UNION, the hyper-local shopping hub on the east side of Biltmore Fashion Park in Phoenix, has closed. The news was confirmed by small business employees, former UNION leaseholders, and upper management within Macerich, the company that owns and operates Biltmore Fashion Park and other Valley retail centers. According to sources, a…
Dry-clean your Leia cosplay and slather on those Team Arrow temporary tattoos: Free Comic Book Day rapidly approaches. Diamond Comics Distributors and ComicsPRO are teaming with publishers to bring 50 free comics to stores on Saturday, May 7. (For a full list of Phoenix-area shops that are participating, see the…
Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander isn’t just a bestseller. The time-travelling fantasy about a World War II nurse and an 18th-century Highland warrior has become a cultural phenomenon, thanks to a sexy TV series, which started its second season in April. And not only has it spawned spin-offs from Gabaldon, and plenty…
Fair warning: Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 8. And although you may have just purchased Amazon Prime for the purpose of sending quick gifts, we’re betting that Mom wants to just spend a little time with you … you know, in addition to the requisite present. From vintage markets and…
It’s an extraordinary feeling, being out of the city and surrounded by wilderness as the sun begins to set. The desert comes alive in a whole new way. The beautiful colors of the sun begin to fade while the moon rises to help light the way. The birds suddenly quiet…
May might be the month where you often hear the question “when is Cinco de Mayo?” — or when Star Wars continues to find relevance with streams of social media posts lauding puns as an actual form of comedy. But it’s also a great time to celebrate not only your…
Comic shops and record stores aren’t the only local businesses that need love. Independent bookstores have plenty to offer in the age of online shopping. And on Saturday, April 30, you can show your local indie book shop some love. Founded in 2015 after a 2014 campaign in California, Independent…
Every month, there’s plenty for geeks to celebrate in Phoenix, but that’s more the case this May than ever. With Star Wars Day on May 4, Captain America: Civil War on May 6, and Free Comic Book Day on May 7, we may as well call this month Nerd Christmas. And…
Deep breaths, Kardashianites. Blac Chyna is hosting a party at Maya Day and Nightclub in Scottsdale this weekend. Mhm, yes, that Blac Chyna, the former stripper, occasional model/video girl turned Tyga’s co-parent turned fiancée of Rob Kardashian. Which is where things, for those who do not keep up with the Kardashians, get extra…
A major spectacle will invade Talking Stick Resort Arena in June, and it’s at once a maelstrom of bright lights, colorful characters, and a hard-rock soundtrack. Are we referring to some massive arena-style concert? Nope. Think again, jabroni. It’s the WWE, which announced recently that it will return to the…
While hiking is a pleasant pastime for soaking up nature and the world around you, being immersed in the outdoors doesn’t mean you can act like a caveman. There is a bit of etiquette that’s crucial to keep in mind when hiking on a high-traffic trail like Cholla or Piestewa…
A few years ago a friend gave me a gift she’d found in a used-book sale somewhere — a Bantam paperback edition, from 1955 (price 35 cents) of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. She thought that I would be amused by the cover, which pitched the book as a lurid…
With summer fast approaching, it might be wise to take your cycling indoors. Cue the grand opening of CycleBar Premium Indoor Cycling, “a new luxury boutique fitness franchise offering a high-energy workout in a lively, concert-like atmosphere,” according to a news release. The workout venue is set to open in…
Many Arizonans know Suzanne Young for causing a social media firestorm when she tweeted a picture of the pro-abstinence sticker from her son’s biology textbook. The Gilbert author was driven off social media by harassment and worse. But Young doesn’t want to be remembered for that incident. Or even for…
The second season of Netflix’s flagship superhero drama arrived to mixed reception from critics (“It wasn’t as good as the first season!”) and high praise from fans (“Holy crap bro, that stairwell scene!”), which is par for the course with this superhero stuff. Our own Alan Scherstuhl found it to…
When Target announced it was teaming up with Finnish design house Marimekko to launch a collection — available in stores and online April 17 — print junkies rejoiced. Known for its brightly-colored printed fabrics and joyful designs, Marimekko was founded in Helsinki in 1951 by the print visionary Armi Ratia…
Pets: They’re just like us. They have likes, dislikes, baggage, and let’s face it, probably more Instagram followers than you. So why then are their adoption profiles being limited to the bar minimum? Sure, it’s probably important to know if they can tolerate children (who can?) and have had all…
It’s a good time to be a fan of old-school arcade games right now in Phoenix. By our count, there are at least five different spots locally where joystick jocks can get their hands on quarter-powered masterpieces from the ‘80s and early ’90s (aka the golden age of arcades), including…
“Hey, Joe, we’re thinking of having some people over to play games,” your friend says. Sounds great, you think. You work up the courage to go, stretching outside of that awkward personal bubble you’ve fortified. You even work up the nerve to use some mouthwash. You might even shower. Hey,…
With the summer just a few page turns of the calendar away, comic book publishers are starting to preview their upcoming events and high-profile launches. And while variant covers and overpaid pencillers might trick you into forking over some of those hard-earned dollars, sometimes it’s hard to find that particular…
Batman v. Superman isn’t necessarily a horrible film. Stay with us here. Yes, it’s bad. But, no, it’s not horrible. There are things to like, even if you didn’t enjoy Man of Steel and think Ben Affleck is still a weird choice to play Batman. The action and pure CGI porn…
Between Stephenie Meyer and Diana Gabaldon, Phoenix has produced a pair of writing superstars who dominate the charts with everything they release. You may not like sparkly vampires or kilted Scottish lovers, but there is no denying the impact these two authors have had on speculative fiction. But Phoenix also…
