Author: RJP

Former Dire Straits frontman and legendary guitarist Mark Knopfler brings his Get Lucky Tour to the Dodge Theatre in Downtown Phoenix on Sunday.

In the event your knowledge of Knopfler doesn’t extend beyond Dire Straits’ seminal “Money for Nothing’” video, here are 7 things* you should know before Sunday’s show:

1) Knopfler is quite British, and such is the case so often with British performers, you can’t really hear the accent when he sings.

2) Co-founded Dire Straits in 1977 with his brother, David. The group disbanded in 1994.

3) “Money for Nothing” was not the group’s first hit, “Sultans of Swing” was.

4) Ironically, “Romeo and Juliet,” from the band’s 1980 album Making Movies, was used in a movie, 1995’s Empire Records.

5) Wrote the score for The Princess Bride, a movie most 30-something women have seen as many times or more than most 30-something men have seen Star Wars. Also wrote the music for Wag the Dog.

6) Won three Grammy Awards as a collaborator with country music star Chet Atkins.

7) Ranked No. 27 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”

 

You can become a member of Knopfler’s online community and buy a cool baby-style T  here.

 * Seven because it’s Knopfler’s Lucky Tour… get it? Lucky No. 7? Whatever. [Sigh]

When folks learn that I work for Downtown Phoenix one of three questions follows without exception:

1) What’s with the glowing uterus in Civic Space Park? *

2) Can you get me free tickets to [fill in the blank]? **

3) When does CityScape open?

Let’s address that third question now.

In case the aggressive construction has eluded you, CityScape is a pretty big deal, both in size and its significance to Downtown. The mixed-use complex covers two lineal blocks in the heart of Downtown Phoenix and combines residential, office, retail, entertainment and public space with the total area of over 1,000,000 square feet.

As for when CityScape “opens,” the updated schedule is looking like this:

APRIL: Firms will soon be moving into the office tower at Central Avenue and Washington. Also, the construction team will complete an 80-foot long elevated pedestrian bridge crossing above Central and connecting to the new Patriots Square Park and CityScape’s retail by month’s end.

MAY: Gold’s Gym to open.

JUNE: Landscaping of Patriots Square Park to be completed.

JULY: Opening of hipster-friendly Urban Outfitters and Lucky Strike Bowling, plus Designer District, CVS pharmacy, Republic of Couture and Press Coffee.

SEPTEMBER: Oakville Grocery to open.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER: Chef Aaron May to open a noodle bar and small Taqueria, La Grande Orange owners to open Public House, plus The Breakfast Club and a Sam Fox chop house to make debuts.

2011: BluBurger Grille and Cherry on Top yogurt to open.

Late 2011: 240-room Palomar hotel to open.

 Other answers:

*  ”Her Secret Is Patience” is public art and I happen to like ”her” very much, especially when lit up at night.

** I can’t get you seats to Lady GaGa, but if you become a Fan of Downtown Phoenix on Facebook your chances at winning cool stuff goes up exponentially

Who builds your favorite Downtown sandwich? Where can you get a mean glass of passion fruit iced tea? When you’re feeling blue, what Downtown comfort food turns your frown upside down?

Those are the questions we posed to our Facebook Fans on Tuesday and here’s what they had to say about…

SANDWICHES

“Duck and Decanter has the best sandwiches!” – Joshua Schlag

“Fair Trade has a great turkey sandwich and the best tea!” – Nathalie Cano

“Jacquee’s Espresso makes the best sandwiches!” – Cheryl Rosado

“It’s The Hero Factory and it’s not even close.” – Matt Klopp

“I love Ladybug House of Sandwiches (11th St. & McDowell). Always great service, small, and deliver.” – Meg Elizabeth

“I love Fair Trade Cafe! They have lots of food options, fair trade coffee and the employees really love the customers.” – Heather

“Hero Factory!” – Glenn Darby

“Coach & Willie’s.” – Jessica Maldonado

“Long live The Duck. Still my favorite.” – Cristen Pennington

“Is My Florist still around (editor’s note: YES)? I am in Minnesota. I LOVED their turkey and brie sandwich. YUM!” – Jennifer Sorenson

ICED TEA

“Strawberry iced tea at Royal at the Market and tuna sliders at Tammie Coe.” – Rachel Richards-Malloy

“Royal at the Market has fantastic iced teas. Try the Cactus Flower or Jasmine Green. De-lish!” – Sasha Howell

 ”Iced Chai tea at Conspire also makes my day.” – Jefferson Cochran

COMFORT FOOD

“The 5 Spot from Matt’s Big Breakfast is pretty stellar. With extra jalepenos please!” – Jefferson Cochran

“Thai Elephant will turn that frown upside down.” – Chris Vega

“Penne a la Vodka at Focaccia Fiorentina is my fave comfort food!” – Nichelle Crocker

 ”Fair Trade Cafe has great vegan brownies and tea.” – Jana Smith

 

Hope you enjoyed the tips. Stay tuned for more installments of Downtown Food Diaries and make your entry into the Diary here or at our Facebook page.

Can you believe that Monday will mark the 13th Opening Day in Arizona Diamondbacks history?

Crazy, right? It seems like yesterday that the Diamondbacks opened then-Bank One Ballpark and soon redefined what it meant to be an expansion baseball team, winning 100 games in their second season and taking down the Yankees in seven games to take the World Series in year three.

A lot has changed in a baker’s dozen years but just like Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Luis Gonzalez and Mark Grace guided the 2001 club to World Series glory, a new band of talented young players including staff ace Dan Haren, 21-year-old budding superstar Justin Upton, sleek shortstop Stephen Drew and power-hitting Mark Reynolds are poised to lead the Diamondbacks back to the playoffs.

After two final Cactus League tuneups against the Cubs, Arizona will begin its pursuit of a National League West championship in earnest with a season-opening homestand against the division rival San Diego Padres and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Here are 13 reasons to be a part of the action all season long at Chase Field:

Downtown Is the New “Uptown”

Now you can spend your Friday and Saturday nights in Uptown, the new fan zone located directly behind All-Star right fielder Justin Upton. There you’ll get an up close and personal view of Arizona’s franchise player and fantasy baseball’s newest heartthrob.

New “Sheriff” In Town

Last season, third baseman Mark Reynolds didn’t just hit 44 home runs and swipe 24 bags, leading the team in both categories, he established himself as a clubhouse leader and earned a great nickname along the way.

Co-Jack Is Back

After missing most of 2009 with Valley Fever, left fielder Conor Jackson has returned healthy and maybe better than ever, hitting a cool .364 in Spring Training.

Front Row Seats Available

It’s one thing to watch the game at a sports bar with big TVs but it’s another experience altogether to watch the game at a sports bar that sits a few hundred yards from the warning track. Friday’s Front Row allows D-Backs fans to nibble on ribs from the comforts of left field.

Augie’s Army Wants You

“Augie Augie Augie, oy oy oy!” is a chant you’ll hear almost nightly as fan-favorite Augie Ojeda cements his status as the DBacks’ can-do-everything utility infielder.

It’s a Bird, It’s a Gazelle, It’s CBY!

Center field is where would-be doubles go to die, due in large part to Chris Young’s Gold Glove-caliber defense.

Baxter’s Potato Gun

D. Baxer the Bobcat is armed and fabulous, dancing up a storm and shooting T-shirts into the crowd.

LaRoche Is French for “The Steal”

It wasn’t the most-talked about offseason move, but the Diamondbacks’ sneaky acquisition of free agent Adam LaRoche could pay huge dividends to a team longing for power and stability at first base.

Skyrockets In Flight

The Diamondbacks will offer 10 postgame fireworks shows this season, beginning with some afternoon delight following Monday’s season-opener against the Padres.

Stuff We All Get

The Dbacks lead the league in SWAG, including bobblehead nights for Upton, Haren, longtime announcer Greg Schulte and all-time great Luis Gonzalez. There’s even a DBacks Garden Gnome Night! If you don’t like garden gnomes, well, you probably don’t like Christmas or lollipops, either.

Fashion Forward Baseball

Even Tim Gunn thinks the Diamondbacks look amazing in their Sedona Red uniforms. You can get your hands on great DBacks gear at the Chase Field Team Shop.

Sausage Fest

Did you know you can get footlong bratwurst at Chase Field? Yeah, it’s true, and you don’t need me to tell you how awesome that is. 

Gettin’ Miggy With It

After hitting .294 with 16 homers in 2009, Miguel Montero is quickly becoming one of the league’s top-hitting catchers.

***

Why do you love the Diamondbacks? Tell us in the comments below.

Now let’s play ball!

As someone who before Saturday hadn’t seen to a proper play in an alarming number of years, I possess neither the experience nor desire to break “The Glass Menagerie” down line by line.

However, what I can tell you with supreme confidence is that “Menagerie,” playing thru April 11 at Herberger Theater, is well worth the price of admission.

Director Juliette Carrillo’s treatment of the Tennessee Williams’ classic–widely believed to be an autobiography of Williams’ life during his artistic awakening–is daring while giving the proper amount of respect to a classic.

1930s-set “Menagerie” is the story of the St. Louis tenement-dwelling Wingfield family–Mother and former Southern Belle Amanda with her false sense of entitlement and love of melodrama, and siblings Tom and Laura [played by Noel Joseph Allain and Barbra Wengerd, pictured left], older brother stuck towing the line as man of the house and awkward younger sister who alternates getting done in by physical and social limitations .

Desperate to erase her own life’s failures (most notably marrying “a telephone man who fell in love with long distance”) Amanda tries most unsuccessfully to will her children to happiness. And while the smothering mother celebrates the pending arrival of a long-awaited Gentleman Caller for her daughter, the audience is left to cringe with the knowledge that no good can come from the visit. Yes, true to Tennessee Williams form, “The Glass Menagerie” is a deep, character-driven tale.

In a twist, Carrillo forces the four-person cast (five if you count sensational violinist Jay Goldin) to begin the play on a naked stage, introducing the Wingfield apartment set piece by piece in a visual crescendo that compliments the rising action of the script. It’s a bold move that really worked for me. Carrillo also deserves a high five for getting more out of a cream-colored curtain than Martha Stewart.

Among the acting performances, Brian Ibsen’s turn as Gentleman Caller Jim O’Connor really stood out. His much-needed energy helped the story get where it needed to go at at time when the pace was lagging. Catalina Mayard (Amanda) also gets credit for keeping a generally abrasive character mostly sympathetic.

I could go on and on trying to impress you with how closely I paid attention but, again, this isn’t one of those reviews. The bottom line is that “The Glass Menagerie” is thought-provoking entertainment that leaves you wanting more.

Jack and Ben Juang are going to change the way you think about quick Chinese food.

The owners of Hsin Cafe, the newly opened Asian restaurant located on the campus of ASU Downtown[Taylor and First St.], the Juang family has been operating quick Chinese eateries in Colorado and greater Phoenix for over 25 years. In addition to offering priced-right bowls [$4.99-$5.50], chow mein meals [$4.99-$6.99] and signature dishes [$5.99-$8.50] like orange chicken, beef and broccoli, pepper steak and mushroom chicken, the Juang’s cook up a variety of entree salads, rotating side dishes, appetizers and soups.

“These are Americanized versions of our traditional Chinese family recipes,” said Ben Juang [picture at left with brother Jack and store manager Chu-Kuei Ho]. “So far the response has been very good.”

One early menu favorite is the beef stew bowl [$5.99]  which features chunks of meat so tender and so flavorful you’ll swear your wallet should be lighter than it is. It’s really unlike anything I’ve ever tasted and as filling as the day is long. Other hearty bowls include teriyaki chicken, curry chicken (Ben says to think more Indian-style curry than Thai curry) and Chinese BBQ pork.

Hsin, which in Chinese means “prosper,” is the first name of Ben and Jack’s father and their restaurant is a tribute to their parents’ dedication to the family. Certainly, serving up great food at reasonable prices is a great way to prosper in a crowded Downtown dining marketplace.  

 

Visit Hsin Cafe during their Grand Opening Weekend and receive 40% off of your bill on Friday (3/26) and 25% off on Saturday (3/27) and Sunday (3/28).

Most guys, at some point during their lifespan, get into pro wrestling.

I was no different.

In Southern Minnesota, where I grew up, wrestling was h-u-g-e. The American Wrestling Association, which was based out of Minneapolis and was at one time the premier wrestling company in the country, featured legends like Nick Bockwinkle, Sheik Adnan El Kassey, The Crusher, Verne and Greg Gagne, Jerry Blackwell, Ken Patera and a certain flamboyant, feather boa-wearing loudmouth named Jesse Ventura [pictured left], who went by the name “The Body.” 

We Minnesotans would later call him “The Governor.”

In the early 80’s most of the AWA’s top talent, including golden-locked rising star Hulk Hogan, were lured to the then-World Wrestling Federation by power promoter Vince McMahon and soon the WWF became the most dominant company in the sport’s history, spawning pay-per-views, video games, action figures, a gazillion T-shirts, and more than 10 hours of cable programming each week.

Today, more than 25 years after Hogan captured the WWF heavyweight belt and ignited a nation of Hulk-a-maniacs, now-World Wrestling Entertainment remains at the top of the wrestling food chain. Why? The evidence can be found in Downtown Phoenix all week.

WrestleMania – The bell rings on the latest installment of wrestling’s biggest extravaganza Sunday at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Fan Friendliness – WWE’s popular interactive  fan experience, AXXESS, is happening Thursday thru Sunday at the Phoenix Convention Center. The list of wrestlers scheduled to appear at AXXESS includes The Undertaker, John Cena, Edge, Big Show, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, Kane, MVP and Sheamus (not to be confused with Seamus). There will be autographs, memorabilia, video games, WWE Shop, Superstar Entrance , photos, Vince McMahon and Stone Cold’s 4×4, Kidzone, a tribute to Shawn Michaels, and many other interactive exhibits.

Preserving History – The WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will be held Saturday at Dodge Theatre. This year’s nominees include Ted DiBiase, Antonio Inoki, Wendi Richter, “Mad Dog” Vachon, Bob Uecker and Stu Hart.

Monday Night RAW – The iconic program that marked the beginning of WWE’s television takeover will be live at US Airways Center on Monday (for non-fans, the “RAW” episodes that follow marquee pay-per-views, especially WrestleMania, tend to be some of the highest-rated cable telecasts of the year).

So, with the WWE and its passionate fans visiting Downtown this week, the people watching figures to be ideal. Let’s just hope there’s no piledriving in the streets.

Have a wrestling memory you’d like to share? Feel free to sign in and use our comments section below.

Next time some hater blathers on about how, “Nothing ever happens Downtown on the weekends,” give them a forceful-yet-well-intended slap to the cheek* and refer them to this here blog.

Seriously, if you can’t find more than your fair share of hijinks in Downtown Phoenix this weekend you’re simply not paying attention. 

Emerging alt-country artist Samantha Crain will play a free show at the Heard Museum tonight at 7 p.m.

Downtown theaters will be swarming with culture vultures as Secret Order, Indivisible and The Hobbit all have multiple shows playing Thursday-Sunday.

On Friday, award-winning blues rocker Joe Bonamassa plays Orpheum Theater at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $30, which is a pretty nice price point considering the historic venue and street cred of the musician. Check out one of Joe’s videos here. 

The Suns can make up some ground in their chase for the No. 4 seed (and home court advantage in Round 1) in the NBA playoffs when they host the 4th-seeded Jazz Friday at U.S. Airways Center. Last time these two teams met, Utah stormed back from a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to win going away at home. You should really go if for no other reason than to heckle Utah’s Andrei Kirilenko, who looks like a pencil-thin Dolph Lundgren.

With spring temperatures in full effect, you’d be silly not to visit the Phoenix Public Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., where you’ll find the best of Arizona produce, meats, wines and crafts, plus live music by Teneia.

After you’ve scooped up some fat heirloom green tomatoes, bump on over to the Downtown Phoenix Festival of the Arts happening 4-11 p.m. at Heritage Square Park. Cost is $10 in advance and $15 at the door.  Oh, and there will be a bar.

Get your picture taken with a real modern-day dragons as Arizona Science Center  hosts a free dragon-training party from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday. Then, on Saturday, ASC will test the resolve of eight brave guests who will wear a beard of live honeybees! The action takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 pm. so don’t BEE late. (Clever, right? RIGHT?!)

One of the greatest composers to ever tickle the ivory will be celebrated at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at Symphony Hall as the Phoenix Orchestra perform’s Mozart’s Requiem. And no, Mozart wasn’t deaf. That was Beethoven.

Don your dopest threads and cut a proper rug at Stoudemire’s Downtown, which presents Latino Live with DJ Skandlis and Joey Boy from Power 98 on Saturday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Speaking of dancing, the Phoenix Mercury Hip Hop Squad is holding open auditions Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at U.S. Airways Center.

Second Saturday Community Cinema presents a free sneak preview of Dirt: The Movie from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Civic Space Park.

After the movie you can sit down to an amazing prime rib dinner for just $15 (!!) at Coach & Willie’s.

Now, granted, this is only a small sampling of what’s going on Downtown this weekend. You can download our complete guide here or simply “ASK” any one of our knowledgeable Ambassadors to share their personal recommendations. They never miss.

Most importantly, have a most enjoyable and safe weekend. And if you’re heading Downtown, bring a friend!

* yes, of course violence is bad!

Want a chance to win one (1) of two (2) $25 gift cards to Seamus McCaffrey’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in the heart of Downtown? Just submit your very best Downtown-inspired (and clean) limerick. We’ll take entries all the way up until 2 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day (3/17) and announce a winner at 3 p.m. (Just in time for the winners to start their holiday with a pint or two of Guiness and some Shepherd’s Pie).

For the layperson, a standard limerick is a five-line poem (usually funny, or at least attempting to be) where Lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyme and contain 7-10 syllables and Lines 3 and 4 also rhyme but are a tad shorter in length, usually 5-6 syllables.

Here’s an example thrown together a few minutes ago:

There once was a man from Phoenix

Who couldn’t ever find his own Kleenex

His wife called him a louse

When he sneezed in her blouse

In the garbage sits the garment in a helix

Lame? You betcha, but you get the idea.

May the luck of the Irish be with you as you craft your  Downtown limerick and please do keep them clean or run the risk of being disqualified.

You may also choose to submit your limerick on the Fans of Downtown Facebook page.

As I write this post it’s 52 degrees.

52!

That’s a New England basement, not Downtown Phoenix.

Worry not, fellow Downtowners. If you believe our local weather prognosticators, the generally poopy weather that has plagued us this week will soon be moving out  to make way for the glorious sunshine and highs in the mid-70s we’re accustomed to.

Which is fortunate, because Downtown is blessed with a treasure trove of fun things to do this weekend.

THURSDAY

Comic, late-night talk show host, author, vodka lover and self-appointed floozy Chelsea Handler skewers celebrities, friends and family alike in a show at Dodge Theatre.

Since we’re talking about weather, Class 6 Theatre presents It’s Always Sunny In Phoenix, three short plays by award-winning playwright David Ives, who has been making people laugh for 15 years.

FRIDAY

Kobe Bryant and the detestable Lakers bring Showtime to the Valley for a tussle with Steve Nash, Grant Hill, and that Stoudemire fella Suns fans should be thankful the team didn’t trade away for 50 cents on the dollar.  

Actors Theatre Company presents Secret Order, a bio-medical psychological thriller about an upstart scientist on the verge of curing cancer. Intrigued? Read Downtown Blogger Liz Fichera’s review here.

SATURDAY

Need to get in shape? People of all fitness levels can head to Civic Space Park for Personal PowerTraining Boot Camp with trainer Scott White at 6:30 a.m. or 7:30 a.m. Boot Camp classes are $10 a person, with multi-class packages available. If you’d rather not go the Biggest Loser route, check out the FREE Community Yoga Project that happens at 10 a.m. every week. Just bring a yoga mat or towel.

Want a part-time job working for the 2010 Census? Representatives will be recruiting workers at the Phoenix Public Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. While you’re there, grab a Caramel Addiction brownie from Sherrye’s Kitchen.

The finest amateur pugilists in Arizona will be on display at Alice Cooper’stown for Independent Events’ Olympic Style Boxing at 2 p.m.

SUNDAY

Rained out last weekend, the Wheels of Britain car show has been rescheduled for Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Heritage & Science Park.

Adam awakes one morning to find himself alone and locked in a strange, sterile room with four beds.  One by one, three more people join him – but nobody knows why they are there. Want to know more? Go see Indivisible at the Herberger at 2 p.m.

There’s no better place to wind down a weekend than at District American Kitchen, where on Sundays bottles of red and white wines are half-priced.

Some like it hot.

If you’re looking for some spice this First Friday, check out the menu of  events happening at the Arizona Latino Arts & Cultural Center [ALAC] on the evening of March 5:

6 p.m. — Pamela Carvajal Drapala reads her poem, ”Following My Heart’s Desire”

6:30 p.m. — Joey First performs

7 p.m. — Crafy Chica reads from her book, “Waking Up In the Land of Glitter,” and takes time to sign copies for fans

7:30 p.m. — Flavio Flutes performs Latin American folk music

8 p.m. — Bossa Nossa performs

9:30 p.m. — The evening’s headlining act is renowned Brazillian Samba singer/songwriter/violinist extraordinaire Quetzal Guerrero, who has been dubbed the “Latin Sting.” Watch a preview here.

“There’s not a sexier place to be on First Friday,” said Mario Mendia, ALAC Operations Chair. “There will be beautiful women, live painting, dancing, and an energy unique to the Latino arts culture.”

For more information visit the ALAC Web site.

I’ve got a fever. And the only prescription is more baseball.

Football is over, March Madness is still weeks away, and the NBA season has been about as exciting as watching your mother shop for window treatments.

Fear not, sports rubes and suntan seekers, there’s a light at the end of that tunnel.

The 2010 Cactus League season.

I can almost smell that seductive fragrance that is one part SPF-50, one part Polish sausage, and four parts beer. I want to fall asleep in the outfield at Peoria Sports Complex, perform advanced scouting for my numerous fantasy baseball teams, ask Reds’ first baseman Joey Votto to sign my son’s baseball even though I’m completely childless, and I want to befriend Dodgers fans only to give them horrible directions back to their hotel.

It’s a glorious time of the year, when the sun shines bright every day and 30 teams have a shot at the World Series.

2010 might be your last chance to see the Cubs play at HoHoKam Stadium in Mesa. Mayor Scott Smith is currently embroiled in a tug-of-war with Naples, Fla., to secure the team’s Spring Training address and all the economic windfalls that come with it. This will also be the last season you can road-trip to Tucson to watch the Diamondbacks and Rockies play at Tucson Electric Park; those teams move into swanky new Scottsdale digs in 2011.

The Cactus League now boasts 15 teams and is no longer the pesky younger sibling to Florida’s Grapefruit League. And with aggressive expansion has come some awe-inspiring new facilities, including Camelback Ranch, home to the Dodgers and White Sox, Surprise Stadium, home to the Rangers and Royals, and Goodyear Ballpark, home to Ohio’s Indians and Reds. Combine those megaplexes with the traditional, more quaint venues like the Giants’ Scottsdale Stadium, Athletics’ Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Brewers’ Maryvale Baseball Park and Angels’ Tempe Diablo Stadium, and the Cactus League offers baseball fans everything they could possibly want–most of it located 40 minutes or less away from Downtown. 

Pitchers and catchers have already reported and games begin the first week in March so you best make ticket arrangement pronto.  

And make sure to load up on sunscreen.

If you’re looking for anti-Valentine’s Day sentiment–you know, like those hater parties where lonely, angry people sit in a circle and drink heavily while pretending they’re totally at peace with being single and loveless–Downtown Phoenix isn’t the place for you. Try Old Town.

Downtown Phoenix is all about embracing Valentine’s Day and here’s what we’re doing as Cupid’s Accomplices. Seriously, if you don’t have a Valentine just hang out with us for awhile and you’re bound to find one.

Design a Date Contest: Visit the blog post or our Facebook page and submit your idea of a perfect Valentine’s Day date Downtown. We want to know where you’d go, what you’d eat, and what you’d see. The greater the detail, the better. Two winners will receive a $25 gift card to Kincaid’s.

Festive Friday: From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, the Ambassadors will be stationed outside the Information Center [US Bank Building, 101 N. First Ave., Ste. 190] sharing sweet treats courtesy of Downtown businesses. You can also pick up coupons for FREE food items from participating restaurants to be used throughout the month. Plus, music by FATIGO!

Heart Grab & Dash Contest: Approach five (5) different Ambassadors Friday morning before 1 p.m. and ask each one for his or her heart. The first five people to collect five hearts and deliver the lot of them to the Information Center will receive an awe-tacular Valentine’s Day gift bag filled with gift cards and goodies from generous Downtown businesses. We won’t tell you exactly what’s in the gift bags but suffice it to say the street value is well over $40. Now go get those hearts!

 

14 Downtown Loves

We polled our thousands upon thousands of Facebook and Twitter followers and concocted this essential list of things you love about Downtown Phoenix.

Phoenix Public Market – When you care enough to send the best, make sure it’s grown locally.

The Ambassadors  — Your significant other might leave you, but the Ambassadors never will.

The Herberger Theater — Some of you got more specific and referenced the “naked dudes” out front. Go check out “13″ playing now and “[title of show]“ coming soon!

The Phoenix Suns — Steve Nash, in particular, got mad love.

Majerle’s — You said if you couldn’t watch the Suns play at US Airways Center in person, then the next-best option was cheering the team on from Thunder Dan’s joint. Beer might also be involved.

The Light Rail — Can you believe we’ve had light rail for a year? For more light rail love, check out ace Light Rail Blogger and Downtown Phoenix contributor Tony Arranaga.

First Fridays — If you ever need a good first date idea, take him or her to First Fridays.

Chase Field — Roof open when possible, please.

Coffee — Conspire, Daily Grind, Cartel, Lola and Fair Trade all received votes.

Matt’s Big Breakfast — You heart Matt’s pancakes. Proof that good things come to those who wait.

Dodge Theatre — Three of you mentioned the recent comedy acts to hit Dodge–Joel McHale, Gabriel Iglesias and, soon, Chelsea Handler.

The District – Their music and drinks tested very high in this market.

Civic Space Park — From acoustic lunches to yoga, Civic Space Park offers a little something for everyone.

The People — Yes, you’re what really make Downtown Phoenix a special place to work, live, and play.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Some of the greatest movie directors of our time had humble beginnings.

Before he directed Alien, The Abyss, Titanic and Avatar, James Cameron was just a truckdriver and machinist. But after seeing Star Wars in 1977, Cameron quit his job driving truck and shot a goofy 10-minute science fiction short film called Xenogenesis on 35mm. That goofy 35mm short helped Cameron land a a job producing low-budget flicks with Roger Corman Studios. He then survived Piranha II: The Spawning and eventually got the nod to direct The Terminator. 

Pretty inspiring tale, yes?

Over 50 teams of aspiring filmmakers-with a range of talent and experience more expansive than the floating Hallelujah Mountains of Pandora–will converge at Majerle’s Friday night for the Almost Famous 48-Hour Short Film Challenge.

Now in it’s sixth year, the Almost Famous [A3F] Short Film Challenge has grown to become one of the largest film competitions of its kind in the country.

But A3F had humble beginnings, too.

Six years ago A3F Executive Director Jae Staats was working up the ranks with the Phoenix Suns. He started as a ball boy and bench boy and eventually landed a video assistant internship with the team while attending school. At the same time Jae and his brother, Kai, were becoming immersed in filmmaking. They started goofing around getting behind the camera and making some mostly funny short films. In the summer of 2004, Jae and Kai entered a short film festival here in town and were hooked.

“I literally looked at my brother and said, ‘We should start our own film festival,’” Jae Staats said. “Four or five months later we were at the Ice House Downtown staging the first Almost Famous Film Festival. It was very organic.”

Twenty-eight teams entered that first 48-hour challenge back in 2005. Jason Francois and Big Brain Productions took fourth place in that festival, losing points for being over the running time limit, with their film 48 Hours To Go and Francois would later join non-profit A3F as assistant director. The growing popularity of A3F events (an astounding 82 teams entered the challenge in ‘07) has allowed A3F to put on a variety of challenge-based festivals through each year, including one-shot, 72-hour, all-star, and heroes and villains.

“What makes these film festivals so great is that the focus is always on the filmmakers,” said Francois. “It’s all about making the best experience for them.”

Another reason for A3F’s popularity is an “everyone welcome” approach that attracts every kind of filmmaker–from first-timers in high school and college to advanced amateurs peddling their films at festivals all over the country.

“You’ll see people shooting on $50,000 cameras and you’ll see people shooting on Flip cameras,” said Francois. “But we’re testing creativity, not equipment.”

On Friday, teams will start funneling into Majerle’s around 5:30 p.m. in anticipation of the 7 p.m. announcment of the rules. Once the teams have been assigned their prop, action, line of dialogue and theme, they’ll have 48 hours to write, cast, shoot, edit and submit by 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Top 20 films will be shown at a special screening at AMC Arizona Center on Feb. 18. 

There is no cap on how many teams can enter the challenge. For more information visit thea3f.net or just show up at Majerle’s Friday night. Cost is $50 per team.

You don’t have to be a fan of the Colts or the Saints to get geeked for Super Bowl Weekend. Whether you’re the hardest of hardcore football fan who watches all 43 hours of pregame coverage, or simply someone who favors party dips and expensive commercials featuring primates, the Super Bowl is a global event that blurs the lines between football and holiday.

While it won’t be quite as busy as Miami’s South Beach, site of Super Bowl XLIV (or, 44 for the layperson), Downtown Phoenix is offering its own super mix of activities this weekend.

SATURDAY

Saturday Market at Phoenix Public Market

From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., enjoy cool temps and beautiful Arizona sunshine while experiencing the best in local produce, cheese, jewelry, fish, breads, sweets, salsas and sauces. Grab a coffee from Royal at the Market, enjoy the music of Ron Bowen, and get your hands on some special Valentine’s Day offerings from the vast array of Arizona vendors.

Community Yoga Project at Civic Space Park

This is the perfect gathering for first-timers or those who want to practice yoga outdoors in front of a truly urban backdrop. It starts at 10 a.m. and is totally free.

Heritage & Science Park

At 10 a.m., you can see some of the Valley’s most beautifully restored antique and classic autos at Motoring Thru Time. The event is free, and after you’re done coveting the shiny cars, you can head over to Rosson House at noon for Hertage Craft Saturdays, a free historical crafts program for the whole family.

Herberger Theater

If you prefer the stage over turf, the Herberger Theater is putting on multiple performance of Valley Youth Theatre’s “13″ The Musical and Actors Theatre’s Shipwrecked! all weekend long. For more on ”13,” watch VYT’s Web series. 

Sonoma Casual Dining

Want to combine dinner and a show? Head over to Sonoma Casual Dining for its crowd-pleasing Mystery Mansion Dinner Theater, with two shows (including a three-course meal) every Friday and Saturday.

Dodge Theatre

Comedian Gabriel Iglesias brings his Fluffy Shop Tour to the Dodge for a 8 p.m. performance. If you haven’t seen Iglesias on ”Last Comic Standing” or on one of his many specials on Comedy Central, you’re missing out on one of the most gifted young storytellers on the comedy circuit.

SUNDAY

Need a place to watch the Big Game? Downtown Phoenix has you covered.

Coach & Willie’s

The 9th Annual Super Bowl Bash features a complimentary buffet during the game and unbeatable drink specials, not to mention a football crazy crowd.

Hooters

Nothing goes better with football than chicken wings and beer and Hooters is offering Big Daddy Budweisers for $4 and Big Daddy Sam Adams for $5. Plus, at halftime, Hooters will give away a 40-inch HDTV!

Majerle’s

Majerle’s will be giving away hats, T-shirts and gift cards throughout the game, plus offering 1/2-off well drinks, drafts, wine and margaritas on the rocks. Get your grub on with $5 boneless wings and $7 gorilla wings and celebrate touchdowns with special Super Bowl Bombers for both the Saints and Colts.

Friday’s Front Row

Friday’s will be offering $3 and $4 drink specials and $4 appetizers from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Pizzeria Uno

Drink and food specials starting at $2.99, plus 1/2 domestics and house wine.

The 16th Annual DREAMR Awards were held Monday afternoon at the Phoenix Convention Center, where R. Neil Irwin received the Visionary Award, the highest honor given.

DREAMR stands for Downtown Revitalization Effort Awards of Merit and Recognition and honors the individuals, projects and organizations that dare to dream and work to make those dreams come true. Thanks to DREAMRs, urban blight and decline have been replaced with new centers of retail and commerce, urban residential opportunities, and an active arts and entertainment community. Because these DREAMRs followed their dreams, crowds of people are returning to a renewed and invigorated Downtown Phoenix.

Irwin, a partner at Brian Cave LLP, was the only Chairman the Downtown Phoenix Partnership had known during the organization’s first 20 years of operation prior to stepping down earlier this year. He played a key role in both the revitalization of Downtown and the development of the Partnership. In 2009, Irwin was named one of The Business Journal’s 25-Most Admired Top Level Executives.

Also receiving DREAMR Awards were: Tom’s Tavern owner Mike Ratner (Private Sector Individual); Don Keuth (Public Sector / Non-Profit Individual); Phoenix Mercury (Organization); Freeport McMoRan Center (Project); and former Phoenix City Manager Frank Fairbanks (”Unsung Hero”).

In addition to awarding the DREAMRs, the event also spotlighted Best of Downtown winners and featured two captivating keynote speakers, Local First Arizona Executive Director Kimber Lanning and Alliance for Audience Executive Director Matt Lehrman. Both offered up simple ways everyone can help raise the profile of Downtown and grow local business. You can watch Lehrman’s speech here and here, and you can watch Lanning’s speech here and here.

Mila Kunis, Olivia Wilde, Megan Fox and Jessica Alba are regulars on Maxim Magazine’s Hot 100 lists.

Pfft. You can have ‘em.

After attending Friday evening’s The Music of Led Zeppelin and Queen show at Dodge Theatre, I have begun an aggressive campaign to get electric violinist Allegra named to the No. 1 spot in 2010.

Allegra–with the help of vocalist Randy Jackson, bassist Dan Clemons, guitarist George Cintron, drummer Powell Randolph, conductor and show mastermind Brent Havens and the pride of Downtown Phoenix, the Phoenix Symphony–paid homage to history’s definitive heavy metal band, Led Zeppelin, and somehow managed to make this die-hard fan appreciate the depth and sexiness of the band’s catalog even more.

Allegra wasn’t the only thing burning up the stage. Renditions of “Kashmir,” “Heartbreaker,” “Thank You” and “Since I’ve Been Loving You,” showcased the profound skills of Cintron, while Jackson made “All of My Love” and “Stairway to Heaven,” two Zeppelin songs I generally go out of my way to avoid, not only palatable but downright enjoyable. Special shout-out to Randolph for his jaw-dropping work on “Moby Dick.” Late Zeppelin drummer John Bonham would have beamed with pride.

The only complaint I had was the absence of “Living Loving Maid” from the set list. It’s a song that should always be married to ”Heartbreaker,” just as on Led Zeppelin II.

If you doubt the objectivity of an admitted Zeppelin wonk, I’ll relay a brief review from my 23-year-old niece, Alicia, who accompanied me to the show despite having zero little knowledge of Zeppelin or Queen going in.

“That,” Alicia said as we exited the Dodge. “Was amazing. You could set anything** to an orchestra and I’d go see it.”

I’m more classic rock than classical but the excellence in execution exhibited by the Symphony made me want to grab tickets for “Peter and the Wolf” pronto. What an amazing ensemble of talent. And Havens deserves kudos for his score. At no time did the orchestral treatments mess with the integrity of the songs.

Same goes for the opening act, The Music of Queen, performed by the same band but with Las Vegas bar scene rocker Brody Dolyniuk channeling the voice and showmanship of Freddie Mercury. Dolyniuk’s stage antics were a little ham-ish (so were Mercury’s), but there’s no doubting the dude can sing, especially after hearing him tackle “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Stone Cold Crazy.” Next time I’m in Sin City I’ll definitely look up his classic rock tribute band, Yellow Brick Road.

And I’ll be sure to attend The Music of Led Zeppelin and Queen whenever it comes back to the Valley.

**Creed and Nickelback are obvious exceptions to this statement.

KHB7BAWERPKS

I get it. Not everyone is married to technology.

So you don’t Facebook from your Palm or Uber-Tweet from your BlackBerry. You may not even know the difference between an iPhone, an iPad and an iCarly.

It’s OK. Even if you refer to your mobile device as a “cell phone” (gasp!), only order ”apps” at Friday’s Front Row, or own a home PC running on Windows ‘95, here are five simple ways you can join our online community at downtownphoenix.com:

Text Alerts and “ASK” an Ambassador

From traffic updates to lunch specials, the latest and greatest Downtown information can be had via  text alerts from downtownphoenix.com. For instance, if you were signed up to receive Sports or Deal texts, this week you would have known that the Suns were selling upper-level seats to Tuesday’s game against Charlotte for $10 and that 20 percent of Wednesday’s sales at Baja Fresh went directly to Helping Hands for Haiti. Also, whenever you have a question you can text “ASK” to 25866 and one of our helpful Ambassadors will quickly supply you with the right answer. Trust me when I tell you that the peeps running around in the orange shirts are wicked smart when it comes to everything Downtown Phoenix.

Dining Guide

If you work Downtown, no doubt you are faced with a handful of lunch quandaries a month: Where should we go for lunch today? Where should we take this client? What are you hungry for? How much do you want to spend? What’s close to your office? Between our Directory, our =Picks, Coupons & Deals, and Pick a Place feature, we’ve got every possible dining dilemma covered. 

What’s Happening

You can download our handy What’s Happening Weekly  guide–which details every concert, museum exhibit, play, happy hour, DJ appearance, sporting event and community gathering going on in Downtown–each and every Monday morning.

Weekly Insider

If you don’t visit the Downtown Blog on a regular basis (shame on you, by the way),  you can receive blog highlights every Thursday by subscribing to our Weekly Insider e-newsletter. When you become a subscriber at downtownphoenix.com, we’ll ask which subjects are of the greatest interest to you–Deals, Arts & Culture, Sports, Music, Dining, Nightlife, etc.–and custom-tailor your Weekly Insider to reflect those preferences. Pretty slick, right? And if you happen to be an aspiring Downtown Blogger, there’s even an application to join our editorial army. 

Social Networking

Downtown Phoenix has jumped into the social networking pool with both feet and now you can be a part of our online community through Twitter and Facebook. Are you an ace photographer? If so, we’re always seeking new members for our Flickr group. 

So as you can see, you needn’t fully embrace technology to join the online community at downtownphoenix.com. A fist-pump will do just fine. Or maybe a bro-hug.

Gabriel Iglesias has quickly become one of comedy’s most powerful brands. His live comedy DVDs are best-sellers, his Web site stocks more T-Shirts than Fruit of the Loom, and he’s currently embarking on a 50-stop bus tour that stops in Phoenix Feb. 6.

Iglesias stole a moment away from his PlayStation 3 to chat with us about the tour and his ascending career.  

Q: Your Wikipedia entry (which of course is infallable) lists Robin Williams and Paul Rodriguez as your major influences. Who else fuels your passion for comedy?

“Guys who are killing it now like Dane Cook and Jeff Dunham set the bar for me and make me strive to play to packed arenas. I always stay hungry. No pun intended.”

Q: Was there a defining moment in your childhood that made you decide to go into comedy?

“When I was 10 years old I saw Eddie Murphy: Raw and knew right then that it was what I wanted to do. My show is very clean by comparison but the interaction Eddie had with the crowd was so cool and really stuck with me.”

Q: Your “I’m not fat, I’m fluffy” bit has taken on a life of its own, with hundreds of thousands of DVDs sold, a 50-stop bus tour, and an online store. With your increased fame, do you consider yourself a role model for plus-size men?

“I don’t really consider myself a role model but I do try to make it very cool and very sexy to be a plus-size man. It’s all about staying postitive and not all ‘woe is me.’ I would love to drop some pounds but it’s not easy. I struggle with diabetes and a lot of my fans deal with weight issues, too, but while we’re dealing with it we can still have fun.”

Q: Speaking of plus-size, fluffyguy.com sells T-shirts in size 6XL. Where does 6XL fit on your “6 Levels of Fatness”?

“We actually did a custom order for 10XL once. I didn’t believe the guy so I made him send me a photo of himself and the 10XL tag on his shirt. The story checked out so we had the shirts printed up. That’s real big though.”

Q: What are some of the pros and cons of tour bus life?

“Believe it or not it’s easier to manage my diet on the bus because I have people planning out my meals ahead of time and stocking the bus with the right foods. I also have my own video game setup in the back which is cool.”

Q: What about the cons?

“The biggest con is Month No. 3 when the bus smells like butt and feet. It’s pretty snug with 12 of us so there’s no privacy. Good thing we’re all friends.”

Q: You used to own a house here in Phoenix so you must have a strong connection to the city. What do you like most about the crowds here?

“I’ve been coming to Phoenix for 10 years now and I love playing there because the crowds treat it like a rock concert. This show is going to be very exciting for me because never played a venue as big as Dodge Theatre. Just let the fans know that nothing has changed; I’m still going to hang out after the show to meet everyone.”

Given the orchestral nature of many of Led Zeppelin’s classic rock songs, it makes perfect sense that the band’s beloved catalog would get a symphonic treatment at Dodge Theatre Jan. 29 when Windbourne Music presents The Music of Led Zeppelin & Queen.

Zebra front man Randy Jackson, who takes the vocal reins for The Music of Led Zeppelin, talked to Downtown Phoenix about how the project started and what fans can expect at the show.

Q: How did you end up joining the Music of Led Zeppelin tour?

“1996 is when I came on board. [Windbourne] started it in ‘95 in Virginia Beach, VA. They had put the show together as a concept of playing the music of one rock band and had chosen Led Zeppelin to start. After the first show they wanted to go a different direction vocally. One of the partners had seen my band Zebra years before when we came through Virgina Beach and knew we played some Zeppelin so they called me. If this was a Zeppelin tribute band sort of thing I would have paused but the orchestral aspect made it very enticing to me. So I did a couple of shows and have been touring with them ever since.”

 
Q: So did you grow up a fan of Led Zeppelin and that brand of early hard rock?

“Yeah I’m a huge fan. I saw Zeppelin in New Orleans in 1973. [Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert] Plant was very influential on me growing up and getting into music, as were The Beatles and the Moody Blues. And all the way through high school and college I played baritone horn so I’m very familiar with the music from a classical standpoint. But the last thing I ever thought I’d be doing is singing Zeppelin songs in front of a full orchestra.”

Q: When the band and orchestra begin the first song of the Led Zeppelin, how would you describe the average crowd’s reaction?

“The people who come to the show are way into Led Zeppelin and the people who haven’t seen the show before get into it very quickly. We just played in Clearwater, Fla., last week and they were into from song one. The lights are right the sound is right and it goes over very well because we’ve done it a long time. People who are expecting a Muzak version of Zeppelin’s music learn quickly that that’s not what this is.”

 Q: What were your favorite Led Zeppelin songs pre-Music of Led Zeppelin and what are your favorite tracks now?

“The Zeppelin songs we did in Zebra were ‘The Rain Song’ and ‘The Song Remains the Same.’ We do both of those now but we also do ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’ and that’s probably become my favorite because it really allows me to stretch my vocals.”

Q: What are the strengths of the symphonic rock hybrid in terms of bringing out the most in Led Zeppelin’s catalog? 

The way [conductor] Brent [Havens] has gone about scoring the show, if the song had already been orchestrated–like ‘The Rain Song’ or ‘Kashmir’–he sticks to what [Led Zeppelin] did. It’s the songs that weren’t previously orchestrated, like ‘Ramble On’ and ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’ where the orchestra really adds a whole new level to the music.”

Q: What kind of feedback to you get from die-hard Led Zeppelin fans?

“They genuinely enjoy the show. A lot of people never got to see Zeppelin and appreciate seeing the music live. If you want to see the music now you have go to some bar and see a tribute band. This tour allows fans to see the music played live in a true concert venue.”

Q: Your hair is very Robert Plant-esque. How much rock power do you get from your mane?

“I’ve kept it this way since ‘75. I just like it. I tried shorter hair in the 80s but went back to wearing it long right away. It’s just me. I’ve had it for so long I don’t know what it would be like without it. Robert Plant went back to wearing his hair long too so he must feel the same way.”