Blog Archives
Get Your Trick On in downtown Phoenix
As we mentioned previously, Halloween is one of our favorite holidays and we are always looking for fun ways of celebrating! We covered a selection of family fare yesterday. This post contains events for the ‘kids at heart’ out there:
Friday, October 29
2nd Annual Zombie Walk
There are plenty of urban legends, like the one that suggests if there was no more room in hell, the dead would walk the Earth. Well, we’ve started an urban legend in the heart of the urban core and you’re invited to walk it in your best zombie get up, bandages and blood a plus.
Led by Arizona’s official Ghostbusters (including car, proton packs and more), Zombie walkers will parade, or walk straight legged, throughout downtown entertaining or terrorizing a few folks strolling around the Arizona Center, Hyatt Regency and U.S. Airway Center.
Details HERE.
Costume Concert at Ghost Lounge
Featuring Dry River Yacht Club, Fatigo, Strange Young Things, Costume Contest, and more.
Details HERE.
Saturday, October 30
Monster’s Ball at Alwun House
The Monster’s Ball features costumed revelry, prizes, art, music, dance and live stage performance. As you pass Shelob, you enter sealing your fete for live under worldly dance mix by hellishly hot DJ-MX. Ritualistic performances, savory edibles and spine chilling libations.
A full night of dark scintillating cabaret performances: introducing Merrill Leffmannas temptress chanteuse, SPELL with the conquest of Insanity, Romantasy vaudevillian tantalizations. Show climaxes with the she-devil burlesque troupe, Provocatease!
Find out more at alwunhouse.org.
Sunday, October 31
The Halloween Monster Ride
Imagine skeletons, goblins, witches, devils and vampires (more Bela Lugosi than Twilight) all on bikes, riding through the streets of North Central. Where will you be?
The ride is slated for Sunday, October 31st. Yes, Hallow’s Eve will be the day of the ride. It is wise to travel in packs on Halloween to prevent a gang of Zombies from trying to eat you alive and anyone from attempting to bag snatch your candy.
All you need to do is pump up those tires, dust off the dirt from our last ride and pull out that last minute costume. Discussion over.
We realize this may be the day you want to take your kids out for treats…perfect, you’ll get twice the exercise. We know that football is going on as well…fantastic, you can watch at any of the venues. We have heard you have work early…awesome, looks like you’ll have to tell the boss you ate too much candy and had trick-or-treaters til midnight.
We will start at Gallagher’s and leave around 12:00.
Details HERE.
Freaky Tiki at Hula’s Modern Tiki
Get Your Freak On! Scare the heck out of us and your friends on the freakiest night of the year. Bones will kreek and grass skirts will catch the moonlight as Hula’s kicks off our their first Halloween party ever.
Details HERE.
Hula’s Modern Tiki Supports Homeless Animals During Dog Days of Summer
“Mahalo” is Hawaiian for “thank you.” So it seems only fitting that Mahalo Mondays at Hula’s Modern Tiki would support Valley charities and thank them for their hard work.
Friends of Animal Care & Control (FACCs) is the latest organization to benefit from the hip hangout’s generosity. Each Monday in August, Friends of Animal Care & Control will receive 10% of the day’s gross proceeds. Money raised through August’s Mahalo Mondays program will help decrease the number of homeless animals in Maricopa County by funding free spay and neuter services through Maricopa County Animal Care & Control’s Spay Neuter Assistance Program. Last year, more than 11,000 animals were spayed or neutered at no-cost.
“We are excited about the partnership with Hula,” said FACCs Executive Director, Melissa Gable. “Thanks to Hula’s generosity, and with the help of Monday dinners, we will be able to spay/neuter more animals, which will go far in helping us decrease unwanted births that turn into homeless animals.”
Friends of Animal Care & Control is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. Their mission is to end euthanasia of healthy and adoptable dogs and cats in our community by raising funds to support the non-mandated programs of Maricopa County Animal Care & Control. For more information, visit www.azfaccs.org.
Find more First Friday galleries, smaller crowds north of downtown Phoenix
[Source: Jennifer McClellan, Arizona Republic] — The off-the-beat locations of the galleries between Thomas and Camelback roads mean not as many people visit as at the Roosevelt Row and Grand Avenue areas of the art walk. But for those looking for a specific type of art, the northern galleries are easily accessed by using the light rail or free First Friday shuttle.
Practical Art, just off the Central/Camelback light-rail stop, deals in “usable and functional” art, owner Jane Reddin said. Each month, the gallery features a different Arizona artist trying to break into the art scene. Reddin said she tries to make her gallery accessible to everyone, and never charges a fee to see the operative artwork…
Exposed Studio and Gallery, a stop on the north route of the free shuttles, shows a variety of provocative artwork. “We show erotic artwork that other galleries are afraid to show,” said owner Gregg Edelman. “Everything here is one-of-a-kind…”
Cuervo Studio and Gallery, on Thomas Road a few blocks from a north-route shuttle stop, specializes in Latino artwork… Artist-in-residence Martin Moreno creates sculptures and other art inspired by his community while running the studio with his wife, Sylvia Hernandez-Moreno. Along with exhibiting artwork by local and national artists, Cuervo offers public art classes. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]
Light rail contributes to uptown Phoenix’s revival
Cement foundation for new dining area just poured at Hula's Modern Tiki.
[Source: Scott Wong, Arizona Republic] — Phoenix native Dana Mule had spent 15 frustrating months trying to find an ideal spot to open his Hawaiian-inspired eatery when he stumbled upon a funky building along the Central Avenue light-rail line. Mule had been driving for years by the uptown Phoenix structure, which housed Heap Big Beef sandwiches in the 1960s and more recently a flower shop. As a kid, he had named it after the “Star Wars” spacecraft, Tie Fighter, because of its large iconic hexagonal window.
Now, Mule and his two California business partners are in the midst of a massive $1 million remodel, nearly doubling the size of the building to 2,900 square feet. The expansion and renovation will allow seating for up to 125, including an indoor bar and outdoor patio area. “It’s been a helluva process,” said Mule, standing in the shell of what in August will debut as Hula’s Modern Tiki. “We looked at 50 locations in Phoenix before we found a place we really loved. This has the soul and character and community-based support that we were looking for.”
Uptown Phoenix, once home to dilapidated strip malls and run-down lots, is enjoying a revival of sorts. With light rail cutting straight through the central Phoenix district, more than a dozen new businesses have sprouted in the neighborhood near Camelback Road and Central Avenue from coffee shops and restaurants to an organic pet store. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]
Taller project too damaging, north Phoenix neighbors say
The North Central Phoenix Neighborhood Association seeks support from interested Phoenix residents in opposing zoning application, #Z-33-08, that would allow the erection of three 400-foot towers near the southwest corner of Central Ave. and Camelback Rd. The group is not against development and, in fact, supported the original height of 250 feet approved by the Phoenix City Council in 2006.
According to association members, the new plan is ill-considered and neighborhood-damaging. Infrastructure, sewer, water, and street would be severely strained by these immense structures. The additional traffic generated would overrun area neighborhoods that are already impacted by cut-through traffic. Such out-scale zoning might be cited as precedent for additional mid/hi-rise intrusion. To review, download, sign, and mail the group’s petition, click here.
