In the late ’70s, a lifelong passion for reading literature became a political act for Azar Nafisi, author of the best seller Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books. When she finished graduate school in the U.S. and went back to her native Iran, she saw her country radically…
SAT 2/7 The clothes-minded don a historical perspective this Saturday, February 7, when the Phoenix Art Museum hosts a daylong symposium addressing “Nineteenth-Century American Life: Clothing, Technology and Innovation.” Offered in conjunction with two current exhibitions — “American Beauty: Painting and Sculpture From the Detroit Institute of Arts, 1770-1920” and…
FRI 2/6 Downtown Phoenix is usually full of artistic energy on First Fridays, but this Friday, February 6, that energy will have a decidedly sensuous twist. The Icehouse art space, located at Fourth Avenue and Jackson, presents its take on Valentine’s Day with “Bizarre Love Triangle.” From 7 to 10…
2/7-3/28 Finding itself in a state of awe, the Phoenix Zoo is saluting Arizona’s environmental diversity with a new series of educational activities. Focusing on the area’s agriculture, art, history, flora and fauna, “Amazing Arizona” launches this Saturday, February 7, and Sunday, February 8, and continues every weekend through the…
ONGOING One often hears “it’s tradition” used as an explanation for why things are done a certain way. Sometimes, however, tradition is not an end in itself, but a means to another goal. Such is the attitude at Aikido of Scottsdale. A Japanese martial art that redirects the force and…
2/6-2/8 Before Spain got us all fired up with its hot dishes — paella and Enrique Iglesias, por ejemplo — it set the world sizzling with another spicy export: flamenco. A folk dance form attributed to the country’s Andalusian gypsies, flamenco’s rapid-fire footwork continues to evolve into a theatrical art…
Two years ago, Harvey Weinstein, who runs Miramax Films with an iron fist that no doubt smells of cigarettes and meat, bought a Hong Kong-made movie called Hero for $20 million. That is an extraordinary amount of money for a foreign-language film made by a director, Zhang Yimou, relatively unknown…
Better double-time it to Shemer Art Center on Camelback if you want to see “Land: Unconventional Approaches to Landscape” — billed as an exhibition that’s “pushing the boundaries” of the Phoenix municipal gallery — since it’s only going to be up for a mere two weeks. Considering the safe, watered-down…
Behold a tale of true love (between a boy and a bicycle), of tireless courage (from a bitty grandmother with a club foot) and of a very shocking new definition of sexy (three wizened matriarchs who ravenously slurp down frogs). This is The Triplets of Belleville, an animated extravaganza of…
Good day, friends and homies. I bring word of a project titled You Got Served, which essays the task of appraising the current state of urban American street dancing and the dancers who dance it. The good news is that it’s dynamic, sincere and spirited. The bad news — for…
“Michael Caine is a revelation!” declares the Jeffrey Lyons quote currently appearing on ads for The Statement. Lyons is right, but not in the way you might expect. Indeed, Caine’s performance here is revelatory — who knew he could be this boring? Insufferable, yes — Oscar aside, his mangled “American”…
Phoenix doesn’t get to see a lot of top-drawer boxing, but on Saturday, January 31, we’re going to see what could be one of the most exciting cards of the year, especially since it features two belt matches between four lively fighters. That’s right, we’ll be privy to two –…
Thursday, January 29 There could hardly be a better match-up to usher in 2004 for Rage in the Cage fans: Homer “The Rock” Moore versus Vince “The Bull” Lucero, two formidable fighters who haven’t faced off in almost two years. The mixed martial arts cage fighting card also features Bryan…
For Wen Chyi Chiu and the nearly 100,000 Chinese immigrants spread out across the Valley, Phoenix’s annual celebration of the Chinese New Year brings a small taste of the party halfway around the world. And if it weren’t for the efforts of Chiu, a 28-year-old native of Taiwan who has…
Sat 1/31 Strength in numbers, indeed. For the first time, all seven East Valley cities — Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, Guadalupe, Gilbert, Mesa and Queen Creek — are joining forces to celebrate Black History Month with the inaugural East Valley Regional Unity Walk and Diversity Festival on Saturday, January 31. For…
1/30-2/1 Drop into the weekend’s wildest wing ding: the Arizona Powered Paraglider National Fly-In, starting Friday, January 30, at Maricopa’s Phoenix Regional Airport. Hosted by Arizona Powered Paragliding — a “cactus-roots” group of PPG flying enthusiasts — the three-day event provides an action-packed introduction to the high life, with performance…
1/29-4/18 Mesa Southwest Museum’s new Tyrannosaurus Rex exhibit, “A T-Rex Named Sue,” is a big deal in more ways than one. “We consider getting Sue a major coup for the Valley and for the museum,” says Cynthia Diaz, museum marketing coordinator. “First, because a lot of people are unaware that…
Fri 1/30 In a single-minded pursuit, The Dating Venture spreads the love at a Singles Expo/Extravaganza set for Friday, January 30. Singles, swinging and otherwise, are invited to enjoy an evening of comedy, music and dancing while checking out the merchandise (“romance products,” that is) and soliciting the services of…
1/29-2/1 “It’s not a standard musical,” says cast member Clark Webb of Theater Works’ Songs for a New World. “It’s more cabaret-style.” Though the songs, written by wunderkind and Tony winner Jason Robert Brown (who wrote the score at age 20), are separate entities, they all blend together with common…
Almost as one, the entire universe seems to be hell-bent on being slimmer, trimmer, healthier. And on getting bigger pecs. From Subway’s Jared to Renée Zellweger, losing or gaining inches is making headlines. But getting fit and losing weight usually involves drastically changing your lifestyle for more than three consecutive…
Caught up in a flurry of worry? It’s high time to simmer down: new year, new attitude. We know that emotional, mental and spiritual health affect physical well-being, yet we allow bottled anger, self-esteem issues, stress and anxiety to take their toll on our bodies and brains. But this year…
We’re no mathematicians, but this seems clear: One really is the loneliest number. Having no one to smooch on New Year’s Eve is depressing enough — until the realization hits that, in a mere 45 days, Valentine’s Day rears its ugly head. You can’t hurry love, but — with the…
