Aaron Voigt’s Recycled Robot Garage

Vintage voltmeters and pressure gauges get a whole new lease on life in the garage of Aaron Voigt’s home in Mesa. Ditto for knobs and dials from antique appliances, old bicycle gears, automobile parts, suspension springs, and various other castoff bits from old devices. The 30-something spends hours at a time…

Downtown’s First Friday (Nov. 4)

Art walks are more often about people watching and shenanigans and less about the actual art. We’re here to guide you through both. Presenting our very own Field Guide — an evolving guide to art walks around town.From time to time, we’ll introduce some of our favorite spots and dish out some…

Antique Trove: Hidden Design Treasures in South Scottsdale

Antique Trove is a junk drawer of vintage goods. The 23,000-square-foot haven of forgotten furniture and once-loved knickknacks is crowded with weird inventory from more than 140 vendors. It’s easy to get lost (and even easier to find something you never knew you were looking for). Old magazines are stacked next to…

Spotted: Night Riding with State Bicycle Co.

State Bicycle Co. – Night Riders (full edition) from State Bicycle Co. on Vimeo.The two-wheeled adrenaline junkies at State Bicycle Co. took to the streets over the weekend, in very-timely, spooky garb. The local bicycle company’s known for drool-worthy photo contests and videos that feature their custom bicycles, sponsored local riders,…

Carol Panaro-Smith and Josie Cirincione Host an Ephemera Crawl on Seventh Avenue

To the guaranteed glee of antique hoarders everywhere, Art Intersection’s Carol Panaro-Smith and Josie Cirincione are going on an afternoon of local antiquing — and they’d like to take you along. “Vintage ephemera and found objects are a great source of inspiration to mixed-media artists,” Panaro-Smith writes. “The field trip objective is…

Roper Boots from Kitten Paws Vintage

Each week Gem features one standout piece from a local shop. Whether it’s a jacket, necklace, or handbag, it’s on our have-to-have list. What: These ’70s roper-style boots are beautifully broken in and perfect footwear for the Southwestern trend we’re seeing a lot of this season (think: dangling fringe, earthy prairie tones,…

Alicia Lopez’s Rockabilly Style and Mexican Pride

As a longtime fan of rockabilly and pin-up classiness, Alicia Lopez enjoys incorporating rip-roaring style and sexiness into her clothing choices and fashion work. The 30-year-old designer and model also is big on incorporating Mexican influences whenever possible and uses her creations to make a statement about her heritage, promote…

The Five Most Twisted and Tasteless Costumes of Halloween Weekend

You couldn’t swing a bag of candy without hitting a costumed character this past weekend during the buildup to Halloween, particularly at local bars and nightspots. Countless revelers and nightlife patrons embraced the spirit of the scary season and donned alter egos and colorful outfits for the evening. Not every costume…

The Arizona State Fair (until Nov. 6)

Unlike art walks, the State Fair is ALL about people watching and circus acts. So grab a camera and a bottle of TUMS — here’s a peek at our Field Guide to the Arizona State Fair:  click on the image (or right here) for a full-sized version​Check out the full slideshow here and…

The Seven Saddest Costumed Pets on Etsy

The life of a domesticated animal may seem like one of total bliss, but that ain’t always the case. While it’s true that most pets are fed, groomed, and tended to by their owners (the responsible one, at least), they’re often subject to the various whims and emotional mood-swings of…

Dress Like Your Favorite Phoenix Nightlife Icons This Halloween

Let’s face it: the chances your brilliant idea for this year’s Halloween costume is even the slightest bit original, are slim to none. Whether your rags are as obvious as an #occupywhatever protester, or as obscure as a sad reenactment of Edgar Allan Poe (Edgar Allan, who?), chances are, someone, somewhere, is…

Steve Weiss and Abbey Messmer’s Halloween Creations

​Potential costume contest participants be warned: local creatives Steve Weiss and Abbey Messmer are back in the studio and working on their get-ups for Halloween. The duo, known for their annual mutant pinata creations and individual projects (Weiss is the indie film programming guru at No Festival Required; Messmer’s a local painter),…

Zinnias at Melrose: A Break from Boutique Thrifting

Zinnias at Melrose is one of the Valley’s largest antique shops at Indian School Road and Seventh Avenue, the unofficial starting line of the antique-lined Melrose District. The a two-floor, 15,000-square-foot warehouse is less boutique and more enormous closet, where garage- and estate-sale finds are given a second chance by more than 30 vendors,…

Three Last-Minute Halloween Costumes

Each week Gem features one standout piece from a local shop. Whether it’s a jacket, necklace, or handbag, it’s on our have-to-have list. This week we hunted down three gems that could be styled as Halloween costumes. Whether you’re looking to add fun touches to your already-planned getup, or you’re in desperate…

Starbucks and Alexander Wang Create $85 Coffee-Spill T-Shirt

Welcome to the latest, greatest example of “how to waste your money in a corporate coffee giant” — the coffee spill tee.To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the Starbucks brain trust wrangled 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winner and fashion designer Alexander Wang into “reimagining” the logo for a special edition of women’s soft knits. It then successfully…

Bragg’s Pie Factory Hosts Coffee, Cookies & Crafts in November

The caffeinated, sugar-induced craft bonanza that is Coffee, Cookies & Crafts will usher in a marathon of holiday-themed gifts, craft supplies, and interactive activities in Downtown’s Bragg’s Pie Factory.  And while the event’s November 19 date isn’t quite past the threshold of “accepted beginning of post-Thanksgiving holiday pandemonium,” we’ll be the first to…

The Five Worst Halloween Party Fouls

​Halloween house parties can be very memorable affairs. It’s safe to say, however, that you’d probably like to be remembered for having a killer costume instead of being the dolt who spoiled the affair after puking in the closet or wearing an offensive outfit. Since it’s likely you’ll be heading…