From maker meet-ups to undersea exploring and a must-see pop-up gallery, here's how to spend your off-hours in metro Phoenix this week.
Though the term hackerspace probably sounds like a dark room with lots of computers and nerds doing some kind of espionage with coding, that's not exactly what East Valley hackerspace HeatSync Labs is. When they say "hacker," they mean innovator, maker, disruptor, crafter, and creative.
See also: Phoenix New Times Calendar of Events
And the maker space hosts a variety of events catering to a variety of creative types. Case in point, Metal Mondays. It's a monthly meetup for metal workers to collectively geek out over what they do, swap tips, and discuss just how they became so metal. If that sounds like a good time, head to 140 West Main Street in Mesa on Monday, November 10. The informative hang sesh runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Visit www.heatsynclabs.org for details and a full schedule. Becky Bartkowski
Arizona Coyotes vs. Dallas Stars
The Arizona Coyotes aren't exactly dominating the NHL, but they're off to a promising start. The Yotes looked like a strong bet to miss the playoffs on paper, but the beginning of the season has seen Arizona play like a playoff contender -- especially in a 3-2 win over the defending Stanley Cup Champions.
The seasons are long in hockey, though, and there's still plenty of time for the Coyotes to regress. Winning a few games early on won't mean much unless the Coyotes can keep winning against top teams. The Coyotes will have a chance to do just that when they face off against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, November 11, at Gila River Arena, 9400 West Maryland in Glendale. The Stars, keyed by electrifying center Tyler Seguin, have one of the most electric offenses in the NHL. The Coyotes will have to channel the Coyotes of old (the ones that routinely shut offenses down) to keep up.
The puck will drop at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $10 and are available online via www.ticketmaster.com. Ed Kummerer
Arizona's recent cold snap is enough to drive winter chills down the spine. So why not go somewhere tropical -- such as Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea? Easier done than said, at least when one considers the National Geographic Live series. Coral, Fire and Ice begins in this remote corner of the "coral triangle" -- an amazing hub of marine biodiversity. This undersea wilderness features fingernail-sized pygmy seahorses and 60-foot tall towers of barracudas, among other amazing creatures. Shot by Nat Geo photographers Jennifer Hayes and David Doubilet, the film also takes a cold dip beneath Antarctic sea ice, capturing images of mysterious leopard seals, penguins, ancient shipwrecks and stunning icebergs. Whales, wolfish, salmon and harp seals shot in the Arctic round out the presentation and should, by all accounts, make Arizona seem mighty warm, even this time of year.
Soak in some exotic locales 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 12, in the Mesa Art Center's Ikeda Theater, One Main Street. Tickets are $26, $32, $36, and $40, and students pay $20. Visit www.mesaartscenter.com or call 480-644-6500. Glenn BurnSilver
Third Annual Fall for the Arts ArtWalk
Don't know if you know this, but autumn is about more than just adding pumpkin spice to anything you can touch, smell, taste, or look at. Thankfully, people haven't discovered how to listen to that overused flavor yet. If you're surprised by this, sorry. If you're not, then chances are you realize that with the changing of the leaves also comes the changing of the galleries, when summer exhibitions are retired to make room for new pieces.
For a one-stop survey of some of the new exhibitions Scottsdale has to offer, look no further than the Third Annual Fall for the Arts ArtWalk in the downtown Scottsdale Arts District, around Indian School and Scottsdale Roads, on Thursday, November 13, from 7 to 9 p.m. Take a stroll and pop into any of the 50 galleries participating to see what's changed since the summer. The night will also feature live auctions and exhibition openings. If you're lucky, you may even catch a few live artist demos. For the whole rundown, visit scottsdalegalleries.com or call 480-421-1004. Evie Carpenter
"Fortoul Brothers Solo Exhibition"
Between appearances in magazines around the globe, art auctions abroad, and exhibitions across the country, including the upcoming Art Basel in Miami, Gabriel and Isaac Fortoul are finding themselves more and more in the cultural spotlight. Hard to believe that it was only 2002 when these two brothers left their home of Union City, New Jersey, to pursue their creative endeavors in Phoenix, Arizona, of all places. While they don't permanently reside here, the Fortoul brother still hold a special place in their hearts for the city that helped take their careers to the next level. Which is why they're brining their nomadic gallery, 40 Owls, to downtown for an inaugural solo exhibition, and incidentally their first Phoenix area exhibition in seven years.
For the "Fortoul Brothers Solo Exhibition," duality will be key, with Gabriel curating and Isaac providing the art, represented both aesthetically and physically throughout multiple media. The free opening reception for this show will be held from 7 to 11 p.m. on Friday, November 14, at 815 North Central Avenue. RSVP at www.40owls.com/fortoul-brothers-exhibition-rsvp. The show will be on view through December 12. Katie Johnson
