first event we've been to that does a flawless job of accomplishing both. This relatively new festival offers a week of cocktail-centric events ranging from booze-filled parties to seminars with some of the nation's top drink experts. The lineup this year was better than ever, and we're only expecting things to continue improving as the event continues to grow. In the span of just a few days, we managed to triple our knowledge of spirits and got a good grasp of what's going on in the national cocktail scene. The only thing we'd change for our plans for next year is to book a room at the host hotel; spirit tasting is no joke.

We're all for adding color to Phoenix's largely beige landscape. Turns out, so is street artist Thomas "Breeze" Marcus. Breeze gathered similarly minded muralists to spend a weekend adding art to walls around Phoenix. In March, local and out-of-state creatives teamed up with businesses along Grand Avenue, Roosevelt Row, and Calle 16 to paint original pieces — with support in both paint and wall space from Calle 16's Barrio Cafe and The Hive, as well as artist JB Snyder's Fifth Street Paint Supply. Thanks to their combined efforts, new works went up all over the city. A couple of our favorites are La Muñeca's piece about families torn apart by deportations, at Dulcería Pico Rico, and a collaborative piece by Breeze, Dwayno Insano, and Vyal at Por Vida Gallery.

For pinball and vintage arcade fiends, ZapCon is a little like Christmas. Except better. Why? Well, for starters, it's a weekend-long convention dedicated to throwback gaming. For the second year in a row, ZapCon rounded up long-lost titles and covetable consoles for a weekend of button-mashing and joystick-wielding. With a lounge dedicated to the Atari console, super-rare games such as Turkey Shoot, and classics like Zaxxon, there were plenty of reasons to geek out over the event. The many tournaments, movie screenings, and prevailing sense of giddiness? That was the bow on top.

Talk is cheap. But Talking Stick? Well that all depends on your relationship with lady luck. Located on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Reservation, this high-end hotel and casino is always humming with the sounds of slot machines, spilling poker chips and shouts suggest how each gambler's night is going. While many casino experiences can be defined with the words denial and depressing, Talking Stick manages to stay fresh, young, and surprisingly fun for a place that can make or break your personal piggy bank. With 24/7 access to more than 800 themed slot machines, over 50 tables for games like blackjack and Casino War, and the largest poker room in the state, getting your game on has never been so easy.

It was another banner year for Phoenix's premier comics convention. Phoenix Comicon hit a new record number of attendees. The grand total? That'd be 77,818. Yup, nearly 80,000 people turned up at the 'con's 2014 edition. We'd say a large part of that is thanks to the event's superb people-watching, a boatload of celebrity appearances, and the chance to connect with fellow geeks. A few of our favorite costumes spotted were a Benedict Cumberbatch-style Sherlock Holmes, Strongbad, and Dark Helmet. But just as entertaining were the many nerd-centric celebs in attendance — including John Barrowman of Doctor Who and Arrow fame, the cast of the 1960s Batman TV show (Julie Newmar!), and Chris Claremont, who's responsible for some of the most iconic X-Men storylines of all time. We'll stop geeking out now.

Every year, Modern Phoenix's home tour makes us see our Valley with new eyes. Organized by Alison King, the event opens buildings and homes that reveal elements of Phoenix's Midcentury Modern architecture that we wouldn't otherwise see. This year, for instance, the self-guided event took us through the consistently top-ranked Arcadia neighborhood, which stretches from Phoenix and into Scottsdale. Of particular note were residences designed by Al Beadle, one of which was undergoing massive renovation (that looked really promising), and one of the two homes ever designed by Paolo Soleri. Also eye-catching was a gem of a complex called Mockingbird Condominiums, located in Arcadia's garden apartment district.

No longer a neighborhood nicknamed with light derision, Arcadia Lite is owning it. Really — with signs, a neighborhood association and everything. Everything, that is, except the markedly higher home prices of the more established Arcadia proper, which lies to the west. In Arcadia Lite, you'll find homes built between the 1920s and 1950s with prices ranging from the mid-$200,000s on the low end and $500,000 on the higher side. Reasonable prices (compared to Arcadia's multimillion-dollar estates) along with restaurants, great shopping, large grassy lawns, and sprawling ranch homes all add up to home sweet home. Here we come.

Go back 20 years and you'd find only two reasons to visit downtown Phoenix: courtside seats and courthouse appearances. But now, thanks to an influx of academic organizations, arts and culture events, and local business, this urban forget-me-not is in full bloom. Hence the gentrification of historic Central Phoenix neighborhoods like Woodland, Roosevelt, and Coronado.

For homeowners who want to stay ahead of the real estate curve, there's no better buy than a house in the Garfield Historic District. This collection of early-20th-century cottages, bungalows, and period revival homes features houses being sold for as little as $60,000. Will it need a little TLC? Sure. But within walking distance to downtown hubs like Welcome Diner, Space 55 Theatre, Alwun House, and Roosevelt Row, these modest manors make for good investments.

Don't be fooled by the child-friendly nature of this fun-filled art installation at Scottsdale Public Library: Camp Dreamtree was not just for kids. Created by husband-and-wife artists Roy Wasson Valle and Koryn Woodward Wassoon, Camp Dreamtree was an interactive piece that allowed visitors to earn achievements by completing special tasks in each of the exhibition's four dreamhouses. The dreamhouses themselves were impressive, life-size wooden tent structures surrounded by plush trees that looked like they came straight from the pages of a Dr. Seuss book. With a colorful mural encompassing the space, Valle and Wasson created a universe apart. This fantastical world offered all of the excitement of summer camp without the mosquito bites.

It's not every day we give a Best of Phoenix award to the Arizona Republic, but it's not every day the Republic does something as out-of-the-box as Arizona Storytellers, a program that has been in place for several years and has reached scores of people who otherwise may not ever have gotten familiar with the art of storytelling. With South Mountain Community College's Liz Warren acting as a coach, the Republic's Megan Finnerty has created a traveling event that allows real people to tell real stories, and in doing so has touched a lot of hearts. A new collaboration with Phoenix's local NPR affiliate, KJZZ, will reach even more people. This is a story worth telling, an award worth giving.

For FilmBar, it's all in the name. You've got your movies. You've got a bar. But the specific selections are what keep us coming back to the indie theater — with craft beers and a slate of films programmed by Valley cinema mainstay Andrea Beesley. This year, the indie theater got in on the World Cup action, continued to spotlight Arizona filmmakers with a monthly showcase of local, original flicks, and movie screening series with themes like teen flick and summertime superhero. And all that's in addition to supplying downtown with nightlife action by way of local DJs spinning on the weekly.

If you don't mind missing opening night, take pride in being a cheapskate, and can appreciate (a lot of) movie kitsch, Pollack Tempe Cinemas is for you. It's owned by real estate mogul Michael Pollack, whom you'll spot in pictures hanging throughout the lobby, alongside life-size statues of movie stars. Also of note: The theater now accepts credit cards and recently updated its chairs and AV setup with digital projectors and sound systems. Purists needn't worry that the East Valley moviehouse has lost its charm, though. You'll still get plenty of weird along with that Good & Plenty.

Dinner and a movie? More like dinner in the movie. For those who'd rather save time, not chat with their movie companion, or need to see it to believe it, AMC Esplanade 14 is the place. Reserve your seats online. Settle into your leather recliner. And press a button to order whatever eats you like. Of course, bottomless popcorn, candy, and soda are available. But when you can order a margarita and a plate of roasted veggie quesadillas, what on earth is stopping you? Certainly not the direct delivery of said margarita to you.

Blockbusters are boring. Rom-coms are cliche. And don't even get us started on what stands for comedy nowadays. Fortunately, the finer films of yesteryear are staying alive and well on Tempe Pollack's big screen, thanks to Zia Record Exchange metro Phoenix movie buffs Cult Classics. Operated by Victor Moreno, Alison Brandt, and Saul Moreno, with the help of Adam Lazlo and Ann J. Braton, Cult Classics delivers monthly showings of some of cinema's finest and most far-out films including Ghostbuster, Gremlins, The Shining, Edward Scissorhands, Blade Runner, and The Princess Bride. Taking your nightly Netflix viewing to new heights, Cult Classics offers compelling reasons to get off the couch and into the audience with interactive games and movie-based swag such as commemorative art prints and T-shirts. Don't you think it's time to step outside the Redbox and experience the real deal with real fans?

Members of the Village Gainey Health Club and Spa in Scottsdale are accustomed to doing double takes while they do double time on the elliptical machine. That's because the high-end, high-class gym gets its fair share of A-list members. At this recreation center for the rich, it's not unusual to see professional athletes, both current and former, playing a pick-up game of basketball either offseason or out of rehab. Or perhaps aspiring models, actresses, and adult porn stars practicing pilates with their personal trainer is more your thing. Regardless, you'll find them all— the real deal and their plastic doppelgangers — at the place where Scottsdale socialites go to see and be seen breaking into a strategically staged sweat.

When the Ferris wheel starts turning and the food starts frying, Phoenix fair-goers find themselves abuzz with talk of the most ridiculous rides, the craziest confection concoctions, and the lineup of slightly less than A-list musical acts. But truth be told, our favorite attraction at the Arizona State Fair just so happens to be the cheapest: admission. One ticket into the fairgrounds guarantees hours of top-notch people-watching. From teardrop-tattooed gangsters holding giant stuffed teddy bears and tethered adolescents being toted along by their parents to grim carnival workers blowing bubbles and scantily clad ladies chowing down on cotton candy, there is no event more eclectic than the annual Arizona State Fair.

Attention, ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in between. It's high time we came out of the water closet. The world is not black and white, and a lot more happens in a restaurant bathroom than just number one or number two. Perhaps no one knew this better than the late Scottsdale designer Janis Leonard, who designed the He/She bathroom at AZ88. Take a step inside this transgender commode and you'll find yourself surrounded by mirrored panels, strange music, and a montage of miniature movie screens depicting everything from sound hygiene procedures to softcore pornography. It's discotheque meets toilet and totally worth a trip (or two) away from the table.

It's tough to pinpoint the heart of Phoenix's independent literary scene, but Four Chambers just might be it. The journal, released twice a year, collects works of fiction including locally produced poems and short stories, with the goal of creating a stronger network of culturally conscious locals by building up a community — hence the name. Founded by Jake Friedman, who's spent time working with Hayden's Ferry Review and Central Phoenix Writing Workshop, the publication awards cash prizes to authors and features illustrations. Past editions have included works by Shawnte Orion, Natasha Murdock, and Allyson Boggess along with art from Isaac Caruso, Ashley Macias, and James B. Hunt. And we're eagerly anticipating issue three, set for release in March 2015.

Local arts dynamo Tania Katan launched this spoken-word series in 2012, and it — fueled by local talent and Katan's actor pals in Los Angeles — was an overnight success. Sometimes humorous, often touching, and always entertaining, this hour-plus of live readings from people such as actress Kim Porter and playwright Michael Grady and live music from local fave bands like The Pübes quickly became a go-to cultural event. High points this past year included actress Linda Dearmond's emotional tale of her son's suicide; Porter's hilarious piece about meeting a stranger who'd just chopped off his own finger; and Katan's own story about the time she almost became famous. Around here, Katan is famous for bringing us the best spoken-word series the Valley has ever seen. Full disclosure: New Times is lucky to be partnering with SMoCA and Katan to bring the city a special "Tales of the City" Best of Phoenix edition of Lit Lounge.

In-the-know art fans and schmoozers alike drop in between 5 and 10 p.m. on the first Friday of every month, not only to cruise Phoenix Art Museum's current exhibitions and ogle its permanent collection for free, but also to see and be seen among like-minded creatives. Even those who've already seen the latest that PAM has to offer stop by to rub elbows, and maybe to pick up a free Artlink map of that night's gallery offerings out in the world. Culture vultures and art-scene newbies eye one another in the company of collectors and art historians, and everyone looks smarter and hipper doing it, because they're in a museum. Check it out — and prepare to be checked out, in return.

After 28 years on Scottsdale's Marshall Way, Lisa Sette Gallery has moved to midtown Phoenix. Its new home is a semi-subterranean building by late Midcentury Modern architect Al Beadle. Wrapped in white scrim, it's a beautiful, minimal space in white and gray that's a sleek backdrop to pieces showcased by Sette, the perennial tastemaker. Ultimately, that's what makes the gallery the best. For its opening show, Sette displayed works from an array of artists, including Mayme Kratz, Mark Klett, and Carrie Marill, the latter of whom provided a new body of work for the gallery's final Scottsdale show.

It's no secret that we're fans of Becky Nahom. The ASU grad and arts scene up-and-comer (who's worked or volunteered at nearly every major arts institution in town) won a 2014 Big Brain Award for her curatorial efforts. With her partner, Julia Bruck, Nahom launched Halt Gallery, a mobile curating project that allows the duo to bring works they love to new spaces. This year they've presented site-specific shows by Laura Spalding Best and Elysia Holland Michaelsen at Hot Box Gallery and Eye Lounge. But as they continue curating, the pair plans to diversify the spaces where they hold exhibitions. Best keep an eye out.

Contain yourself. The downtown Phoenix arts scene has a new pop-up gallery that's made from a repurposed ocean-certified shipping container — and it's a must-see. The Greg Esser-helmed arts project launched with help from Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art, Roosevelt Row CDC, and grant funding from ArtPlace America. Since then, the small mobile arts space (it's just 20 feet long) has hosted works from Amelec Diaz, Maral Tabrizi, and Laura Spalding Best, who displayed pieces inside the gallery and gave its exterior a fresh coat of paint by way of a mural.

Not too long ago, Marshall Way in Old Town Scottsdale was the place to be on Thursday evenings, for art walks that predated downtown Phoenix's crazy First Fridays and actually offered art you might want to buy and hang on your walls — assuming you could afford it.

One by one, though, the big Scottsdale galleries have shut down, leaving Marshall Way a ghost town, save for one old favorite: Kraig Foote's Art One. Not only is much of the work in this gallery a deal at any price, it's priced to sell and created by students. This is not a student gallery as much as it is a gallery that sells professional-quality work that happens to be created by students — at affordable prices. Over the years, we've heard again and again from local artists who say they never could have broken into the business without Foote's support. He's got good taste and a big heart, and we hope Art One never goes away.

The warehouse district is on the up and up. And ASU's Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is getting in on the action. Along with five graduate studio programs from the School of Art, the school moved its Step Gallery from Tempe to a warehouse renovated by preservationist Michael Levine. The industrial space features exposed brick and bright orange-red beams, while the painted white centralized gallery space features exhibitions by the school's graduate students. Yes, it's a bit off the traditional First Friday path, but the art space is the perfect place to catch Arizona's up-and-comers.

To interestingly and engagingly fill the sprawling space of Roosevelt Row's MonOrchid is an impressive feat. The sizable gallery played host to our favorite exhibition during the 26th edition of Art Detour, an annual self-guided tour of galleries and artists' studios in Phoenix. Curated by Nicole Royse, "Apache X" was a retrospective of Douglas Miles' career in the arts and as founder of Apache Skateboards. The show presented aggressive, intense pieces that asserted Native American culture through a variety of media. Standouts included Beautiful Struggle, a mural of a man and woman staring at passersby, and paintings on luggage and oil cans. The striking visuals made for an unforgettable show.

There's no other way to say it: Sarah Hurwitz's Participation Prize made us smile. (Full disclosure: Hurwitz is a New Times contributor.) As part of the Valley-wide temporary public art initiative IN FLUX's fourth cycle, the piece was installed on Roosevelt and Fourth streets. The interactive sculpture is a purple awards platform for celebrating the little everyday things people accomplish — like taking out the trash, sorting out junk mail, or calling Grandma. A banner across the top of the piece reads "Today I . . ." above a chalkboard space where anyone can write in whatever activity they completed that deserves recognition. It's a playful chiding of participating ribbons that also celebrates the small wins. And it's so completely Sarah Hurwitz.

Light is acclaimed artist James Turrell's medium of choice. And it shines just right through his Scottsdale skyspace Knight Rise. Completed in 2001, the work is, to put it simply, a circular room with a bench lining the walls and a circular cutout in the ceiling, above a curved wall. Though that description hardly does the piece justice. The way light pours and changes color within the space is something that truly requires an in-person visit to comprehend. Open to the public and free of charge, Knight Rise is located in the Nancy and Art Schwalm Sculpture Garden at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Go see for yourself.

Now you see them, now you don't. The wheat paste works of graffiti artist and 2014 Big Brain finalist El Peezo are like the Houdinis of 'hood art. Adorning the walls of abandoned buildings and occupied structures, down secluded side streets and major public access roads, these colorful yet easily corroded composites of starch and water add a much appreciated vitality to downtown living. Whether it's Nightmare Before Christmas' Jack Skellington hanging out on the side of the Phoenix Public Market Cafe, the now removed Charlie Chaplin posing outside of Bentley Projects, or the creatures of Where the Wild Things Are creeping behind the scenes of the Palabra Collective (those are gone now, too), Phoenix locals love to pause and pay tribute to the anonymous artists' work with the always welcome Instagram post. Seriously, take a picture. It will last longer.

Arizona is rich in the traditions of poetry. Local poets who keep the art of verse alive include Alison Hawthorne Deming, Norman Dubie, and N. Scott Momaday, but none are so celebrated as Alberto Álvaro Ríos, our own State Poet Laureate. The author of ten books of poetry, three collections of short stories, and a memoir, Ríos writes beautifully of life and death and "this hour of ourselves," as he famously wrote in "Who Has Need, I Stand With You" in 2010. His books of poems include The Theater of Night, winner of the 2007 PEN/Beyond Margins Award, The Smallest Muscle in the Human Body, finalist for the National Book Award, and Whispering to Fool the Wind, which won the Walt Whitman Award for poetry. His memoir, Capirotada, may be written in prose, but its stories of growing up on the Mexico-Arizona border sang with poetry and passion. Alberto Ríos does us proud.

It's hard to miss JBAK's six-story mural on Thomas and Central. Though Berlin-based artists Karl Addison and James Bullough, who together make up JBAK, are accustomed to doing large-scale work, Generations marked the first mural of this magnitude in Phoenix. But the piece isn't earning accolades for size alone. Generations is a beautifully vibrant portrait of Chris Nieto, a major developer in the downtown area, and Addison's own grandmother. The mural is a nice blend of Bullough's photorealism and Addison's hatching techniques, which you might recognize from another piece he completed on the back of Giant Coffee. Though he's now an internationally recognized street artist, Addison did grow up in Phoenix. Lucky for us, he still makes time to share his talents with his desert home.

Chances are, right now in the back room of her Pinterest-perfect boutique, Cleo & Clementine, Monique Sandoval is creating something beautiful. The fashion designer, whose label is called Ouma, has garnered quite the reputation as a go-to wedding dressmaker for the Etsy set, with airy bridal gowns and delicate party dresses any gal would be happy to get gussied up in. Sandoval makes said frocks by hand in her Melrose District shop, where her designs line the racks. In addition to purchasing pieces off the rack, Sandoval also makes custom dresses for shoppers on the hunt for one-of-a-kind garments that fit as nicely as they look.

Arizona Democrat Steve Muratore doesn't suffer fools gladly, whether he's wondering whether Attorney General Tom Horne is a "psychopath," accusing a spokeswoman for schools Superintendent John Huppenthal of polishing a piece of merde, or calling out the Capitol Times for kissing up to pro-plutocrat legislators. What makes him different from some online blowhard on a blog like, say, the Daily Kos is that he does a lot of his own reporting and research and offers unique analysis, not just fighting words. He's also fiercely local, focusing on issues such as redistricting that in these days of strained newspaper budgets, do not receive the attention they deserve. Cantankerous and principled, Muratore is a fighter whose motto "The KEYBOARD is mightier than the sword" is especially true when he's typing his latest entry.

Seeing Red AZ is the blog to go to if you want to explore the bizarro-world mind of the average Republican activist in Maricopa County. Granted, it's a journey into darkness, but one where you will make some astonishing discoveries. For instance, so-called "Common Core" is not a matter of higher standards for school kids, but rather a commie plot to force all Arizona students to read Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals. Attorney General Tom Horne? He's the best politician ever, and if he wants to hire his mistress with taxpayer money, that's his business. Senator John McCain is the spawn of Satan. (Okay, we'll give them that one.) And Sheriff Joe Arpaio should be worshiped like Jesus Christ come to dinner.

Don't bother arguing with the commenters, because opposing views are not welcome and will be deleted. But the blog's opinions are true to the kind of folk you'll find over-populating any mandatory meeting of the Maricopa County GOP. And visiting Seeing Red's website is much less scary than attending one of those conservative confabs. Hence, the site's value for reporters and researchers.

Ashley Eaton, she of mobile vintage boutique Merry May Handmade, got married. Now she goes by Ashley Eaton Denton. And in chronicling her wedding to Trevor Denton, he of local band Sun Ghost, the duo created our new favorite locally run lifestyle blog. Field & Fellow follows the newlyweds as they decorate their home, take a stab at gardening, look through their wedding pictures, try out new recipes, and practice yoga — among other things. With beautiful photos, great stories, and a compelling couple at the helm, the blog's worth a check-in every once in a while.

If you thought you would never get to see the inside of an adult video arcade, think again. Photographer Michael Max McLeod has been documenting these ever-disappearing establishments across the country for the past few years. Beginning in Phoenix, McLeod eventually branched out; after a summer trip through The Lone Star State, Texas Porno Roadtrip was born. The zine is ingeniously divided into sections signaled by different paper size and texture — it's a small detail, but one that really sets the book apart. Texas Porno Roadtrip puts you right there in the arcade, dick pics and all, but the quality of McLeod's photos is what legitimizes the book, making it a true work of art.

This award-winning library serves the residents of Cave Creek and Carefree and surrounding areas, and it serves them awfully well. When's the last time you visited a library with its own grand piano? Desert Foothills has one, and it uses it, too, for its live music events. The library also hosts monthly art openings, because the place is lousy with gorgeous work — paintings, sculpture, photography — by local artists. And if you've never been to a library where the staff is not only friendly but smiles at you and engages you in conversation, head to this giant book nook at once. While you're there, stop in for a long look at the library's used-book store, the largest one in the North Valley, with over 15,000 hardcover and paperback books in all genres. You'll find mind-blowing deals on special books, CDs, and DVDs. After you find a book, settle in for a cozy stretch on the long, wide patio out back. If you can tear your eyes from the amazing desert views, you might even get some relaxing reading done.

Three words regarding Alexis Hamilton: Girl. Can. Walk. Not in the everyday, putting-one-foot-in-front-of-the-other sort of way. No, it's more of a pretty-sure-she-could-win-Top Model type of vibe. And Phoenix's fashion scene is all the better for it. When Hamilton powers down the catwalk, it's damn near impossible to not think of Naomi Campbell. Named Phoenix Fashion Week's model of the year in 2011, Hamilton continues bringing garments to life on the runway. Doesn't matter if they're impeccably crafted gowns or poorly executed pieces, Hamilton's look and energy are immutable.

Bunky owners Rachel and Jim Malloy and artist Joseph "Sentrock" Perez go way back. Sentrock, a Phoenix native based in Chicago, came to Bunky looking for a new shirt to wear to his first-ever exhibition opening. In the seven years since, the Malloys and Sentrock have stayed tight, with the pair supporting the painter's burgeoning career as both muralist and studio artist. Now, they've collaborated on a fashion-meets-art project that pairs Sentrock's bird city character with wearables like shirts and hats. Talk about wearing your art on your sleeve.

Phoenix Fashion Week 2013 opened with a bang. The annual style outing brought together emerging and established designers to show off their wares. But local fashion icon and boutique owner Robert Black brought to the runway something a bit different. He styled pieces from his eponymous shop with a Southwestern flair that frankly set the bar a little too high for the work that followed. Still, bringing in one of Phoenix's most established and treasured institutions to its not-quite-established annual fall fashion week brought increased credibility to the event. But we sure felt bad for the designer who was up next.

The Creative Center of Scottsdale, an eco-friendly co-working space set to be completed later this year, is a collaborative project by owner/photographer Michelle Pelberg-Biely and green designer Christina Noble of Contour Design Studio. The idea is inspired: a social hangout and networking hub for local creatives. In addition, this 6,000-square-foot property, formerly the home of a gun supply store and an auto body shop, will be the first in Scottsdale to uphold the International Green Building Code. Put all that together and The Creative Center carries a word not often found to describe life in these parts: sustainable.

If you've been to Sweet Republic for ice cream (and who hasn't?) you know that ice cream maker Helen Yung has great taste — from the Toffee Banofi sundae to every sweet detail in the new Central Phoenix outpost of the tiny ice cream empire she and business partner Jan Wichayanuparp run. From time to time, Yung does post ice cream-related images on Instagram, but more often than not, she's sharing amazing shots of the Asian food she seeks out around town. If you want to know where to find Yung's favorite dim sum or her latest veggie discovery, follow her on Instagram. And if you ever meet her or catch a glimpse of her on IG, you'll wonder where on earth the diminutive Yung puts all that food.

He's charming and funny, and if you aren't lucky enough to know Robbie Sherwood personally, you can follow the political consultant on social media. His posts are newsy, smart, and entertaining — and he never takes himself too seriously. Hey, Robbie, maybe you should run for public office!

It turns out that it's completely possible to be a member of Congress without being desperate for attention, and it's not actually a requirement to make constant appearances on Fox News or MSNBC to blame all of society's ills on President Obama or Republicans in Congress. Democratic Congressman Ed Pastor is proof of this, retiring this year to end a 23-year run in Congress. Pastor is what a congressman is supposed to be — someone who gets things done instead of someone pretending to be working by constantly complaining in the media. In other words, the opposite of Senator John McCain. Pastor's credited with securing federal funding for things like light-rail and airport improvements, as well as expanding health insurance for children of low-income families in Arizona after the state's program suffered massive budget cuts at the hands of the Republican-controlled state Legislature. Congress could use quite a few more people like Ed Pastor.

In a state where Democrats are an endangered species, Ruben Gallego is a liberal's dream candidate. He's a Harvard graduate and Iraq War veteran who's fought hard for every progressive cause as a state representative, from marijuana legalization to supporting a recall of Sheriff Joe Arpaio. After just four years as a state representative, Gallego ran to represent the Phoenix area in Congress — and won his primary handily, beating longtime political operative Mary Rose Wilcox in August. His wife, Kate, is no slouch, either — and certainly not a typical politician's wife. She's also a graduate of Harvard (that's where the two met) and won a hotly contested seat on the Phoenix City Council in 2013. They're such dedicated Democrats that Ruben actually proposed to Kate at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Even in a Republican hotbed, these Gallegos are going to be around a while.

One of the best features of many blogs is the ability to comment anonymously — unless someone figures out the identity of the person behind the comments. That happened this year to state schools Superintendent John Huppenthal, who commented on a progressive blog as Falcon9, Thucydides, and Socrates. It turns out that Huppenthal, the guy elected to run the state's public schools system, made comments referencing that President Obama was born in Kenya, that FDR was responsible for the Great Depression and the rise of Adolf Hitler, called food stamps recipients "lazy pigs," and suggested a ban on anything in Spanish, like radio stations, billboards, or Mexican food menus. When caught, he cried about it. Gee, ever wondered why metrics on education always rank Arizona's public schools system near the bottom? Arizona voters wised up and voted him out in August's primary — sending Huppenthal to cry on someone else's shoulder.

Why did Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne stay alive so long — politically speaking? Hey, don't blame us. New Times was the first to tell the public that Horne had hired his mistress to a top post at the AG's Office for a six-figure salary. Horne then ordered an internal investigation to cover this up. His investigator found evidence of lawbreaking. This led to an FBI investigation and a finding by two county attorneys that Horne violated campaign finance laws and must pay back $400,000 to contributors. Since then, Horne's been accused of illegally running his re-election campaign out of his public office, and he is the subject of investigations by four entities, that we know of. In any other state, Horne would have resigned by now. But still, he staggered forth, zombie-like — even refusing to concede when Republican voters finally killed him off in the state's primary.

Far-right Republican state Representative John Kavanagh, who is looking to ease on over to the state Senate this year, has a couple of things going for him, from a journalist's point of view. First, he always calls us back, though he knows that New Times is likely to rip him a new one. Second, he has a sense of humor, which is more than we can say for a lot of Democrats, who are so damn politically correct that they tend to be real killjoys. Not so, Kavanagh, who took it on the chin from the liberal press for a few jokes he told at a roast of Sheriff Joe Arpaio in February. The jokes may have been offensive, but they also happened to be funny. Actually, most targeted Arpaio, like the one about Arpaio being a real "fixture" in this state: "Unfortunately, for many people, that's a urinal," said the Kav-ster. Ba-dum-pah. Our advice: Go pro on the comic stand-up circuit, K-man, and leave the politicking to the less funny.

A clash between the judge who ruled against Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Arpaio himself was inevitable. Federal Judge G. Murray Snow decided against Arpaio and his office in 2013, essentially finding the MCSO to be guilty of racial profiling. Later, Snow enumerated a long list of requirements for the Sheriff's Office to meet, and in early 2014, Snow appointed a monitor to oversee the MCSO's compliance. But Arpaio and his command staff were caught telling lies about the judge's decision to their underlings and the public, with Chief Deputy Jerry Sheridan infamously calling Snow's ruling "crap." Snow ordered that Arpaio disseminate a "corrective statement" and have the MCSO brass read his decision and attest that they had done so. But the MCSO continued to drag its heels, and only when it seemed that Arpaio might be found in contempt, did the MCSO comply. Forget the carrot, only the stick works with Joe, and Snow was right to use it. Our question is, how long will it take before Joe gets birched again?

Let's be honest, no one really likes U.S. Senator John McCain all that much. (Self-love aside.) So is it any wonder that far-rightists in the Arizona Republican Party would hate the guy, too? GOP hard-liners regard McCain as a RiNO (Republican in Name Only), particularly for his support of comprehensive immigration reform, despite his having taken an anti-immigrant stance when he was running for re-election in 2010. Still, Arizona's senior senator is regarded as a rock-ribbed conservative outside the bubble of state GOP politics. So the successful resolution to censor him, which passed a voice vote of the AZ GOP's mandatory January meeting, showed the nation just how insanely far-far-right Sand Land's ruling party really is. No Reagan-like Big Tent here, just intolerance, hate, and spite, which was on full display, and harmed the Republicans' outreach to younger, less nutty voters. Take gun, aim at foot, pull trigger was the order of the day.

CAP's Cathi Herrod acts like she owns the place, meaning, of course, the Arizona Legislature, where her anti-LGBT initiative, Senate Bill 1062, backfired big-time, with a statewide and nationwide backlash that forced Governor Jan Brewer's hand and resulted in a veto. Herrod was rightly demonized, but we've got some bad news for ya: She ain't goin' anywhere. Sure, her Bible-thumping anti-abortion, anti-gay activities are retrograde, antediluvian, and embarrassing to the state, but she leads a very successful conservative juggernaut, and her failure with 1062 is merely a bump in the proverbial road. True believers are always the hardest to fight. And true believer lobbyists with law degrees and six-figure salaries, even more so. As long as AZ remains a red state, Herrod's influence, as nefarious as it may be, will persist.

Tyler Montague works from home for a national banking firm. Politics is not a profession for him. It's a hobby, one that he just happens to be very good at. During the recall campaign against former state Senate President Russell Pearce, he was one of the Mesa Republicans who helped recruit and raise money for victorious Pearce rival Jerry Lewis. Montague was hooked, and began the AZPIA as a way to knock some moderate sense into his chosen party. Among his targets has been Attorney General Tom Horne. Montague raised more than $600,000 to run ads statewide against the embattled AG, an impressive amount for someone who only draws a salary on his day job. Montague is also one of the shrewdest analysts not in the business. And his heart is on the side of the angels, which is why we dig him.

Matt Roberts is the hardest-workin' man in state government. The communications director for Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett left his post in June to help his boss run for governor, and he was missed almost immediately by the local Fourth Estate, which had counted on him for years to explain abstruse campaign laws or provide us with public records posthaste. Roberts made it look easy, treating reporters like pals and getting us what we needed, when we needed it. Bennett lost (badly) in the primary, so Roberts is back at his post — for now. Here's hoping that wherever he lands after Bennett leaves office he's appreciated.

If you actually want to know what's going on around Arizona, the local PBS station's Arizona Horizon is the only place on TV to find it. Instead of the short mash-up of soundbites that make up so many local TV news programs, Arizona Horizon host Ted Simons brings the sources into the studio for in-depth on-air interviews. In addition, every Friday, the newspaper reporters behind some of the state's biggest stories come on the show for a roundtable discussion with Simons, who's so knowledgeable about the issues at hand that you're actually bound to learn something watching this show. Because Simons has such a good understanding of Arizona's current events, Simons knows what to ask and how to get the answers that people need to get the complete picture of a story, making Simons a very rare breed in the world of local TV news.

Sometimes you have to wonder if the Valley's TV newscasters are robots who just get unplugged at the end of the program every night and stuffed in a storage closet until they get plugged in again at 6 p.m. the next day. Not 3TV's Carey Peña. She's a competent news reader as well as reporter, especially in her role as the co-host of Channel 3's weekly political news program, Politics Unplugged, which included her moderating of debates among political candidates this election year. She's also a good follow on Twitter, @CareyPenaTV. Plus, she's easy on the eyes, which is oh-so-important in the TV news world.

He's thrilled a generation of young adult readers with his smart, bestselling Young Adult novels and made Phoenix proud, besides. Because Tom Leveen, who lives here with his wife and young son, is that rarest of guys: a literary local boy made good. After toiling for more than 20 years in local theater (he co-founded both Chyro Arts, an all-ages performing venue, and Is What It Is Theatre, a popular community playhouse), he settled in to tell stories in print. His second novel, Zero, followed a "loner art chick" named Amanda through the angst of teenaged life in Phoenix and went on to win a 2013 Young Adult Library Service Association "Best Book" award. More novels followed (including Sick, in which high school drama students are trapped at their school, where a plague is turning classmates into marrow-sucking zombies), and so did still more accolades for his storytelling talent. Leveen's newest novel, Random, is a just-published thriller that takes on high school bullying and teen suicide, and is sure to bring the author even more literary acclaim.

As poetry slammers go, these folks are the champs. Headed up by Lawn Gnome Publishing, this slam team isn't about rhyming moon and June. These poets not only write, practice, and compete on a national level with other laureates, but also perform at private parties, speak at local schools, and support themselves with fun-infused fundraisers. Performing at Lawn Gnome and in other cafes and galleries around town, PPS continues the slam's tradition of talented hosts, amazing performers and heart-stopping performances. This year, the group is playing host to the 2014 Individual World Poetry Slam, a three-day competition and arts festival co-produced by the Arizona Humanities Council. Why do we have a feeling these guys are going to come out on top?

Insightful coverage and reporting from nationally syndicated programs like Talk of the Nation and PRI's The World provide excellent national and international coverage, but it's KJZZ's Arizona and Southwestern-centric reporting that sets it apart from other news outlets in Phoenix. Whether it's The Show, covering adaptive reuse of historic properties and gender dynamics at Phoenix Comicon or reporting by Fronteras: The Changing America Desk on border crossings from Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, and California, KJZZ's news reporting is second to none.

When we heard Phoenix's airwaves would soon be home to a new community station, you better bet we were all ears. Though 102.9 FM is currently static, the frequency is also filled with possibilities. A full schedule of programming is expected to launch in August 2015, and a few shows could be on the air as soon as early 2015. But before that happens, the fine folks launching this station are pounding pavement, engaging the public, and hosting events around Phoenix to figure out what exactly the community wants in a radio station — be it indie rock and live DJs or in-depth arts and culture coverage — what stories they want to tell, and what stories they want to hear. Stay tuned.

When Scorpius Dance Theatre presented A Vampire Tale for the 10th year in a row, we couldn't take our eyes off Gavin Sisson. Between completely selling his role as a creepy vampire to moving with unparalleled energy and leading the troupe in its aerial work with silks draped from the ceiling and spinning and twisting around, we imagined how much more we'd dig the production if he were to play the male lead, a vampire king named Viktor. Turns out, we're not the only ones who couldn't take our eyes off Sisson, who has been with the company since 2011 and works as its assistant director. Scorpius announced that he'll take on that lead role come October. And we'll be there to watch him take the production to new, probably terrifying heights.

Martha never looked this good — at least, she hasn't for a very long time. Emma bills itself "for the modern domestic goddess" — and it's clear the magazine is targeting the Stewart-inclined millennial. Smart thinking.

From how to make fork pompoms to how to make a faux bob, with beautiful holiday vignettes and Phoenix-based features like GROWop boutique and a caramel corn hot dog from Short Leash, this is a magazine with staying power and we can't wait to see where the editors take Emma next.

Phoenix may not have open-air theaters like London or Shakespeare in the Park like New York City, but, as it turns out, the desert makes an even more interesting performance art venue. Performance in the Borderlands is an ASU initiative that has been responsible for the curation of all kinds of performance pieces that deal with issues of borders, politics, and identity. This past year, the initiative brought two notable pieces to the Deer Valley Rock Center, where performers found themselves interacting directly with the Arizona landscape. Performance in the Borderlands also is responsible for a series of banned-play readings that regularly take place at the Phoenix Hostel and Cultural Center. With the ever-mounting prominence of border politics in Arizona, Performance in the Borderlands provides the perfect way to explore these intense issues: through art.

It's amazing to think that Jon Gentry, one of our longtime most dependable stage players, made his Arizona Theatre Company debut this year in that company's production of Jules Verne's classic Around the World in 80 Days. In Mark Brown's adaptation directed by Childsplay's David P. Saar, Gentry's Passeportout, manservant to wacky adventurer Phileas Fogg, was a revelation. The actor's talent for physical comedy got a workout; Gentry wowed ATC audiences by literally climbing the 80 Days set in scenes in which he saved damsels in distress and rescued passengers from a runaway train. Gentry's quieter moments featured his distinctive voice and turn of phrase, and all of it reminded us that this actor's actor is among our very best.

Tracy Letts' epic, relentlessly dismal yet moving and entertaining August: Osage County won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. And in last year's Mesa Encore Theatre production, Shari Watts takes local honors for her performance in the lead. She assayed the role of Violet with a heartbreaking resignation that never quite masked her pain. Vi is one of the nastiest, most unpleasant characters in contemporary drama, and while Letts has given her cancer and a crappy childhood to help the audience (and her family) tolerate her, Watts was able to sell Vi's raging pill habit and torrent of insults anyway, because she was just that good.

Packed from end to end with faultless performances, Phoenix Theatre's Ruthless! The Musical was a stunner. Joel Paley's book and lyrics — about a little girl who'll do anything to play the lead in the school musical — provided a convulsion of nudging and winking at anyone up on their backstage stories. But a cast made up mostly of Phoenix Theatre veterans (including Debby Rosenthal, whose send-up of Mama Rose as a clueless stage mother who winds up a star was a scream, and Rusty Ferracane, in a glittery black skirt and eyelashes out to there, singing about stardom) nearly vanished from sight whenever little Riley Glick appeared onstage, singing and stomping about as 9-year-old Tina. Glick's way with a scene-stealing brat was surpassed only by hearing her shout an expletive early in Act Two. And her ballet combination wasn't bad, either.

Even if Ron May, founder of Stray Cat Theatre and recent star of the one-person show The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs, had only brought us his company's production of The Whale last season, that would have been enough to snag him our undying gratitude and admiration. In that play, about an obese man at the end of his rather sad life, May kept a fine cast from chewing scenery and helped lead actor Damon Dering create a career-making performance. But May, who handles frantic comedies with the same grace as he does murky melodramas, also worked his directorial magic last season on the extremely tricky The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, making a small, dark comedy set in the world of semi-pro boxing into something everyone could love. This month, May is directing Tarell Alvin McCraney's The Brothers Size, so here's to another year of dynamic direction from our own Mister May.

He's a talented actor and a well-loved theater educator, to be sure. But we're proudest of Dwayne Hartford's remarkable body of work as a playwright. Hartford, the associate artist and playwright in residence at Childsplay, only began writing in 2000, yet his work, often developed through Childsplay's Whiteman New Plays Program, has been consistently engaging, thought-provoking, and even controversial. His plays — which often tour the country after making their debuts in the Valley — have earned accolades far and wide. His Eric and Elliot received the Distinguished Play award from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education in 2005; The Imaginators was produced and aired by local PBS affiliate KAET; and Hartford's adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities was developed through the National Endowment for the Arts and NYU's New Plays for Young Audiences program. Season before last, his The Color of Stars knocked us out with its frank commentary on America's wartime attitudes, and this last season he continued his winning streak with an adaptation of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, based on Kate DiCamillo's popular novel, that was both heartwarming and heart-wrenching. We hear that this talented playwright is busy at work on an adaptation of a classic and long-loved children's story, and we can't wait to see what he does with it.

Okay, so they dared to torture us last season with the roller-disco monstrosity Xanadu. But the state's professional theater, also brought us a stunning production of Jon Robin Baitz's Other Desert Cities and David Ives' Tony-nominated Venus in Fur, beautifully acted by Michael Tisdale and Gillian Williams and expertly directed by Shana Cooper. This is the sort of fine theater art we've come to expect from our big-budget professional theater, and they have rarely let us down. Sadly, this year ATC brings us the departure of artistic director David Ira Goldstein, who truly revolutionized the company with co-productions with estimable playhouses in other parts of the country and with his stylish taste in plays and musicals.

It's almost unfair to laud Childsplay for its many finely tuned theatrical productions, because this professional company has had 37 years to learn to do children's theater right. And, boy, have they! Last year alone, they thrilled (and educated) kids all over the Valley with The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, based on Newbery Award winner Kate DiCamillo's beloved book, and of course their popular favorite, Schoolhouse Rock, Live!, based on those old, educational singalong Saturday morning cartoons. Original productions, tried-and-true hits, and a whole lot of parent-pleasing professional theater make this children's theater the one to beat.

Twenty years ago or more, Phoenix Theatre operated a black box, where those of us who liked edgier plays and musicals could go for offbeat theater. Late last year, the now-93-year-old company unveiled, as part of its multimillion-dollar renovation, a new black box space. Those of us who once laughed ourselves silly over campy Charles Busch comedies are older now and want more from our offbeat theater — and we got it with this neat, comfortable black box space, where the company has offered smart, first-rate productions like Ruthless! The Musical and Avenue Q.

Stray Cat's 11th season may not be remembered as its best ever, but no one who saw the company's production of The Whale, starring Damon Dering and directed by the company's founder, Ron May, will forget it. This also was the year Stray Cat scored a coup with film and TV star Zach Braff's All New People, neatly directed by Louis Farber and featuring Michael Peck, Angelica Howland, and filmed cameos from some estimable local talent. And the year that May really swung out with a fine production of Kristoffer Diaz's difficult The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity. It's this kind of rare, risky fare that gets us going back, again and again, to see what Stray Cat has uncovered this time.

Set "somewhere in Canada" in 1920, Mary's Wedding offered a simple story about a transplanted city girl who doesn't like the country so much until she meets a pretty farmhand named Charles. Canadian playwright Stephen Massicotte's sweet memory play got a first-class staging, early this year, by this often iffy local company. Heidi Haggerty's charming performance in the title role was matched by Kent Welborn's neatly naïve leading man, both situated on a simple, versatile set by Deb Mather Boehm and nicely directed by theater veteran Carol MacLeod. Theatergoers who'd written off this tiny troupe were pleased to find a simple, simply excellent production on its stage. Here's to more of the same in 2015.

If culturally minded people remember anything about Valentine's weekend 2014, it will be this: That was the weekend Stray Cat Theatre brought us The Whale. Samuel D. Hunter's story about a morbidly obese man seeking redemption at the end of his life featured a career-making performance by actor Damon Dering, trussed up in a fat suit as the beleaguered title character, Charlie. Dering's artful performance steered clear of scenery chewing and revealed the fragility behind a dying man's histrionics — all with the help of director Ron May, who handled expertly the highs and lows of a play that's neither comedy nor drama. On Eric Beeck's drearily smart set, which provided pages of background on the dismal grayness of Charlie's life, a fine supporting cast (particularly a darkly comic Michelle Chin as Charlie's mean-spirited teenaged daughter) managed not to be eclipsed by Johanna Carlisle, who turned up with a giant performance, late in the second act of this, the very best play of last season.

The behemoth stirs! We're grateful that this smart professional theater company didn't just blow away after plunging into financial despair in 2012. Instead, artistic director Matthew Weiner and his staff got busy raising funds, booking plays, and spending a whole season as vagabonds, working out of several different playhouses. And what work! Patti Suarez in 4000 Miles; Joseph Kremer and Christopher Haines in A Steady Rain. And an all-star cast of local talent in Good People. As if that weren't enough, Actors Theatre then launched a summer stock season, featuring a pair of plays in repertory (Karen Zacarias' The Book Club Play; Sandy Rustin's The Cottage) as well as many one-person shows (most notably, Sally Jo Bannow's The Boob Show and The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs, featuring a star turn by Ron May). Here's to hoping this company continues to thrive.

There are times when living in Phoenix can be tough. Politics, the endless sprawl of chain restaurants and strip malls. But Vintage Phoenix, a Facebook page managed by local musician and photographer Dave Driscoll, doesn't make Phoenix perfect, but the vintage pictures, of canoe paddlers at Encanto Park, the Tovrea stockyards in the late '40s, and a downtown remarkably different looking than the one we're used to, do help remind us of a true community, of a shared historical perspective that often is built over or demolished by our local government and industry. More than 31,000 folks "like" the page, and they regularly take to the comments section to reminisce and share more photos. It may be just pictures popping up in a social media feed, but a couple of times a week, it feels like home. Pictures evoking nostalgia for a time in which some of us lived, and some of us just wish we had.