What looks like child’s play on the surface can hide a deeper meaning. Before they were whitewashed by Disney, Grimm’s Fairy Tales were graphic morality lessons. In medieval times, board games confronted issues of life and death. Inspired by the 16th-century Game of Goose, local artist Sue Chenoweth combined her…
Though Sundance-screened and sporting an upscale cast, writer-director Vincenzo Natali’s Splice has a mad-science quality. He has crossbred a self-serious psychodrama and a queasy creature-feature, and unleashed this malformed freak on the world. Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley are Clive and Elsa, a married couple of “rock star” genetic engineers…
There are myriad moments during Get Him to the Greek when it feels as if the thing will jump the rails and smash to the ground in a thousand pieces of what-in-the-fuck. It’s a complete and utter mess from the big-loud-dumb start to the awwww-that’s-so-sweet finish. It’s hardly a narrative…
It was known for the past half-century as “the Marilyn Monroe hotel,” because Monroe, in town to shoot scenes for the 1956 film Bus Stop, stayed in its penthouse for a few weeks. Today, the Sahara Motor Hotel at First and Polk Streets is a pile of rubble on its…
My mother’s recipe for chili soup — and yes, when I was growing up in Cleveland, we preferred the redundancy of both “chili” and “soup,” thank you very much — calls for ground beef, kidney beans, stewed tomatoes, lots and lots of water, and the barest teaspoon of chili powder…
“Why isn’t this working?” This line, muttered by my dad, seems to be the theme song to our father-son projects. Whether we’re fixing cars or figuring out something on the computer, there’s always a stressful moment of, “Can we really pull this off?” Today’s source of tension: My dad and…
It’s every kid’s dream to run away with the circus — to slather on white pancake makeup and climb into a crowded toy car or stun an audience speechless by cracking the whip at a roaring beast. Me, I longed to be the graceful fire spinner twirling dual batons of…
To some, ice is just frozen water. To others, it serves primarily as a means to keep drinks cold or — if they’re really funny — to drop down someone’s pants. Then there’s the adage about Eskimos having at least nine different words for the stuff, so it’s obviously pretty…
I’ve been dining at this cheesy Italian cafe a lot lately. The service is slow and the lasagna is runny and the placemats are paper, but I’ve become a regular all the same — because they serve frozen sangria. No apologies. I’ve lived in Phoenix for nearly a half-century, and…
“Cave Dweller” by Sativa Peterson “Heavy Metal” by Tricia Parker “Burn, Baby” by Sarah Fenske “Chill Out” by Steve Jansen “Flame Game” by Wynter Holden “Ice Rage” by Adriane Goetz “Slush Life” by Robrt L. Pela “(100) Days of Summer Films” by Chuck Wilson…
Throw a two carat rock in Scottsdale and you’ll hit a fashion-conscious woman. But with Betsey Johnson, Gucci and Barney’s New York already in place at Fashion Square, it’s hard to find successful local designers catering to the Phoenix market. Kiss the Girl is one notable exception. I bought my first…
Bad news: It’s been a week since we last checked in with our Silly Bandz sources, and still no word on the Bandz’ arrival. Good news: We held a drawing for a spankin’ new pack of our own. Congratulations to Leslie McKenna, who will have one more package for her…
No need to be alarmed by the echoing drones coming from the bell tower at the Scottsdale Civic Center — they’re just part of the latest installation.The Photo-Luminescent Sound Garden is a creation of Todd Ingalls and Mary Neubauer. Together, they designed and installed six translucent forms that each have…
We were concerned. The Scott Pilgrim of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series of the same name is passionate, capable of kicking ass, but a little thick when it comes to being much more than a twenty-something bass player. The Scott Pilgrim of the first trailer for Director Edgar Wright’s…
This is going to be damn good. In December 2009 at Trunk Space, Tempe-based artist Allison Karow, aka Sunny Sealeopard, had one of her first exhibitions in the Valley. In it, Karow, a founding member of Bike Saviours Co-op, exhibited drawings, paintings, and mixed-media works on the cheap, including a…
We like to believe that every crafter, seamstress, and sharp shootin’ glue gunner in town has been to SAS at least once. If you haven’t, well, get with the program and be sure to keep it in mind for your next project…
It took a while, but Scott Jacobson’s got some special piñatas for sale. By the Fourth of July, he says, he’ll also have John McCain and Sarah Palin, but for now you can beat the crap out of Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Governor Jan Brewer.These are so cool, though, you might…
There’s a doll in downtown Phoenix that’s older than the United States.Her wax skin is clear and smooth, her features soft and vibrant. Her shiny blond hair is human (each follicle was applied by hand) and her white cloth dress has no tatters or stains. The 300-year-old doll is the…
No. 93: Yuri Artibise Yuri is a recovering public policy wonk. He has a depth of experience in research and analysis of contemporary policy issues, including a stint at ASU’s Morrison Institute of Public Policy. His current passion is community building and creating livable neighborhoods. Since moving to the Valley…
A shot of the butte near I-10 and Broadway in Tempe that dons some Tempe High School regalia…
Hope you’re hungry — history’s for lunch. The City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Office will host Robert Melikian, author of Vanishing Phoenix tomorrow, June 2, at Phoenix City Hall. Melikian’s book laments stories and photos of buildings no longer standing in Phoenix including the Dorris Opera House, Baker & Bayless…
In case you hadn’t noticed, the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix is closed for renovation. Assuming all goes according to plan, the center will reopen sometime around October 1.And, yes, there will be a celebration. We’ll keep on top of that for you (just make sure to keep reading…
