Courtesy of Ali Karim.If you’ve spent any time dancing in clubs around town, you’ve surely seen Ali Karim in his signature specs and cardigans.The all-around cool dude got his start in the mid-’90s promoting record labels with DJ Bigie-Meanmugg. Since then, he’s coordinated hip-hop shows, charity events, and weekly dance…
The Stylos Awards at the Phoenix Art Museum may not be until November 13, but the booths (in this case online surveys) are officially open and counting votes until October 24. Since they began in 2005, the Stylos awards have recognized those who reflect the accomplishments of the Latino community…
PHOTOS BY MARIA VASSETTThe three essentials of a “good” Oktoberfest: wristband, double-fisting, and overall confused expressionTempe Beach Park got hammered this weekend as tiny cups of beer endlessly met the lips of brew-lovers during Tempe’s Oktoberfest. We stopped by to check out the alcohol-fueled antics and to take a few…
Where: Fear Farm, 99th Avenue between Thomas and McDowell avenues In Brief: Are we surprised that Fear Farm was Best Outdoor Haunted House? Nope. Living up to its name, Fear Farm is scary and is definitely like a farm (think hay, dirt, and pigs — we’re still not certain if they…
Frédéric Malle broke out the bubbly and the butter cookies to celebrate the launch of his new home fragrances line, i.e. candles, at Barneys New York in Scottsdale Fashion Square Saturday night.
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…
It’s finally October, which means two things: grocery stores will probably start playing Christmas music … and the Valley will finally be taken over by zombies, candy corn and, you guessed it, Haunted Houses. We’re on a mission to scout out the best (and worst) ones and share our experiences…
Halloween is a magical time for kids to dress up and gather candy as adults pay homage to their favorite pop icons and get drunk in silly outfits.Before you start brainstorming for this year’s Halloween costume, we recommend you read this list that outlines the pitfalls, dangers and straight-up bad…
At the end of May — with Best of Phoenix looming at the other end of the summer — we came up with a wacky idea: Let’s find 100 arty types from around town. We’ll ask them questions, have them share some work. We’ll call it The Creatives, in honor of…
This could be way too weird … but in spirit of our superhero-themed Best Of Phoenix issue (which hits stands tomorrow), we couldn’t resist…
You might say that Ryan and Kylie Durkin, co-owners of Phoenix furniture boutique, Modern Manor, are crazy about interior design. “Design is a passion,” both admit. That’s an understatement. Finding cool furnishings is their job (they own the store), their hobby, what they do for fun — in essence, their…
In the aftermath of Jan Brewer’s grammar, SB1070 drama and typical Arizona shenanigans, we’ve been spotting a few, um, interesting vanity plates around town. And in response, Hector Acuna, a local designer, art direction consultant, and illustrator gives us his mix-and-match game for political tailgates. Click on the image above,…
Weather-related misery aside (let’s be real, sweating in September’s not unprecedented), we imagined the Grand Avenue Festival would be a pretty stellar way to spend a Saturday afternoon, or evening. And for the most part, we were absolutely right. We set out on Saturday with a mission to check out…
2: April Reyna April Reyna says she’s a late bloomer to the comic world, but she has a pretty strong start to becoming a successful female artist within the comic industry. April nabbed a color separating job with Heroic Age Studios out of high school and assisted in the color…
Pack a sandwich — tomorrow’s lunch plans may get whole lot artsier. The Phoenix Office of Cultural Affairs, Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Herberger Institute School of Art are hosting free webinars (live broadcast seminars) covering the “How To”s of public art. There will be three events total…
Phoenix is a city of drivers, a place where people are accustomed to whizzing by everything in their cars. As such, Phoenicians miss a lot of sights, particularly the “little things” that can make a commute interesting.Luckily, Valley bicycle enthusiast John Romeo Alpha has captured the more leisurely, watchful culture…
3: Colin Chillag Colin Chillag’s a local painter who says he finds inspiration in snapshots he picks up in thrift stores. His work often leaves much to the imagination (as you’ll see after the jump). He was born in Syracuse, New York, attended grade school and high school in Phoenix…
Don’t give me that look. It’s for your own good.There’s been a lot of talk about chicken coops lately.Since my last post about urban chickens, our little babies have become stinky, young adult chickens. And it’s time they move out of the house and into a coop in the back…
In the tradition of our anonymous flight attendant, book buyer, yoga instructor, and house cleaner — a head shop employee shares his stories of dealing with glassy-eyed customers and Why Your Head Shop Employee Hates You, as told to this writer. This head shop employee has worked at an independently-owned…
The pool parties may be winding down (even if the heat’s not getting the memo), but Mark-Taylor had one bash left to throw. Their community-based pool kickbacks have all had pretty good turnouts, so we thought we’d check up on the last one of the season, at San Marbeya in…
4: Shawna Franks and Bob Fisher Shawna and Bob are a seriously creative power couple. Shawna’s the artistic director of Space 55 Theatre at Seventh and Pierce streets in Phoenix. Bob directs, acts, and improvises there, and is the occasional host of “Seven Minutes in Heaven.” They’ve been married for…
5. Morgan McNally Morgan McNally was born and raised in Phoenix. While she moved downtown as a fashion student in 2006, she says she dropped her sewing machine somewhere along the way, found painting, and hasn’t looked back. She’s currently in pursuit of a degree in printmaking, and her work’s…
