As urban renewal takes over downtown Phoenix and its art galleries, mixed-media artist Lara Plecas (formerly Kupcikevicius) brings a little bit of nature and history into eye lounge with her new show “Territorial Nature.” This is the first solo show at the collective gallery for Plecas, who says she is…
Nicky Silver might be the playwright for our time: a master of genre mash-ups that exults in transgressing taboos, chasing skeletons from closets, and punting propriety into the cheap seats while dropping more cultural references than the Fox Sunday lineup. Imagine The Breakfast Club written, directed, and performed by Oscar…
Downtown Phoenix might be more of a concrete jungle than a land of green pastures, but when Michael Patterson shows off his paintings at Trunk Space this month and next, the urban setting gets infused with some Irish spirit. That’s because the artist, who will be showing 15 of his…
The past was when quilting was a stay-at-home thing, the purview of grannies who made blankets and groups of backwoods gals who wanted an excuse to get together and bitch. Today, quilting is an art form. Look no further for proof than Chandler, where Vision Gallery and Chandler Center for…
The past was when quilting was a stay-at-home thing, the purview of grannies who made blankets and groups of backwoods gals who wanted an excuse to get together and bitch. Today, quilting is an art form. Look no further for proof than Chandler, where Vision Gallery and Chandler Center for…
Jackalopes can ride bikes, right? (Given the temperature, they should be able to … ) This week, we’re introducing Cycle, a weekly feature where our own fanatic, Jason Franz, will tell tales of rides and routes, and cycling dos and don’ts, as he spins pedals across what Bicycling Magazine calls…
It’s not easy to get Santa to throw down. In fact, we had to talk to more than one not-so-jolly St. Nick to get the true story of what it’s like to hang with a bunch of puking, snot-nosed brats and overbearing parents, all December long. The first Santa we…
Dayvid LemMon started calling his house the Downtown Phoenix Museum of Gentrification a few months ago (he even registered it on Google Maps and Foursquare), and has been receiving curious visitors and phone calls ever since. “I get random ASU students coming to check the place out for their latest…
Let’s face it: During the holidays we all hope and aim to be Suzie Homemaker: The best damn party hostess that ever lived. This week, we turn to the homemaking, party-planning, holiday-hosting goddess Martha Stewart herself for a Thanksgiving cocktail and get not just one but a dozen options (some are even non-alcoholic for the little ones or the underage siblings, nieces, nephews and cousins who are always trying to snag the leftover booze).
The working trailer for a new SB1070 documentary is dramatic, complete with interviews of Sheriff Arpaio and other polarizing figures — which isn’t especially surprising. What is surprising is that the whole film was produced, directed, cut, and shot by six Arcadia High School students. The project, currently named “The…
Looking for something to do this week? “Night Owl” is a quick guide to special nights at bars and clubs around town. We’ll give you a few hints re: cover, dress code, music and atmosphere. Thursday nights mark Blunt Club at Yucca Tap Room in Tempe. Blunt Club (our 2010 pick…
Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving. Which means the dreaded Black Friday is upon us. While we do believe there’s nothing like a healthy round of bargain binge shopping to help chase away post-Thanksgiving woes, the idea of going to a mall on Black Friday makes us want scratch our own eyeballs out.Lucky for…
Name: John Robert Scott Age: 31; 28 When I got the tattoo My Sleeve: I had the tattoo done in Dallas by an artist named Jack Hatchet out of his personal shop which he moved to Philadelphia weeks after completing my arm. The story behind the tattoo sleeve is somewhat…
Actor and comedian Dane Cook’s been in movies alongside the likes of Steve Carrell (Dan in Real Life) and Kevin Costner (Mr. Brooks), he’s hosted Saturday Night Live twice, and had a hit comedy album, Retaliation. Now, he’s on tour, and he’ll be bringing his brand of observational humor to…
Seriously Bravo, you’re going to let The World’s Most Boring Fashion Show Ultimate Collection go on?! The most interesting parts of this episode was spotting America’s Next Top Model castoff Melrose as the ’40s femme fatale in the challenge’s inspiration sequence (and the numerous flashbacks… is that how you’re keeping Tyra off your ass for stealing Tyra Mail?!) and hearing Isaac dispute that’s he’s ever worn drag because he’s “such an ugly girl.” Yeah, we’ll side with you on that last part… but we highly doubt the first.
Nico Cruz has always been passionate about graphic design and fashion. In high school he participated in a FCCLA competition for fashion students from schools around the valley. The prize was a scholarship to FIDM, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. Nico Cruz won.Earlier this year Cruz graduated from the…
The Arizona Department of Health Services estimates more than 100,000 Arizonans will apply for medical marijuana cards as soon as they can (likely March or April of next year). We can already see ourselves undergoing treatment — on our couches with a bowl of fruit, expanding our minds through skewed cinema.We…
Jonathan Simon’s a geek — and a damn funny one. He started Lightning Octopus in June to share Phoenix geek-culture news, photos and events — it’s also his excuse to get out and meet like-minded geeks at geeky events.”Since its launch, my wife and I have traded in a lot…
Driving down Grand Avenue in Phoenix, you might see an assortment of interesting things, including a purple, leopard-print building called Sweets & Beats. Owners, Liam James T. Murtagh and Emily Spetrino-Murtagh, were saving to buy a home, but when it came time to finalize their potential plans, something always went…
Forget the fancy napkins and table-top decorations — there are enough dishes to juggle and fires to avoid this Thanksgiving. Instead, why not why not skip the fancy and go for some DIY table decorations. Let’s start with something to entertain the guests while they wait for the turkey to…
Safwat Saleem was baffled when the results of the latest Pew Research Center survey showed nearly one-in-five Americans now say Obama is a Muslim, and his only reaction (a gag reflex, he says) was to laugh.The graphic designer, computer programmer, filmmaker and artist says he’s trying to express the humor…
Get ready to rave — Craft Rave. On December 4, Phoenix will witness its first official make-n-take marathon. The Phoenix Craft Rave, hosted by professional crafters, Kathy Cano-Murillo, The Crafty Chica, and Cyndi Coon, of Laboratory 5 (who contributes to Jackalope Ranch), will include 10 hours of non-stop crafting action…
