Whether vague or overt, the abundance of retro swimwear options continues to saturate the market. Fueled by waves of nostalgia sparked by costumes in “The Artist” and “Mad Men,” the romantic notions of times gone by remain popular. A slow-brewing trend for years, it will be especially prominent on swimwear racks this year.
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College students are busy. So, yeah, for nine months out of the year, it’s okay to forgo hair cuts, calling your mother, cleaning your bathroom, getting that thing on the side of your tongue checked out. It doesn’t mean you should. It’s just okay if you have to. What I always feel worst about neglecting, though, is the eight-foot stack of books acquired with the best intentions and abandoned with the same kind of shrug we time-strapped folk know well.So, don’t let your hands idle in this heat lest they swell into sausage casings. And don’t turn the page, even if the last thing you think you wanna do is read; Circumstance (and College Times) aside, we’ve got the perfect summer reading companion to help you zone out, grow, cook and ROFL.
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A local designer is defending the environment, one graphic T-shirt at a time. Scott Allison wanted to make a living doing something he believes in, so he decided to start a green apparel company called Artizen Apparel. Allison’s brand features T-shirts he designs that are fashionable and environmentally friendly. Allison will be one of the local designers participating in this Thursday’s MAD Couture Challenge, an event that will showcase the work of several designers, paired with some of Mill Avenue District’s stores for a design competition and fashion show.
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If you didn’t already know that May is Zombie Awareness Month, you might be behind some of your friends and neighbors in securing your home and stocking up on Twinkies. But there’s still time to scour the “Zombie Survival Guide” and catch a few zombie flicks before the coming apocalypse. The Zombie Research Society, founded by former French Foreign Legionnaire and self-styled zombie expert Matt Mogk, dedicated this month to boosting public awareness of the undead based on the fact that many influential zombie films, including George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead,” are set in May.
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The rise of a new nightlife venue in downtown Phoenix has the potential to bring new life and culture into the heart of the city. At least that is what the owners of the newly opened Monarch Theatre are hoping for as they prepare for a grand opening on Memorial Day weekend. Owners Pete Salaz, Sean Badger and Edson Madrigal, who also collectively own and run the popular indie dance club Bar Smith had their eyes on the space next door for quite some time. When the location for the now shuttered PHX nightclub became available, Badger said the guys jumped at the opportunity.
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Arizona may be in the desert, but it’s fertile ground for entrepreneurs looking to launch their business. Arizona had the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity in the nation last year, according to a recent Kauffman Foundation report. In 2011, 520 adults for each 100,000 created a new business in Arizona per month — beating the national average of 320. While Kauffman research fellows caution that year-to-year changes may not be significant, the results mark an upward trend for Arizona, suggesting a startup friendly environment is coming to fruition in the desert.
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Sugar may be comforting to your taste buds, but the bitter truth behind the dietary villain may alarm you. It’s generally accepted that the over-consumption of sugar can lead to weight gain, but suggesting it’s the culprit for chronic health problems may be harder news for some to swallow. Eating too much added sugar — the sweeteners and syrups added during food processing or preparation — can cause cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other diet-related conditions, according to health expert Dr. Suneil Jain, who is a naturopathic physician and owner of Rejuvena Health & Aesthetics in Scottsdale.
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There is something about a slow Southern drawl, the proper sound of a Brit or the sexy speech of Australians that makes certain people weak in the knees. DatingMashup.com is a site dedicated to assembling and matching people who love accents with people who have accents. DatingMashup.com was founded in March 2011 by Arizona native and former ASU student Dale Ballard after his fruitless search for a dating website that would help him find somebody from another country.
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Your fellow classmates and college students – you’ve seen ‘em every day for the last three, four, maybe five years. Maybe you’ve never talked to that girl who has been in, like, every class since freshman year. But graduation allows for a little time of reflection before the next step. And who better to hear from than your fellow graduates, from PhD candidates who came to ASU after a stint in the Peace Corps, to first-generation students and undergrads who served their country overseas and those who are participating in the University’s inaugural Lavender Convocation for LGTBQ students. Here are the faces of spring’s graduating class of 2012.
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Your fellow classmates and college students – you’ve seen ‘em every day for the last three, four, maybe five years. Maybe you’ve never talked to that girl who has been in, like, every class since freshman year. But graduation allows for a little time of reflection before the next step. And who better to hear from than your fellow graduates, from PhD candidates who came to ASU after a stint in the Peace Corps, to first-generation students and undergrads who served their country overseas and those who are participating in the University’s inaugural Lavender Convocation for LGTBQ students. Here are the faces of spring’s graduating class of 2012.
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Your fellow classmates and college students – you’ve seen ‘em every day for the last three, four, maybe five years. Maybe you’ve never talked to that girl who has been in, like, every class since freshman year. But graduation allows for a little time of reflection before the next step. And who better to hear from than your fellow graduates, from PhD candidates who came to ASU after a stint in the Peace Corps, to first-generation students and undergrads who served their country overseas and those who are participating in the University’s inaugural Lavender Convocation for LGTBQ students. Here are the faces of spring’s graduating class of 2012.
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Your fellow classmates and college students – you’ve seen ‘em every day for the last three, four, maybe five years. Maybe you’ve never talked to that girl who has been in, like, every class since freshman year. But graduation allows for a little time of reflection before the next step. And who better to hear from than your fellow graduates, from PhD candidates who came to ASU after a stint in the Peace Corps, to first-generation students and undergrads who served their country overseas and those who are participating in the University’s inaugural Lavender Convocation for LGTBQ students. Here are the faces of spring’s graduating class of 2012.
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Your fellow classmates and college students – you’ve seen ‘em every day for the last three, four, maybe five years. Maybe you’ve never talked to that girl who has been in, like, every class since freshman year. But graduation allows for a little time of reflection before the next step. And who better to hear from than your fellow graduates, from PhD candidates who came to ASU after a stint in the Peace Corps, to first-generation students and undergrads who served their country overseas and those who are participating in the University’s inaugural Lavender Convocation for LGTBQ students. Here are the faces of spring’s graduating class of 2012.
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Looking for the kind of freedom that can’t be found in running a traditional brick-and-mortar store, Ashley Eaton opened her pop-up vintage clothing shop, Merry May Shoppe, out of a Shasta Airflyte trailer. After Eaton found her dream trailer on eBay, she headed to Oklahoma with her family to pick up the peach and cream trailer. Merry May Shoppe premiered at downtown Phoenix’s pie social last November. She has continued to set up shop and sell her handpicked collection at special events around Phoenix, such as the Crafeteria and First Fridays.
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The pumps out front of Copper Star no longer dispense gasoline, but the former gas station is still a great place to refuel. The building, constructed in 1933 as one of the first service stations north of Indian School Road, now houses Copper Star Coffee, pumping out lattes and pastries instead of leaded gas.
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Derrick Loud has traveled more than 100 miles on the handmade bamboo bike he built in his studio apartment. Everywhere he went with his bike, he turned heads and garnered interest for his startup company BooGood Bicycles. The business venture, which was recently announced as a semi-finalist in the national Dell Social Innovation Challenge, plans to adopt a one-to-one sales model to benefit disabled individuals in underdeveloped countries. “We are providing people with a product that would give them the power to do good and change someone’s life,” said Loud, an ASU graduate student studying biomedical engineering.
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Blogger aficionados will have a chance to step out from behind their computers and mingle with the faces behind the tweets, posts and statuses of Arizona’s blogosphere on Saturday, April 28.The inaugural Arizona Blogger Conference will take place from 5 to 10 p.m. at Saguaro Hotel in Scottsdale with an evening chock full of blogging tips, eats and treats, raffle prizes, goodie bags, photo fun and networking.
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Phoenix College Softball Head Coach Heinz Mueller racked up his 1,000th win on March 17, and his squad this year has the potential to earn the program its 8th national title.But Coach Mueller, or Heinz, as his players affectionately call him, measures his success by the frames that hang on the walls of his office.
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High school is hardly a walk in the park for most teenagers. Acne, bad fashion choices and heartbreaks plague memories of many past and present student bodies. But for some, such worries pale in comparison to the harsh reality experienced by LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning) youth in the American public school system. LGBTQ youth in the Valley for nearly 18 years, held a ribbon cutting ceremony in on April 13 to commemorate an historic event for Arizona: the opening of Q High, the first LGBTQ high school program in the state.
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Two semesters is all it took for one former Arizona State University student to jumpstart her dream job as an actress on Broadway. Krystina Alabado was a theatre major for one year when she was cast in 2008 in the first national tour of the Tony award-winning “Spring Awakening.” She left ASU to perform in the two-year tour and moved to New York after it ended. Alabado landed her latest role last year in the Broadway adaptation of “American Idiot,” a musical based on Green Day’s album of the same name. The show tells the story of three lifelong friends forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia on their quest for true meaning in a post 9/11 world.
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Strap on your helmets and start peddling because the inaugural Pedal Craft PHX is riding into town. One group of bike enthusiasts and graphic artists is celebrating Phoenix’s budding flirtation with cycling with the premiere Pedal Craft PHX event. On Friday, Phoenicians are invited meet up for an evening itinerary that offers a perfect mash-up of bicycles, art and community. “It’s a way to help foster the revitalization of downtown, the arts and different forms of transportation other than the automobile,” said Jim McPherson, one of the event organizers. Other organizers are Jon Ashcroft, Jonce Walker, Nicole Underwood, Dorina Bustamante and Jeremy Stapleton.
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Fashion-forward Amir Saebi is transforming a city flooded with flip-flops and cut-offs into a dapper downtown with the opening of his store Amir’s La Voûte. Amir’s La Voûte offers a curated collection of menswear for Phoenix’s increasingly vintage-savvy opposite sex. Handpicked items from around the world fill the shelves and, with a selection ranging from vintage bowties and ascots to limited edition Nikes and luxury messenger bags, there is something at a price point for every man. “I’m really excited about making a change in the fashion sense of Phoenix and about having a spot for guys to not only shop but to hang out,” said Saebi, who celebrated the grand opening of his store on March 8.
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It was 15 years ago that Jim Scussel and his partners Randy Schultz, Andy Ingram and Arthur Craft, joined forces to open the famed Four Peaks Brewery in Tempe. Little did they know that in just a few short years, Four Peaks, which specializes in serving locally crafted beer, would become the state’s largest brewery and the leader of the craft beer scene in Arizona. On any given day, the brewery is a hubbub of laughter and chatter from the crowd that gathers almost regularly inside the restaurant or on the patio that looks out to Eighth Street. Over the years, Four Peaks has become a frequented spot for locals and a rotating crowd of college students. In commemoration of the brewery’s 15th anniversary and as a way of giving back to the community, the owners have organized an event of grand proportions. They call it Randomonium.
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Since its inception in 2008, the Undie Run has become an ASU institution, drawing crowds of up to 15,000 people to run around campus in their underwear. The underlying mission is two-fold – one to celebrate the end of the school year and, more importantly organizers will argue, to generate food and clothing donations for local charitable organizations. The Run has faced some challenges this year, including funding the increased costs of security. We recently chatted with Kayla Frost, the 21-year-old public relations director for the event, to get the details on what’s happening with this year’s event.
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Here’s one word most students are familiar with (or will be): Debt. I knew the day would come, but I can’t say I was too thrilled, let alone ready for it. When I was in school, paying off my student loans was something that seemed so distant. But there I was, six months after graduation, staring at the pile of bills in front me as if I had no idea where they’d come from. The Associated Press recently reported that the average student loan debt recently topped $25,000, up 25 percent in 10 years.
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A Phoenix screen-printing business is providing the city’s homeless youth with an opportunity to earn money, learn business skills and express creativity in an effort to transition them into a self-sufficient lifestyle. TumbleTees is a T-shirt screen-printing business located in downtown Phoenix. The store is connected to Tumbleweed, a center for youth development that serves abused, abandoned, troubled and neglected youth in the community, and employs homeless youth ages 25 and younger.
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With programmed robots dueling it out on obstacle courses and college students racing to build computers and solar-powered water pumps before your eyes, it’s an event any techie is sure to drool over. The 7th annual Avnet Tech Games – the mothership … er … motherboard of all tech games — will take place on Saturday, April 14 at the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe. Teams of college students will show off their computer science, engineering and technical skills as they apply them to real-world scenarios, all while contending for scholarships, meeting industry leaders and gaining a competitive edge for today’s job market.
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All-in-one, convenience and efficiency are the concepts behind Arizona State University’s new partnership with MidFirst Bank, Arizona’s largest privately-held bank. The University’s prior banking partnership was with Bank of America, which recently expired. The goal of this partnership is to implement a Pitchfork ID MasterCard check card for ASU students and faculty. The Pitchfork ID MasterCard is intended to function as a check card and student ID, allowing access to dorms, recreation centers and meal plans.
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With programmed robots dueling it out on obstacle courses and college students racing to build computers and solar-powered water pumps before your eyes, it’s an event any techie is sure to drool over. The 7th annual Avnet Tech Games – the mothership … er … motherboard of all tech games — will take place on Saturday, April 14 at the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe. Teams of college students will show off their computer science, engineering and technical skills as they apply them to real-world scenarios, all while contending for scholarships, meeting industry leaders and gaining a competitive edge for today’s job market.
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There is a new bar opening its doors in the historic streets of Downtown Mesa this weekend. However, Monsterland Bar and Grill isn’t your standard restaurant or watering hole. The two-level, 15,000 square foot building was recently used as haunted attraction during the Halloween season but now the space is re-opening and will operate as an American fare bar and restaurant with a spooky concept.
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Teal accents and flower ball chandeliers stand out against the natural finishes and apothecary-styled displays of Old Town Scottsdale’s newest addition. Terés | A Nail Bar, founded by Arizona State University graduate Courtney Steele, opened on March 17. Steele aims to create a trendy nail salon in Scottsdale that delivers affordable and customizable nail salon services to women and men alike.
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On the second Tuesday of each month, more than 80 creative professionals gather at varying venues to throw aside formal agendas to connect. Since its initiation in 2003, Creative Connect gatherings have offered a non-threatening environment where creatives can meet, socialize and grow Phoenix’s creative community.
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“Please do not hold the doors open. You are delaying all the other passengers.” If you’ve been on the light rail more than a few times, you’ve probably heard some version of this said, growled or shouted over the intercom by an irritated operator as someone wedges a foot or shoulder in the doorway to let another person on. They make it sound so straightforward: if you’re holding the door, you’re doing the wrong thing. Helping one person isn’t worth inconveniencing dozens of others but after hearing it for the third time in a trip downtown Phoenix I started to think these situations were a little more morally ambiguous than the train drivers would have you believe.
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The gentlemen of Priority Male, Arizona State University’s only all-male a cappella group, are a harmonious bunch both on and off stage. Since its creation in 2009, Priority Male has acquired awards and grown its fan base with renditions of TLC’s “Waterfalls,” Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby,” while carving out a special niche for the musical men who make up the group. “It kept me at ASU,” said Kevin Hougham, the president of Priority Male. “I’m from New York and it was difficult for me to get used to being so far away from my family.”
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Louis Dolgoff launched the Beers for Brains Foundation (BFBF) in honor of his late wife, Laurie Dolgoff, in 2010. Laurie passed away from brain cancer the year prior, and since her passing Dolgoff has devoted his life raising funds for brain cancer research. Two years after its inception, Dolgoff continues to push the foundation forward with bigger and better events in an effort to spread disease awareness, which he said has dwindled over the years. Beers and brains may seem like an odd pairing initially, but Dolgoff and his wife shared an affinity for specially crafted beer.
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Prepare to be taken into a world of costumes, fantasy and romance as the Intertemporalist Steampunk Exposition opens its doors at the Alwun House on April 6. Many have seen examples of the steampunk movement but few realize what it actually is. Steampunk – the juxtaposition of history and fantasy – uses Victorian pieces to create contemporary works of art. “Steampunk is going back to the awe and wonder when steam engines gave power to the Victorian age,” said Kim Moody, the director of the Alwun House. Still unclear? Remember “Wild Wild West” starring Will Smith? The spider with gears? “That’s steampunk in a nutshell,” Moody said.
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Around 35 job-training programs, homeless shelters, domestic violence agencies and other nonprofit groups refer women to Dress for Success, which in turn provides a suit to each of these women for a job interview. Beyond the suit program, Dress for Success’ overall goal is to show disadvantaged women a pathway to economic independence.
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If you’re a female who prefers a frosty glass filled to brim with your favorite brew over a fruity concoction or a glass of red, then Arizona Girls’ Pint Out is a group after your own heart. The Arizona chapter of the national organization was founded in 2010 by local beer enthusiast, MaureenBasenberg. Arizona Girls’s Pint Out is women’s craft beer group that aims to expose women to different craft beer experiences through monthly events, both social and educational.
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Yes, fat hipsters do exist — Martin Cizmar was one. A lifestyle trademarked by skinny jeans, slim-fitting H&M shirts and glasses larger than one’s cheeks is not conducive to above-average body fat. But what’s a chubby hipster to do when he’s sipping too many craft brews and the closest thing to running shoes he owns is a pair of Chuck Taylors? Cizmar, a former music editor for the Phoenix New Times and a self-proclaimed hipster, dropped 100 pounds over eight month without losing his cool factor.
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Over 22,000 people are expected to attend this year’s Phoenix and International Horror & Sci-Fi film festivals, which showcases independent filmmaking ranging from whimsical comedies starring rocker-turned-actors, controversial award-winning documentaries and over 100 others.
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Chris O’Dell didn’t just brush shoulders with rock legends like the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Leon Russell – she worked for them, toured with them and in some cases was romantically involved with them. O’Dell, author of “Miss O’Dell: MyHard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan and the Women They Loved,” will present a free lecture about her personal experiences with rock icons in the music business and drug addiction at ASU’s Downtown campus as part of the spring lecture series hosted by the School of Letters and Sciences and ASU Project Humanities.
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The fifth annual ASU Undie Run has received plenty of attention this year as budget cuts and rising costs threaten the growing ASU tradition. The event needs upwards of $10,000 to continue and has less than a month to collect it. Natalie Fleming, vice president of the Undie Run and senior sustainability major, said the organization still has a long way to go.
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A building at 37th Avenue and Thomas Road in Phoenix will soon be known as 127.0.0.1 to students participating in a new radio program co-sponsored by KJZZ and Rio Salado College. SPOT 127 will mentor students on all aspects of digital media including radio, television, graphic design and online content. The curriculum, which is still being worked out, will provide hands-on instruction in news, grammar, ethics, critical thinking, broadcast news writing and media law.
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Aside from being a tasty drink to sip on, tea is known to optimize skin complexion, regulate blood sugar levels, support weight loss and fill the body with powerful antioxidants. Tea Time in Old Town Scottsdale caters to old-time tea lovers and newbies now discovering the beautifying qualities of a good brew.
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Die hard movie fans, rejoice. Cult Classics and Reel Horror are bringing old, obscure and ridiculous films back to the big screen. Mesa’s grindhouse theater The Royale might be gone, but some of its programming lives on at Tempe’s MadCap Theaters. Cult Classics revives old movies from the ‘70s through ‘90s, while Reel Horror surprises fans with twisted dark features that can’t be found anywhere else. At the head of these special movie screenings is Victor Moreno, who partnered with MadCap Theaters and Zia Records to continue to screen two unique movies each month.
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Little did Will Curran know, his high school hobby of DJing would take him from working high school dances for extra cash to running a booming business dedicated to throwing the biggest high quality dance parties in Arizona. His company, Arizona Pro DJs, turned the 22-year-old electronic music head into one of the state’s youngest and most successful entrepreneurs. Now his company is on the verge of expansion and vying for votes inInc magazine’s Coolest College Startups of 2012 competition.
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The Mesa Community College Dance Company’s spring formal performance is packed with heart. About 40 dancers will perform March 22 though March 24 in a show dedicated to Mia Welch, a former MCC dancer who has battled congestive heart failure. The performance, appropriately titled “Heartfelt,” will focus on themes of the heart with dances titled “Eat Your Heart Out,” “Listen to Your Heart” and “A Change of Heart.”
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She isn’t named Aisling or Jenny. She doesn’t have fiery red hair or freckles. She doesn’t play the harp or step dance and before being crowned the Arizona Colleen and Rose, she’d never competed in a pageant much less won one. Without standard Irish pageant girl credentials, Lucy Artt said she felt like the underdog in the Arizona Colleen and Rose of Tralee Selection earlier this month. However, so much else about Artt made her a natural choice to wear the crown.
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Mikey Avila’s Chevy truck is more than just a mode of transportation — it’s a four-wheel farm sprouting veggies in its flatbed. The automobile turned auto-farm has been touring Valley schools and organizations since last fall, teaching people of all ages that growing food in a city, much less a desert, is completely possible and economically reasonable.
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March started with a victory for Arizona’s university students. A bill introduced by Rep. John Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican, that would require many undergraduate students to pay a minimum $2,000 for tuition was dropped on March 2.What made House Bill 2675 unique was the nature in which students responded. “I’m not sure there’s been another issue, at least since I’ve been here, that the typical student was as educated on as they were on this issue,” said Dan Fitzgibbon, chairman of the board for the Arizona Students’ Association and University of Arizona senior.
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Don’t be a Punxsutawney Phil – spring break is here whether you’re Mexico or Hayden Library bound. For those who’re on a budget or just want a low-key mid-semester break, we’ve compiled a list of awesome ideas that’ll enrich the soul and give you something to talk about while your sunburned classmates wince in pain Monday morning.
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On March 17, Rocky will strut down the stage at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale to the tune of the Beatles — a complete turnaround from the day his mangled body was found on a doorstep by a couple who presumed he was dead. After an emergency medical team rushed Rocky to the hospital, he made a miraculous recovery. The spirited schnauzer is now one of the many pups up for adoption at the Arizona Humane Society’s 14th Annual Compassion with Fashion.
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Kiosks resembling time machines are opening across Valley malls, and even though the new Me-ality sizing centers won't propel you into the future, they will shave time off your shopping trips. The free service takes less than a minute and finds your perfect size across a number of brands without you having to drop your pants.
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Taren Talmage was a senior at Arizona State University when she decided to do something of "world importance" last February. Spring break 2011 was coming up, and she wanted to do something before she graduated with a degree in public relations. A Tucson native, 23-year-old Talmage considered volunteering, but soon set her sights on something much bigger. She was interested in donating an organ, a kidney, to be precise.
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Thanks to the work of five ASU students, six Valley DJs will face-off Saturday night at American Junkie as part of a bigger battle: the fight against epilepsy. The "DJ Throw Down at Sunset" features the well-established talent of local turntablists DJ Earth, DJ Nforce, DJ Exxxclusive, DJ Mr. Eaton, DJ Convince and KISS FM's DJ Aaron Taylor. Besides competing for fans and bragging rights, the competitors are hoping to draw a big crowd in support of the Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona. In addition to direct donations to the foundation collected at the door, American Junkie will donate 15 percent of all bar and food sales to the organization.
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The two-story Arizona Popular Culture Experience at Desert Ridge Marketplace is filled with cultural artifacts such as Barbie, G.I. Joe, Peanuts characters, sports figures, Marvel and DC superheroes, "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" memorabilia – most from owner and founder John Edwards' private collection. The comic books, action figures, toys and costumes that lure people into the museum will temporarily feature a collection of video game antiquities that showcase the evolution of gaming.
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A new study suggests that drinking games – and not the actual act of consuming a moderate amount of alcohol – is getting light and moderate drinkers into trouble with the law and school. The study, based on a survey of 3,830 college students, found that 2,802 of the students were considered light to moderate drinkers, and of those, 66 percent participated in drinking games. Students who participated in drinking games experienced a significantly higher percentage of problems.
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Arizona State University is paving the way when it comes to being a green and sustainable university, so it comes as no surprise they want to reduce their solid waste. What is surprising is that they plan on reducing it to zero by 2015. "Our goal of zero solid waste by 2015 underscores our commitment to immediate action and results," said Nick Brown, director of sustainability practices at ASU. "Our credibility hinges on our ability to produce significant results in a reasonable timeframe."
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Allie Goldstein, a nutrition senior at Arizona State University, knows how to balance school and work with a whole lot of sparkle. Goldstein, 22, is the owner and director of the jewelry line Allison Lauren, which she started her junior year at ASU. Business is personal for Goldstein, whose father is a diamond manufacturer and owns Goldstein Diamonds. Goldstein is preparing to launch her website in a few weeks and took some time out of her busy schedule to share with College Times about her experience as a student entrepreneur.
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Amid the restaurants, shops and clubs on Mill Avenue lies Montage Art Studio, an art gallery and studio that provides artists leased space to create and collaborate. Formerly an Abercrombie & Fitch store, 740 S. Mill Avenue was converted into a studio and opened in December 2011.
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Dear Girl Scout cookies, Quit playing games with my heart. I don't know why, but this year you simply refuse to have me. All I want to do is give my money to a good cause and be instantly rewarded with a sugar rush. Sadly, it seems I won't get my wish this year. I'm cookie cursed. This all started when I heard whispers about Girl Scout cookie season starting. I don't know any Girl Scouts personally, so I couldn't confirm this information. I checked at the office and much to my dismay no one seemed to be handing out order forms. Last week, I finally encountered the rare treats while making a late-night run to Safeway.
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Last fall, Erika Frantzve received a special gift. On her birthday, November 20, she was crowned Miss Arizona USA 2012. But don't let the misconceptions about pageants fool you – this beauty queen isn't in it for the makeup and crown. "It's just a piece of metal," Frantzve said. "I want to use the title to help do something big instead of just settling for having a crown in my room." Doing big things and helping others are two things Frantzve has a lot of experience with.
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David Henry Sterry, author of such varied works as "Confessions of a Sex Maniac" and "The Glorious World Cup: A Balls-Out Guide," and his wife, literary agent and author Arielle Eckstut, help aspiring authors bring their ideas from conception to a polished, published book through consulting services, workshops and their book, "The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published." Together with Changing Hands Bookstore,Sterry and Eckstut will conduct "Pitchapalooza" at South Mountain Community Library where writers will have one minute to pitch their book idea for the chance at an introduction to an agent in their genre.
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Racecar beds, once the dream of every 6-year-old boy to have in his room, will be used as vehicles to help children in need on Saturday, February 25, at Tempe Marketplace. Bridging AZ Furniture Bank is hosting the second annual AZ Bedrace, and all proceeds from the event go to providing impoverished children with clean and comfortable beds.
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Phoenix isn't often credited as a style-savvy metropolis, but one group of local bloggers is working to elevate its fashion industry credit. Phoenix Style Collective celebrated its launch in January calling style-enthused individuals to connect, collaborate and create a buzz about Phoenix's style and fashion. "There is a lot of talent here that people don't recognize," said Courtney McEntire, co-founder of Phoenix Style Collective and blogger at Phoenix is Haute. "I want to help not only cultivate it but wrangle it all together in one place and really get people talking."
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The walls of the second and third floors in the Fletcher Library at Arizona State University's West Campus are filled with works of art expressing freedom, created by youth who have lost theirs. "Expressing Human Rights: All People Free & Equal: An Exhibition," presented by the Cultural Arts Coalition, features work by youth in detention, rehabilitation, on probation and South Mountain High School students. Artists worked with the youth on projects created to explore and inquire about human rights.
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Gelato – the richer tasting, less caloric Italian cousin to ice cream – has been making a statement on people's palates since stores around the Valley started serving the trendy dessert. Now an Italian-American couple is bringing an authentic touch to this hip dessert with the opening of their gelato shop in downtown Scottsdale. "It is an island of Italy in the Scottsdale Mall," said Alberto della Casa, co-owner of Cool Gelato Italiano which is set to open in mid-February behind the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Casa and his wife Letizia de Lucia have worked in the food industry for a combined 35 years, both in Italy and the United States.
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Arizona is about to embark in a week long spirited celebration of the cocktail. The first ever Arizona Cocktail Week will run from February 19 to February 25. The event, hosted by Hotel Valley Ho and a number of other local Valley bars and restaurants, will feature a series of seminars, guest speakers and competitions that will amuse and enlighten cocktail enthusiast of every kind, and serve to celebrate the cocktail culture in Arizona. The idea for AZCW was shaped among a group of local cocktail enthusiasts and industry people.
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Like a lot of other trade schools, the Roberto-Venn School has a student body made up predominantly of young men, a smallish facility and more workspaces and tools than classrooms. But that's about where the similarities end. Instead of learning to be an electrician or mechanic, the students at Roberto-Venn are taught the craft of luthiery, how to build and repair guitars. And in keeping with the unique skill-set the students learn, the place has plenty of quirks of its own.
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Visitors notice the knitting needles. They see the beginnings of a final product. What they don't see is that she isn't using yarn – she's using plarn. Volunteer Larry Clewley first introduced Ecoweave, which turns plastic bag into mats for the homeless, to the Arizona Science Center a few months ago. About a month into the project, Kamlynn Thomas, a program interpreter at the museum, joined the project and began walking around the Science Center knitting to get the word out about the project. The concept of using plarn is not new, Thomas said. In fact, people have been using it for decades, but this project is unique in that it is using the bags to make something that will help others.
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Push up your glasses and pop in your retainer, it's about to get geeky up in here. Geeks Night Out: The Science of Fun, a celebration of science, technology and the people who make it all happen, is coming to downtown Tempe on Thursday, February 16. It may seem as if the geeks are taking over, but they've actually been dominating the scene for quite some time. In fact, 20 percent of the jobs in Tempe are tech-related. Geeks Night Out is all about bringing local businesses together and inviting everyone to let their inner nerd run wild.
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This love story didn't start at first sight, but grew with intensity over time. Arizona is not the star-quarterback or swimsuit model who everyone wants to ask to prom, but rather the misunderstood kid who sits in the back of class. Once you take the time to introduce yourself, it's likely you won't regret it. Having lived here since I was 3, I've gotten to know the state intimately. Before you write me off as the love-struck girl who doesn't know what I'm missing out on and rebut my infatuation for Arizona with complaints about its summer weather, politics or lack of things to do, I want you to hear me out.
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"Do good while feeling good" is Conscious Contraceptives' motto, and they mean it quite literally. ConCon is an organization that strives to aid sexual health and education by spreading love and awareness. It's like TOMS Shoes, but with condoms. "[ConCon] gives the consumers the ability to be philanthropic with every purchase that they make, and it's giving them the opportunity to put their funds toward a better organization," said Cory Capoccia, ConCon's founder.
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I moved home three months ago, which means for the first time in four years I'd be bunking in a houseful of cats. When I was in college I "had" a feral cat. His name was Grey Gangster because no other cat ever came near my apartment when he was around. I didn't feed him, but he slept on the hood of my car at night. We were tight. But I'm not a cat person. This holds for the obvious reasons. Cats are moody, high maintenance, anti-social and have no sense of compassion or guilt. They're the sociopaths of the animal kingdom.
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Two Arizona State University students who created a personal development program for orphaned and foster care youth are set to launch a pilot program this February. Partnered for Success, which has various awards and grant money, was designed by Nikki Lewis, 22, and Priya Nathan, 21, to prepare high-school-aged orphan and foster care youth for adulthood. The duo created the concept while attending the W.P. Carey School of Business at ASU. Both women have personal history with orphan and foster care youth.
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John Longo, a glass artist of more than 30 years, removes his metal rod from the roaring furnace where molten glass sits before it's transformed into bowls, flowers or vases. Swinging it around to the table behind him, he's careful not to scald any bystanders with the 2,000-degree glob of glowing glass that sticks like honey to the end of the rod. With his back turned to the furnace, Longo gracefully spins the rod in his hand manipulating the glass as it cools. A couple of breaths into one end of the hollow rod and it looks as if he's blowing up a birthday balloon—that is until he smashes the clear orb onto the marble tabletop causing shards of hardened glass to crumble to the floor.
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Forget walking, driving or taking a horse-drawn carriage around Old Town Scottsdale – the most unique way to get around these days is on a 16-passenger bike. The Tour De Tavern is a pedal-powered-party on wheels, a mobile bar designed to take up to 16 passengers from bar to bar around Old Town Scottsdale. Behind the 16-person bike is a 3-man team that combined their knowledge and skills to create a weekend leisure activity for themselves, and a unique experience for passengers. "It's a fun little hobby for us," owner Brendan Holve said. Holve, 29, owns and operates the Tour De Tavern along with Rylee Robinson, 26, and Peter Drubin, 29.
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The news article with a photo of no. 84 in his ASU football gear features prominently on the wall of Big Bellys BBQ in Tempe, cluing patrons in to chef-owner Bryan Proby's athletic past. Before perfecting his beef brisket sandwich, the 6-foot-5 Proby made a career of sandwiching quarterbacks, playing defensive end for the Sun Devils from 1993 to 1994 and then for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.
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Locally distilled Arroyo Vodka is a baby brand in comparison to Smirnoff and Grey Goose, but the sleek bottle that has graced Arizona liquor shelves since January 2011 has a few things leaning in its favor. Sisters Morgan and Lauren Klemp launched their craft distillery four years ago. Now they plan to turn Glendale's 106-year-old historic Beet Sugar Factory into their new distillery and tasting room, a move they hope will see their brand enter more people's drinking radars.
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It doesn't matter whether at home, on campus, or in a café, it seems everyone rests their laptops on their laps. Lugging around a laptop and finding a place to plug it in can seem tedious enough, so finding a cozy position to do work or scan the internet is a priority. It doesn't matter how crowded a place is, one can always convert themselves into a desk. But should laptops really go on your lap? A new study by the Journal of Fertility and Sterility believes men should think twice before getting comfortable.
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Spread the Weird Studio is what owners Denise and Jay Clayton call an "idea house." The studio, located inside a historic bungalow in the midst of Phoenix's art district, is a collision of all their life hobbies, which they teach to others in an effort to expand the community's knowledge and spark creative change. The home, located at 906 N. 5th Street, shows few remnants of its past as a bare-walled gallery. The space, which Jay and Denise moved into two years ago, is divided into rooms that exhibit the couple's passions and pursuits.
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Buyer's remorse is a thing of the past when shopping at Here on the Corner. After owning the boutique for eight months, owner and ASU alumna Julie Kent was selected as a finalist in a nationwide search for retailers that give back. Kent's drive to give back to her community is two-fold. After purchasing the jewelry and apparel store on College Avenue and University Drive, she committed herself to featuring products for a cause, stocking the boutique's shelves with more than ten products connected to a charitable or social effort including ones made by local designers.
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You've probably seen a game of basketball in your time. A soccer game, sure. Volleyball, why not? Maybe even a rugby match if you have somewhat broader sports horizons. Now try to imagine seeing all those sports rolled into one, and you'll have some idea about how the game of Gaelic football is played. An unfamiliar spectacle to most Americans, Gaelic football is one of Ireland's most popular sports. The biggest matches, at Croke Park in Dublin, draw well upwards of 60,000 fans, comparable to an NFL game. And with references to a version of Gaelic football dating back at least as far as 1308, it far predates any American sport.
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I have never been afraid of trying new things. The idea that I may very well be terrible at something has never really hindered my desire to try it – but I've never been a painter. So, as I registered for my very first painting class at the Brush Bar in Scottsdale and saw the painting that I would be attempting to replicate that evening – "Lovers Lane," it was called – I grew a little wary of my abilities. But I threw all doubt to the wind and thought ‘the hell with it,' this will be fun. I'll admit, I was slightly encouraged and enthused by the fact that the Brush Bar is not your standard painting studio.
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The glossy eyes of a green, toothy monster in Luster Kaboom's enormous mural follow you as you enter 1506 NW Grand Avenue. The venue is as unique as its location; it's tucked into an awkwardly diagonal street in Phoenix. It is a locale and a creative outlet for artists of all walks of life. Passing the giant's gaze, the sensory overload continues. Set aside any ideas of a pretentious art space, as upon entering you feel what could only be described as the warm embrace of a close friend's abode. An old-fashioned black and white photo booth greets you as the smell of espresso fills the air. This is downtown Phoenix's Trunk Space.
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With the treadmill stopped, Rick Hall straddled the platform and increased the speed on the control panel. As the belt started moving, Hall, a senior lecturer at Arizona State University's School of Nutrition and Health Promotion, placed his leather slip-on shoes onto the slow-paced treadmill. His olive carpenter pants swished as he began walking and reading the papers on the desk that stood ergonomically adjusted before him. Treadmill desks at ASU's downtown Phoenix campus are helping faculty and students take a step in a healthy direction. "It helps me maintain my health and fitness goals while remaining productive," Hall said.
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We live in a society that is constantly online. But even with all the talking, sharing and exchanging of information that goes on, figuring out where to go or what to do on any given night continues to be a difficult task. We often end up at the same old places or doing the same old thing. Recognizing the need for a quick and easy-to-access method for people to find out what is happening in their surrounding area, Valley entrepreneur and liquor, beer and wine industry professional and ASU graduate Frank Pino, along with his father, Jorge Sommerer, came up with Club Connect, a mobile app designed specifically for iPhone and Android devices that connects you to the bars, restaurants, nightclubs and events in your area at the touch of your screen.
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An ASU graduate has been named a student ambassador for Education in Ireland, an initiative from the Irish government to attract international students to universities in Ireland. Ryan Campbell, who graduated last May from ASU with a degree in journalism and mass communication, began studying for his master's degree in business management at the Dublin City University in Ireland last September. As a student ambassador for the program, Campbell is one of 18 students who blog on the website about their experiences in Ireland.
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Electric car owners now have a place to charge their cars in Mesa. Green tech company ECOtality has installed three charging stations, the first in the city of Mesa, at Mesa Community College. The new stations are part of the company's EV Project, which officially launched in October 2009 and will see the installation of charging stations in six states including California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Texas and Tennessee as well as in the District of Columbia, according to the project website.
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After a brief walk to the bus stop, her pregnant 20-year-old daughter and 1-year-old grandson in tow, Tina Zamora rides three miles to purchase produce, meat and pasta at the grocery store. The bus drops them across the street from Pro's Ranch Market, a bustling south Phoenix store where Zamora spends some of the $519 she receives each month in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, formerly referred to as food stamps. After buying $65 worth of groceries, the family has to wait 45 minutes for the store's free shuttle – it takes shoppers home but not to the market – to save a few dollars on a bus trek back.
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For most of us, the bar is the place to unwind, have a few drinks and share a few laughs with friends. For your bartender – whipping up the drinks that ensure you have a good time – it means putting up with the rowdy and sometimes obnoxious bar-goers all vying for his or her attention. Jumping, waving and doing the ‘ol can-you-see-me-now dance never does the trick. In an effort to learn the ins and outs of how to score excellent bar service, we chatted up a few bartenders from some of Tempe's most frequented local bars to get the skinny on what to do and what not to do when bellying up to the bar.
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What began as something his parents forced him to do has transformed into an Olympic dream for one Valley resident. At the age of 5, Johnny Nguyen's parents placed him in taekwondo classes to teach him self-defense and confidence. In the 20 years since, the competition and the thrill of winning medals and trophies has kept Johnny hooked on the sport. On January 12, Johnny will be in Colorado Springs competing in the final round of the US Olympic trials in the hopes of earning one of the four spots on the US team.
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Twenty-eleven was a year of worldwide economic hardship, natural disaster and subsequent nuclear reforms, the beginning of a revolution in the Arab nations and the 10-year anniversary of 9/11. There was also an excess of celebrity news, the passing of Steve Jobs and numerous other events that shook the world. While not necessarily the most optimistic list, here are the 10 biggest events of 2011.
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Discriminatory public policy may lead to the bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth, according to one author of a new book. "SAFE SPACES: Making Schools and Communities Welcoming to LGBT Youth," written by Annemarie Vaccaro, Gerri August and Megan S. Kennedy, is a book about the challenges and triumphs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth through research studies, public policy trends and over 100 personal narratives. Each of the authors identify as a member of the LGBT community.
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The newest thing to hit the Scottsdale entertainment district is none other than The Saguaro. No, not the giant cactus that dots our state, but the stylish, brightly colored new hotel that opened the first week in November. In the complex formerly known as Hotel Theodore and, prior to that, the Mondrian, the newest incarnation was developed by Sydell Group, the company behind other quirky hotels in California and New York. Boutique hotel operator Joie de Vivre (JDV) will manage the new brand in Scottsdale.
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These days, Billy Sample walks with a prosthetic leg and a cane. Under state law, he is allowed to use medical marijuana for his pain, but in the year since the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act passed, a lawsuit has prevented dispensaries from opening, leaving patients like Sample on their own to grow their medicine. Sample lost his leg on June 3, 2009 after a motorcycle accident at the end of May. His first motorcycle accident, in which he was dragged 30 feet, occurred when he was 17.
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Brace yourselves, Phoenix. There is a party revolution coming to town tonight. You may think you know what the word ‘party' entails, but according to Tom, who only goes by his first name, and Gary Lachance's Party Manifesto, partying is "the mostmisunderestimated artistic medium in existence." So, on January 4, the duo hopes to bring the Decentralized Dance Party to the streets of Phoenix to show Valley dwellers exactly how it's done.
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It's always there, beneath every building and street. We walk on it daily, but often don't think twice about what it is. That is exactly why, in honor of their 75th anniversary, the Soil Science Society of America has launched a new awareness campaign, "The Story of Soil," aimed at educating the public about the benefits of soil as well as alerting them to the deterioration of one of the world's critical resources. "We wanted to make people aware of the soil resource and ecosystem," said James Giese, a representative for the SSSA, an organization that brings together scientists within the soil science discipline to present their research in scientific journals and at an annual meeting.
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Kelly Bayer took a vacation from her job in a sleep laboratory by toiling in a vegetable patch in Santa Barbara, California. The sun beat down on her back as she worked a garden hose over a collection of tomatoes, peppers, carrots and onions that would eventually be consumed on the organic farm. "I'm kind of interested in farming and sustainable living," Bayer said, before giving away a bit of her real motivation for working on the farm: a quick and cheap way to visit the West Coast.
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Army veteran Ben Miller remembers the isolation he felt when he enrolled at the University of Missouri-St. Louis in the fall of 2009. "I would show up on campus, talk to absolutely no one and go home," said Miller, 27, who did three tours in Iraq as a counterintelligence specialist. "I didn't feel like I really belonged." With wars in Iraq and Afghanistan winding down and enhancements to the GI Bill, colleges and universities are expecting a surge in veteran enrollment unseen since World War II.
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Blackened, rusted and bent, a barbed wire fence snakes along the boundary of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests in eastern Arizona's White Mountains. To the east, a sea of black rolls with the land as trees resemble burnt matchsticks. The national forest stand is dense with young trees. Most won't survive. To the west, on tribal land, the trees are spread farther apart, with blackened dirt hidden by growth of wild strawberries and forest grasses. The trees on this side of the fence, for the most part, will live.
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Forget holly, poinsettias, wreaths and mistletoe. Christmas is all about the tree. It holds our favorite ornaments, lights up our homes and hoards our presents. There are about 30 million real Christmas trees sold in the US every year, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. How does one go about finding perfect one? Well that just depends on what you're looking for. The southeast corner of Broadway and Rural roads in Tempe is currently covered in green.
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The lack of packed parking lots, stifling crowds and endless lines at the register make online shopping a convenient event. The surging interest in the digital checkout counter presents the perfect opportunity for vendors who need a venue with which to reach wider audiences and gain exposure for their brand. One such venue that rises above the fray of competitive online stores is Etsy, the internet's premier handmade marketplace. Its easy interface, accessible networking tools, and global reach has made Etsy the go-to site for both up and coming and experienced DIY vendors.
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A move by Major League Baseball to limit smokeless tobacco has medical experts hopeful that chew use among high schoolers and young adults will begin to show declines. MLB's move is seen by anti-tobacco advocates as long overdue. The NCAA, and minor leagues, already ban tobacco use on the field. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found 15 percent of male high school students and 2 percent of female high school students used smokeless tobacco.
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Arizona Snowbowl has announced it will open this weekend, beginning on Friday, December 9, for a Bonus Weekend on and will be open through Sunday, December 11 from 9 a.m. to 4p.m. Seven day a week operations will be dependent upon more snowfall with an official opening date yet to be announced. "We have been working diligently farming snow from parking lots to cover the lift access areas, which were mostly bare of snow before last weekend's storm," said Dave Smith,Snowbowl's Marketing Director. "Our average opening is mid-December so we are on track for another great season."
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Men think about sex, but not nearly as often as most people may believe, a study finds. They also think a lot about food and sleep, too. The study, published in the January 2012 issue of the Journal of Sex Research, could debunk the stereotype that men are constantly thinking about sex. An often repeated statistic is that men think about sex once every seven seconds. Researchers from Ohio State University took a novel approach to logging how many times their study subjects, 283 male and female college students age 18 to 25, thought about sex.
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Bike, bus, cab or light rail: there are many ways to get about town. But why stick to the conventional when you can get from point A to point B in an authentic London double-decker bus? For the past three years, Real London Bus Company has provided Valley dwellers with a unique shuttle service to parade them around town. And though the company has faced some hardships, it is now experiencing surmounting success.
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Montana had always been on my wish list. It's one of the United States' last great frontiers – miles and miles of rugged terrain, dramatic mountains, wildlife and empty spaces; a sprawling 147,076 square mile behemoth with fewer people living in the entire state than the City of Phoenix alone. When I finally went last year, it didn't disappoint. In fact, skiing Montana was one of those lifelong dreams that, when it finally comes true, it's almost exactly as you pictured it.
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George Hancock sees great promise in this downtown warehouse filled with barrels containing fermenting barley and wheat and producing craft beer 600 gallons at a time. He views the opportunity for microbrewers as so ripe here that he decided to pack up and leave a similar operation he had in Washington for Arizona, co-founding Phoenix Ale Brewery in June. He said the Seattle market is over-saturated but that Arizona still needs more breweries.
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I love the holiday season. Plain and simple. And no matter how many people tell me to turn down my Christmas music in November, it's not going anywhere. The holidays are more than the crowded department stores and tacky displays of fake snow and lights. It's the one time of year that people start caring for someone other than themselves, whether they realize it or not. It's easy to look at the store windows and TV commercials and say that the holidays are all commercialized. It's easy to say that holidays are no longer about the family you surround yourself with but rather who got the latest gadget.
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There are three things I dread as the Christmas season approaches: the freezing temperatures, long drives to visit family and (last, but definitely not least) the fact that I manage to catch a drawn-out cold without fail every year. I've always considered myself a "go big or go home" kind of guy. I always lose my voice at a concert, I am "Most Likely to End Up in a Food Coma" at buffets, and when I go to a bar… well, you get the picture.
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For most college students, saving a dollar can mean the difference between a hearty meal and a pack of stale ramen. Thankfully for them, businesses across the Valley have partnered up with ASU to provide discounts to students through the Use It Here program. Eateries, hangouts, galleries and shops surrounding all four ASU campuses give special deals to students who show retailers their ASU ID cards when making a purchase. When looking for food, students can drop by Cadillac Ranch at Tempe Marketplace.
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There is nothing like the holidays to bring families together. There's also nothing like the holidays to drive us mad. Though we love our crazy kin, family gatherings can really bring out the "dysfunctional" in the people closest to us. Surviving the holidays can sometimes be a feat on its own. Author Marcia Skinner, knows this all too well. One fateful Christmas Eve dinner, her own mother went off the deep end and just lost it on everyone at the dinner table.
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The Actors Theatre of Phoenix, a resident at the Herberger Theater Center and staple in the Valley for 26 years, is experiencing financial difficulties that could shut the group down. Actors Theatre is funded through several sources, including ticket sales, private donations and corporate contributions – all of which have begun to dwindle. So leaders have organized a massive outreach and fundraising campaign to try to save themselves. "We are hopeful, but we know it's a long road between now and December 31 and that is our biggest challenge, actually," said Erica Black, managing director of Actors Theatre.
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The Tempe City Council approved a new social host ordinance earlier this month, which holds adults accountable for serving alcohol to those under 21 who are not their own children. The Tempe Coalition, which aims to reduce underage drinking and drug usage and help Tempe youth reach their full potential, proposed the new ordinance. The current party ordinance strictly involves loud parties, under which neighbor complaints about noise or interruptions can lead to a fine. The change will rename "loud parties, gatherings or events" to "nuisance parties."
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Black Friday is only as black as new vinyl for several Valley record stores. The same locally-owned shops that open their doors to hoards of rabid music fans every April as part of Record Store Day will be hard at work again the Friday after Thanksgiving, doling out special releases and items only available at retailers doing it the old-fashioned way, on shelves and racks in-person, just like we like it.
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Remote controlled cars aren't just for child's play, says Cindy Nelson. Proof of that is Hobby Action, a radio control hobbies store Cindy and her husband Craig opened in the summer of 2003. "The demographic for the store is adult men," she said. "We see different agers, primarily in late teens and early twenties." She believes part of the appeal is the sophistication of the products. Hobby Action merchandise is a step above the kiddie cars one can find at the local RadioShack or Toys "R" Us.
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The Music Store was purchased in 1993, and has since doubled in size thanks to the passions of its two owners, Merri Lewter and John Paul Escobedo. The duo bought what was then Garber Music and gave it new life. Escobedo use to give music lessons at Garber and Lewter knew how to run a business. Escobedo's passion for teaching only rivals his passion for music. Together with Lewter, they crafted a business that is centered around quality and expertise.
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After spending 30 years working as an electrical engineer in tech-focused Silicon Valley, Frank Ellis wanted a change of scenery. Ellis moved to Tempe and found the perfect opportunity to open a shop that would not only reinvigorate his thirst for business, but also his sweet tooth. Noting an over-abundance of nightlife spots along Mill Avenue, Ellis set out to create a location that was family-friendly: a candy store. Candy Addict opened its doors in 2010 on the day after Christmas, fitting for a business that sets to bring a smile on the faces of those young and old.
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Terry Neal has been knitting since she was 7, crocheting since she was 13, and picked up spinning and weaving in her 30s. The natural born teacher opened Tempe Yarn and Fiber with her husband, Fred, in 2006 in order to have a place to teach. Opening a yarn store also seemed like an ideal place for like-minded crafters to hang out. The store caters to knitters, crocheters, spinners and weavers and has customers whom have repeatedly collaborated and worked together to create some amazing items.
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Piercing has come a long way, and the staff at HTC is dedicated to making sure their clients do it as safely as possible and as often as they please. The Tempe location has been open for 17 years and strictly focuses on body piercing only. Kevin Jump, the manager of HTC's Tempe location, has been piercing for 16 years. In that time he has seen his clientele morph from punks and "liberal minded" people, to professionals and teenage
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Through 18 years in the Valley, Tempe's Blue Jean Buyer has stuck to its founding mission: bringing the public pieces of wearable American history by offering a selection of vintage clothing that stem back to the 1950s. "That's what keeps me in the business," said Steve Vizzerra, owner of the shop. "Trying to find the old stuff." In addition to denim, of course, The Blue Jean Buyer carries authentic Indian jewelry, aged cowboy boots, belt buckles and leather jackets.
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The store has only been open 15 minutes, and already Divaz co-owner Andrea Reiss is helping a customer solve a fashion emergency. The customer is going to meet her boyfriend's family for the first time; she needs something conservative, but something that still represents her accurately. Reiss sets to work, showing the customer a wide range of tops – sweaters and blouses – in an assortment of styles and colors. It's amazing, within the confines of the Tempe Marketplace clothing and accessories boutique, the variety of options she finds.
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Inside Poppa Maize gourmet popcorn shop, 26 flavors of popcorn line the walls and racks in different colors and bag sizes. Flavors like cake batter, white chocolate and wings with ranch are some of the top sellers in the shop. Behind the counter are popcorn machines and cases full of Iowa-grown kernels. Poppa Maize has opened up shop on Mill Avenue since March of this year after moving from their northwest Phoenix location of four years.
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Greg's Comics is the kind of place most people picture of when they think of a comic book shop. Comic book posters and vintage "Star Wars" games line the walls and the small store is overcome by shelves and boxes upon boxes of comics, toys and other comic memorabilia. It reeks of geek and that's exactly why it's loved by many. The comic shop, situated in an unassuming business complex on the corner of Alma School and Guadalupe in Mesa, may not appear like much from the exterior, but the business has been in operation for 20 years,
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Beth Iverson's first foray into healthy pet food was spurred by an obvious and not uncommon cause: a sick dog. From the first time she brought home an 8-month-old puppy, it became obvious that he was suffering from health issues that lingered even after instituting a diet of commercial dog food recommended by her vet. "Nothing seemed to cure him. He was very, very sick. No one knew what was wrong with him," Iverson said. "So I started doing research, and basically, just by switching his diet, it almost completely cured everything that was going wrong with him."
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Franco Arda knows business. He earned his MBA in the UK and worked in derivatives sales for an investment firm in London, Zurich and Hong Kong. Today, Arda, originally from Switzerland, operates as CEO and Founder of SmarterComics, a comic book publishing house based in Palo Alto, California. SmarterComics adapts best selling business books, such as "How To Master the Art of Selling"by Tom Hopkins, into graphic novels, giving college students overwhelmed by their local bookstore's business section a sigh of relief.
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Tough financial times have sprouted a new market in the business of savings. Coupon and daily discount sites have popped up all over the internet and rarely does a day goes by that the "deal of the day" doesn't show up in your inbox or on your newsfeed. But despite the vast number of special offers out there, former Groupon employee Michael Berk and former nightclub investor, Phil Herbert, said they noticed a void in the industry; no one had tapped into the nightlife scene. After hashing it out over a few drinks, the idea for Tipsy Devil was born.
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Layered with canvases, cans of spray paint and buckets dripping with wheat paste, Ernesto Yerena's new studio in downtown Phoenix is just about settled to his liking. As he pastes a cut-out of the historic Mexican revolutionary Emilio Zapata to a canvas, he laughs with his friends. The next minute, he's on the phone ensuring an art piece at his Denver show was sold to one of his loyal art collectors. Yerena is not just an artist.
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Selecting produce at a grocery store is an interesting task. Consumers look at the fruits and vegetables, feel them and even smell them to ensure that we are purchasing only the best products. Any soft spots or pigmentation disparities and they are set back down. So what happens to all the rejected, yet perfectly edible food? Most of it gets thrown away. However, the volunteers at the Phoenix chapter of Food Not Bombs salvage what they can once a week and use it to feed the hungry.
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They're audible from a block away. Seeing them stops passers-by dead in their tracks. The highly passionate and internationally known Furious Styles Crew is turning 18 this year and they are as fresh as ever. Furious Styles Crew (FSC) are men and women, hardworking break-dancers, musicians and artists from around the globe who came together for the love of hip-hop and b-boy culture. Self-assured in their moves and with a fiery competitive nature, they live to be challenged and love to win.
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Can you spit rhymes better than the Paul Wall? Now is your chance to prove it. "Battle Rap Stars" is a new app that calls out freestyle rappers and lets them battle the pros. There are plenty of music apps available on iTunes and for Android, but Keith Andrews, president of Jump Shot Media, said there's nothing like "Battle Rap Stars" on the market. "We took real artists that have fan bases, took their rap, [put] it through our scoring system, assigned it a score, and have people try to rap better than them," Andrews said.
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Dana Gabardi is looking to reinvent painting classes. Along with partner Ruby Farias, she has launched Me the Artist, a group painting studio that puts a spin on traditional art classes by encouraging social interaction, music and even drinking. The concept of Me the Artist (5355 E. High Street, #109, Phoenix) came to Gabardi as she considered opening a business after a 28-year career in the banking field.
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Cumbia, salsa, meringue; Afrobeat, Balkan beats and Brazilian samba. These are not just words that sound intriguing when rolled off the tongue. They are also the rich sounds of music heard around the world, but there is only one place in the Valley that brings it to you on a weekly basis. Every Saturday night at FilmBar in Downtown Phoenix, there is a dance party where lovers of music and all things culture, come together for an international get-down like no other.
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In between the hustle and bustle of our hectic schedules, its seems incredibly convenient to just drop into the large supercenters (that litter almost every corner of our city) or drive-thru one of the countless fast food joints for that cheap value meal. For many, seeking local alternatives can be just too much of a hassle in between all of the classes, research papers and part-time jobs taking up the majority of their schedule. Well, the folks at Local First Arizona are going to make it easier for those on the go.
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Lauren Meiss does not let her disease rule her life. Instead, she uses it as inspiration for helping others through medical research. In October, Meiss, a senior bioengineering major at Arizona State University who has cystic fibrosis, was awarded $19,000 as part of the CFCareForward Thriving Undergraduate Student scholarship. Abbott created the scholarship fund in 1993 and has since awarded $2.2 million to help families manage the financial burden associated with cystic fibrosis.
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Charles Goffnet says he and Brand X T-Shirts co-owner Shane Henson knew that, despite featuring an array of bars, eateries and shops, Mill Avenue was missing something. "We felt there was a need for an accessory shop," says Goffnet. And so the pair opened ICON (414 S. Mill Avenue, Suite 120, Tempe) next door this past August. The shop offers a bit of everything, from the practical (public restroom survival kits) to gag gifts (like instant ramen packs labeled ‘Wasted and Broke').
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While most dorm rooms and apartments may come with the requisite bed and desk combination, bare white walls leave many living quarters looking devoid of personality. Thankfully (like drunk hook ups and the inevitable Bob Marley phase), college students decorating their rooms with band posters will most likely never go out of style. College kids looking to add a splash of color to their walls on a budget are exactly the audience Clay Hayes has in mind for his latest art book, "Gig Posters Volume 2: Rock Show Art of the 21st Century" (Quirk Books, $40).
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It's pretty clear that the flood of sexuality – whether online, in print or on screen – passes in full frontal view of those voracious media consumers: teenagers. Which might suggest that adolescents are having sex as frequently as they download a song – except they aren't, according to the latest research. Since 1988, the percentage of 15- to 19-year-olds who have had sexual intercourse has dropped from 60 percent of males and 51 percent of females to slightly more than 40 percent of both groups.
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A look around any office, coffee shop or city street makes it obvious that Americans are dependent on their phones. Smart phones are now used to not only make calls, but text, email, and research via the internet. "Text neck," the strain placed on the neck from using technological devices, has become a topic of study and discussion in chiropractics. Kristopher Dugger, a chiropractor at Ascension Chiropractics in North Scottsdale, spoke with College Times about the affliction and ways to prevent it.
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Raise your glasses; there's a new bar in town. Thirsty Lion Pub and Grill (2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe) opens its doors this week at its newest location in Tempe Marketplace's dining district. The Portland-based English style pub, located where the ill-fated, Carlos Santana-backed Maria Maria was once housed, has chosen to open its first location outside of Oregon in Arizona.
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Baer's Den, billed as "Tempe's oldest and smallest ‘little' sports bar," is hardly visible to passersby on Apache Boulevard. But that hasn't deterred the bar and grill from becoming a staple in the Tempe bar scene. The spot has been frequented by ASU students and loyal barflies alike since 1962. But now, after almost 50 years in operation, the beloved Baer's Den is facing some major changes.
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Arizona State University joined the Billion Dollar Green Challenge this month, promoting improved sustainable efforts on campus. The Challenge, sponsored by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, aims to get colleges and universities across the nation to collectively invest $1 billion in sustainable projects through green revolving funds. When a school creates a green revolving fund, the school agrees to invest a certain amount of money that will be dedicated to overall efficiency upgrades.
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There's this sign I love on the front door of Boulders on Broadway – a Tempe bar whose customers and owners are serious about their biking: "Don't be a bike salmon." It has a picture of a salmon, riding a bike, going upstream against traffic; in other words, riding on the wrong side on the road. Lately, I've seen these signs starting to pop up in yards around Tempe neighborhoods, too. And with good reason. I'm looking at you, ASU students with bikes.
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While most college freshman were busy studying for midterms or goofing off with friends, Adam Coe, a Scottsdale native, was in his dorm room at the University of Arizona modifying his Xbox 360 controller. A self-described avid gamer, Coe spent much of his time playing "Halo 2" when he noticed a flaw with the placement of the buttons on his game controller. "Basically, I was using four fingers to push 16 different buttons," he said. "So when you're trying to do things simultaneously in games – for example; hit somebody and also jump and aim at the same time – the controller physically can't do it because of the button location."
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t is silently understood and at times, quite visible – college students are broke. Ramen and energy drinks fuel their eager minds as bank accounts sag, so what is a student to do when they want to travel abroad? Or just go home for the holidays? Now, they can try putting it on their tab. Heddi Cundle developed myTab.co, a website for gathering travel funds and booking trips. Partnering with Expedia for the best deals possible, myTab takes the role of travel agent and financial consultant. Cundle, the "head cheese" of the company, saw how muddled online travel had become and came up with a solution to facilitate the process.
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There is something to be said about a community that can take advantage of what their own city has to offer. It is the basis of what makes a city grow and what enriches its culture. On every third Sunday of the month, evidence of this can be seen during Civic Space Jam, a monthly event at the Civic Space Park in Downtown Phoenix hosted by two of the city's most prominent DJs.Civic Space Jam is the brainchild of Anthony Hart and Alex Votichenko, better known for their DJ names; HartBreaks and Djentrification, and the first took place in November 2009.
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Local youth groups and families will spend a night sleeping in cardboard boxes this Friday to raise awareness about homelessness in the Valley. Family Promise Arizona, a non-profit organization that helps homeless families in the Valley, will host its first Cardboard City event at Barney Park in Gilbert. Over the last 11 years, Family Promise has helped more than 70 percent of the families who enter their program return to a sustainable life, said Ted Taylor, the director of Family Promise.
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Chest pain, respiratory overdose, hypoglycemia are conditions that combat medics rarely see with patients in active duty, but are everyday occurrences for civilian paramedics. Phoenix College has partnered with the army for a specialized paramedic program that started in April of this year. This semester, 18 army medics are the first to try this special program that works with the busy schedules of medics in the military. The program, designed by PC's Emergency Medical Technician department, aims to help army medics become civilian paramedics.
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There is a new nightlife contender vying to be the next chic hot-spot in Old Town Scottsdale, but don't expect too many gimmicks to announce the occasion. Dollhouse Cocktail Lounge, situated in the heart of the entertainment district where the beloved Crown Room once stood, will open this weekend, and owners promise the music and cocktail lounge will provide Scottsdale with a one-of-a-kind nightlife experience. It was a sad day for loyal patrons when word got out that the Crown Room, a popular and long-standing lounge in Scottsdale was going to close.
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Around closing time at the bars in the Valley, the streets are flooded with stumbling bar and nightclub goers that have had their fill of alcohol and are ready to call it a night. But for others, the night owls with lasting energy, the 2 a.m. cut-off just doesn't fly. They hit the street looking for the next party because, for them, the night is young until the sun comes up. Fortunately, there are a few afterhours spots around the Valley that keep the music pumping and the dancing going until the wee hours of the morning.
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Trying to decide on which haunted attractions to visit this year across Phoenix? College Times asked owners and marketing managers at facilities across the Valley to answer the following questions about their facility. Their answers are included here:
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Monsterland is a demon child birthed from the minds of two Halloween prop masters. Tired of working for other haunted houses, they created a home for their monsters and there are characters and details everywhere you turn. "I always compare what we're doing here, and the quality of what we're doing here, to a mini Disneyland," Breanna Wynn, co-owner of Monsterland said. "That's what we're going for – quality, look and feel." After the Halloween season and some additional prep time, Monsterland will re-open early next year as the Valley's first and only year-round horror museum.
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There is discontent, there is anger, there is pain, and thus there are protestors. Emotions are high and it seems everyone has something to say, either for or against, the demonstrators who argue they are the 99 percent. Occupy Wall Street started on September 17, as a protest against greed and corruption that benefits the wealthiest 1 percent, and began a movement that has spread to dozens of cities across the country which have joined New York in solidarity.
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State and federal agencies have started taking public comments on a Tucson-to-Phoenix rail line, the first step in a yearlong environmental impact study on the proposal. The comment period by the US Department of Transportation and the Arizona Department of Transportation started last Friday and will continue through November 1. This Tier 1 phase of the study will determine the need for high-capacity transportation in the area and the appropriate type. But once the study is done, little can happen if no one picks up the tab on what could be a multibillion-dollar project.
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There are only a few luxuries that a girl on a budget allows herself to enjoy, and the simple but pleasurable experience of a manicure and pedicure is something most girls are not willing to give up. Yet, sometimes the feel-good experience is everything but luxurious. That's exactly why Valerie Griggs opened 20 Lounge Boutique Nail Bar in Scottsdale. The hip nail bar offers an alternative to the run-of-the-mill nail salons most of us frequent. 20 Lounge gives clients an upscale twist on the standard mani/pedi at an affordable price
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Things were going well for Job Asiimwe as he approached his final semester at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston last winter. Then a toothache almost derailed his college career. Asiimwe was on the verge of becoming one of the surprisingly large number of American college and university students who fail to earn two-year associate degrees within even three years, or four-year bachelor's degrees within six.
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The Arizona Department of Transportation will finalize a new statewide Bike Safety Action Plan to reduce the number of bicycle crashes along state highways each year. ADOT studied crash data from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2008 and found that 1,089 bicycle-motor vehicle crashes occurred along state highways or on the right of way, said Laura Douglas, a spokesperson for ADOT.
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Arizona's economy is showing "slow, grinding" improvement, but a full recovery will likely take until 2015 and won't occur until population growth and construction pick up again, a leading economist said last week. "From 2015 and beyond we're in great shape," Elliott Pollack told business leaders. "If you're looking for a lot of stuff between now and 2015 you're going to be sorely disappointed."
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Krav Maga is fast, intense, and sweaty but ultimately rewarding in more ways than one, according to Derrek Hofrichter, the owner of a new training center in Tempe. Krav Maga is the official self-defense system of the Israeli Defense Force and the term is Hebrew for "contact combat," an apt description of the practical training. Hofrichter, 29, has been teaching the system for the past six years.
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Like most not-for-profit organizations, the story behind Ryan House is an inspirational one. In 2001, Jonathan and Holly Cottor were living in London with their two boys when their son Ryan, only a few months old, was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a degenerative neurological disorder. With no family support nearby and feeling overwhelmed by their situation, the Cottors turned to the Helen House in London – the first children's palliative care home in the world.
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A Tempe non-profit will use a $625,000 federal grant to tackle underage substance abuse within the city. The Tempe Coalition will receive five annual payments of $125,000 from The Office of National Drug Control Policy, as part of a $12.3 million nationwide program to curb substance abuse among teens and young adults.
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Over the past 20 years the Phoenix Zoo has bred hundreds of black-footed ferrets, helping to revive an endangered species that was once thought to be extinct. State, tribal and federal agencies and the zoo celebrated that anniversary Monday at a new breeding facility that conservationists hope will continue the ferret's recovery well into the future.
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It is almost inevitable: it's the night before a big exam and, for whatever reason, you decided that there were other things that were more important than preparing for the test. It happens – sometimes the homework piles up and the night hours dwindle away, or maybe happy hour ran long and when you got home you told yourself you'd watch only one episode of "Wilfred."
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Football season is more than just a game for some people. It can become a full-on lifestyle for super fans who love tailgating as much as the game itself. There's a lot more that goes on in the parking lot besides food, beer and drunken sing-alongs. Local sports stores carry all of your essential ASU tailgating supplies – and a curious supply of things you never knew you needed for a pregame.
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Maricopa Community College's governing board faces a big decision next week as their nondiscrimination policy is challenged. Equality Maricopa, the college district's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employee constituency group, proposed an amendment that would alter the wording in MCCCD's nondiscrimination policy to include gender identity under its umbrella of protection.
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Moving effortlessly across the stage en pointe, suspending themselves in the air like angels, they leap. They are calling it the Fairytale Season. A year of princesses in tutus and happy endings. But one ballerina knows that fairytales don't happen overnight. Amanda Edelmann, an apprentice with Ballet Arizona, is not your typical princess, nor is she your average ballerina.
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The explosive hype surrounding Nike's redesign of Sun Devil Athletics' uniforms back in April stirred up a lot of opinions about the new threads. Now, the move is paying dividends in sales and school pride, according to Valley retailers. The feedback was mixed, but the excitement was undeniable and, now, the numbers are in.
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Film and media student Christopher Gallego sees no reason why we shouldn't mix class with some bass-driven booty shakin'. Gallego, who is also the founder and president of ASU's Future Promoters of America club, reached out to the creators of the student-run festival GLOWfest, mustering enough interest that the festival decided to go further westward than it had since starting at Indiana University in April 2010.
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It seems logical to go to the dentist when a tooth aches. It's pretty standard to see a doctor when your knee hurts. But what about health problems we can't readily see? September is ovarian cancer awareness month. Ovarian cancer kills more women than all other gynecological cancers combined. It is also the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among American women.
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The Icepops line by Cool-it Caddy is a new version of the company's signature stylish and freezable bags. The bags are slightly larger than the original clutch and come in lemon, orange or raspberry canvas. The white vinyl trim gives it a retro pop feel and more of a contemporary look than the Classic Cool-it Caddy. Heat-sensitive items will stay cool for up to five hours in extreme heat.
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It's over, folks. Step away from the book shelf because "sexting" has been added to the Oxford English Dictionary. This is the creepiest thing I've heard about in quite some time. These days I've only heard "sexting" used in "Dateline" stories in which minors were spreading child pornography in schools and online. It's a term that is shameful. Why, Oxford? Why are you doing this to us?
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Before Pasha Rafat became an internationally-recognized artist, he was a Sun Devil. Rafat graduated from ASU with a degree in design and photography, and now, more than thirty years later, the artists is a professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where he coordinates the photography program and teaches various art courses.
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I have a dumb phone. It doesn't connect to the internet. It can't download applications. It doesn't give me Facebook updates, it can't tell me the weather and it doesn't tell people where I've been or where other people are. It calls and it texts, and that's just the way I like it. It isn't old enough to elicit questions from strangers, though sometimes I do wish I lugged around a Zack Morris brick just for shock value.
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For most college students, Sunday mornings are best made sleeping in and recharging for the week. Arizona Outing Club (AOC) is not your typical group of college students. By 6:30 a.m. on a recent Sunday, AOC's new recruits are waiting in the humid, 90-degree weather at the foot of Camelback Mountain. They are waiting for their fearless leader, Outing Club president James Sucher.
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Organizers and city officials broke ground on a new project combining the beauty of art and nature and the utility of science in Downtown Phoenix last week. Over the next four months, a vacant, city-owned lot between Fifth and Sixth streets and Garfield and McKinley streets will be transformed into a field of sunflowers in a project dubbed "Valley of the Sunflowers."
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Parking spaces around downtown Phoenix will be transformed on September 16 into miniature urban parks. Park(ing) Day began in San Francisco in 2005 and has since expanded to become an international event that encourages "people to re-imagine the use of public space," said Stacey Champion, the director of Park(ing) Day Phoenix and the creator of Rogue Green.
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Classrooms are changing but it's not surprising. Students are being proactive about their education and they're not waiting for the school bell to ring. Seventeen million pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students in the US will get at least some of their education virtually by 2015, according to new research from Ambient Insight. More than four million of these students will get their entire educations virtually, from full-time online schools.
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Wre you dozing through a lecture, then following the study guide like a pen to tracing paper or are you perusing non-required reading in your free time to independently expand on a topic of interest? What I've found is that students (myself included) aren't coming to college to become experts in something anymore. They're coming to college to become qualified.
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If you've ever visited Mexico, you might've noticed that they're fresh fruit enthusiasts. Fruit stands can be found anywhere. Fresh ripe mangos are sold on sticks, fruit juices are squeezed to order, and there's always someone nearby selling frozen fruit pops (paletas) on a hot summer day.
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Daniel Tosh and the crew are taking up residence in Tempe this week. Starting Monday and continuing throughout the week, they'll be on campus filming bits for the episodes taping at Gammage Auditorium on Thursday, September 15. We caught up with Charlie Siskel, executive producer of Tosh.0, in between Web Redemption shoots to find out all the deets.
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Daniel Tosh will tape his smash hit "Tosh.0" at Gammage Auditorium on Thursday, September 15. The website Tosh uses to fill tapings now has tickets available for a 5:30 p.m. taping and an 8 p.m. taping atGammage Auditorium on the Arizona State University Tempe campus.
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Veterans and their dependents seeking help with education benefits and other services offered by Arizona State University once had to walk to a nondescript corner of the Registrar's Office. Today, with the 10th anniversary of 9/11 this weekend, they need only turn a corner in the Memorial Union and are greeted by images of the veteran most commonly associated with ASU.
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After a six month lull, the ASU-adjacent watering hole, College Dropouts, is back at its original location just in time for football season. "I pretty much saw a huge opportunity for me," Jones said. "I kept on having people asking me about it, [so] I pulled the trigger on it and threw everything together as quick as possible to have it ready for football season."
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In sports and the real world, do looks have a bearing on performance? Black is an intimidating color, according to Nike's global creative director Todd Van Horne, who added that it would give the team "more attitude." On Friday, at 7:30 p.m., with a stadium hopefully packed to the gills with people wearing black, the ASU Sun Devils get to put the uniforms to the test against Missouri.
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Earlier this year, Arizona banned a synthetic substance nicknamed spice sold as incense but often smoked as an alternative to marijuana. Now authorities are turning their attention to so-called bath salts. On Wednesday, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration issued a one-year ban on possessing and selling three chemicals commonly used to produce bath salts.
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Some of the more than 400 competitors in last month's Pokémon World Championships in San Diego wore goofy hats and lugged around plush toys; some even wore fuzzy costumes depicting their favorite characters from the card game and Japanese cartoon and video game series. Serious players like Jeremy Jallen ate these ‘superfans' for lunch.
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The Arizona State University Health Services Building is getting a major facelift this academic year. The first phase of the project should be completed later this month, according to Dr. Allan Markus, director of ASU Health Services. Phase one of the $10 million renovation project began last spring when the school tore down the facility's one-story building from 1953 in order to make room for a new two-story building.
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CollegeFashionista.com is a fashion blog that merges the world of style, models and runways with students and colleges. Its 350 Style Gurus scour hundreds of campuses in more than 14 countries for the best-dressed collegiates. College Times chatted with founder and creative director Amy Levin by email to see how it all works and what CollegeFashionista thinks about Sun Devil attire.
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The red rocks of Sedona drew Steph Houser from Bloomsburg, Pa., to the Verde Valley. Then a tip from a friend, a brochure and a little curiosity led her to a winery. Glass of white wine in hand, she strolled the grounds of Alcantra Vineyards, accompanied by her husband and mother-in-law. "We were actually surprised to find vines here," said Houser, sipping from her glass.
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When Leah Capps and Adrian Lesoing opened their online store, Superstition Vintage, on Etsy a month ago, they set themselves apart from other boutiques and vintage clothing lines in two distinct ways: they take their time to find and carefully evaluate each piece they list to sell and they price their items based on how much they would pay for them.
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Getting a car repaired can be a scary thing. How do you know if somebody's trying to rip you off or not? We recently spoke to Jay Jennings, one of the founders of the Network of Neighborhood Auto Repair Professionals, an organization that aims to bring accountability and recognition to independent, local mechanics and auto repair shops. He had plenty of advice.
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DC Comics recently published the first of its re-launched comic books as part of an initiative in which 52 comic book series, including "Batman" and "Superman," will re-set to issue No. 1 with revamped characters and retooled storylines and run online for the first time. Last month, local comic book retailer Atomic Comics closed the doors of all four of its Valley stores. Are the two interlinked? Maybe.
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It's summertime and the living's … well, hot. Okay, extremely hot. Typically, you'd think, well I'm just gonna' reach for the beer. But this heat is nothing that an "adult" popsicle (read: booze-infused) or a refreshing granita can't fix. From watermelon, to mint, to maragrita type flavors, there's something for every palette. Herewith, six recipes to help you forget the record-high temps.
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The 1996 Sun Devils football season is one you don't forget. We're not Ohio State. Or Michigan. Or Penn State. Or Nebraska. Seasons like that are the exception, not the rule. Since joining the Pac-10 (now the Pac-12) in 1978, Arizona State has gone to the Rose Bowl twice. Can they get back there again? Can they be even better? I'll tell you in my gut that I believe this team is the real deal.
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Hype surrounds the Arizona State University football program this season. Vontaze Burfict. Brock Osweiler. That offensive line bursting with experience. But a team is often the sum of its parts. Some of those parts are easy to see – the massive engine and gears – that propel a program forward. And some of them are more precise, equally necessary, but not as flashy. Some of those parts are like R.J. Robinson.
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The Maricopa Count Community College District is implementing a new online scholarship application program, making financial aid more easily accessible to college students. The STARS Scholarship Program is being launched by the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, at Glendale Community College and Phoenix College first, with plans for it to be launched at Mesa Community College soon.
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Attention all single ladies (and listen close, boys): Despite the lack of that "special someone" in your life, a survey that specializes in relocating thinks you're already doing something right – you're living in Phoenix. According to a recent survey conducted by Rent.com, Phoenix was ranked the top spot in the country for bachelorettes – beating out Seattle, Austin, Denver and Washington, D.C. for the number one spot.
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Shane Henson kind of stumbled into owning a custom t-shirt store, but only from a business perspective. His experience in personalized tees had dated back ten years before he opened Brand X Custom T-Shirts on Mill Avenue. "It was my concept and I've been making shirts since 1996," Henson said. "I was making single shirts off-to-the-side for myself initially."
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