Be A Vendor at Frances’ 5th Annual Crafeteria

frances.com​ Put those felt swatches, glitter appliques and knitting needles to good use — Frances’ Crafeteria is just around the corner. This year’s crafty get-together is on December 3 from 6 to 10 p.m., and if it’s anything like last year’s, you can expect a healthy dose of handmade goodness…

A Century of Casey Moore’s

Welcome to a time before drunken hipsters, resident cats, ghosts upstairs and kickass fried zucchinis — this is a picture of what’s now known as Casey Moore’s Oyster House in Tempe. We’re told it the picture was taken when the house was owned by W.A. Moeur, circa 1910. Thanks to…

Tell a Joke with Sam Lowy

Photo by Anthony Lowy, courtesy of Sam Lowy​Sam Lowy wears many hats — one for improv comedy, one for sketch comedy and one for stand up comedy. Lowy, an English Literature major at Arizona State University, has been sharpening his comedic skills since he started college three years ago. As…

NASA’s Topographical Moon Map Gets .GIFed

Remember back in the ’90s, when having a .gif on your Web page showed your mastery of the Internet?Designer Aaron Meyers is bringing the .gifs, or animated image files, back in style by applying an animated .gif of video games and animated characters (shown at right) to one of NASA’s…

Cheap Thrills: Shop Until You Drop

When you hear Cheap Thrills, you may think of the local dance party or the Frank Zappa album, but what about a vintage store in Phoenix? Cheap Thrills, located near 25th street and Indian School road, is filled with antique clothing and shoes (for ladies and gents), furniture, kitchenware, artwork…

Bear Annihilator: Killer Boards, Bikes and … Yep, Bears

http://wearthebear.com/​ The artists behind Bear Annihilator, a local apparel brand, say they’re dedicated to producing the “highest quality mutant, robotic, over-sized and irate-bear related clothing in the world.” We’re just happy they blog about it, too. The Bear Annihilator brand was born in 2008. Its designs are a blend of…

Modern Manor Hosts Mad Men Party (Decor Included)

Courtesy of Modern Manor​Time to break out the suits and pearls: Modern Manor (home of mid-century and modern decor in Phoenix’s Melrose District) is hosting a Mad Men party. You’re invited — provided you have an appetite for vintage. Modern Manor promises cocktails, appetizers, photo booths and prizes, in addition…

Phoenix Fashion Week: In Review

Phoenix Fashion Week began six years ago as an amateur local production with DIY fashions shown poolside at the Clarendon Hotel.This year’s three-day affair featured an upscale, trendy venue (W Scottsdale), a thumping electro-soundtrack, a complex lighting and video system, attendance by a few pseudo-celebs (does Miss Arizona count as…

Arizona Fetish Ball: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Old Town Scottsdale put on its leather chaps and ball gag this Saturday in honor of the Arizona Fetish Ball, where all were welcome to let their inner, kinky selves loose. Given: The fashion element at any fetish event is questionable. But we stopped by, checked it out and took…

Sean Bonnette, What Are You Wearing?

Photo by Stephanie Carrico.Sean Bonnette (left) of Andrew Jackson Jihad.​Sean Bonnette is the guitarist and singer in Phoenix-based band Andrew Jackson Jihad. The band’s currently trekking Europe and the United Kingdom promoting their newest album “Can’t Maintain.”Even with his crazy traveling schedule, Bonnette took the time to tell us about…

The Crypt Haunted Attractions

It’s finally October, which means two things: grocery stores will probably start playing Christmas music … and the Valley will finally be taken over by zombies, candy corn and, you guessed it, Haunted Houses. We’re on a mission to scout out the best (and worst) ones and share our experiences…

Mark Lipczynski Photography 101

It’s one thing to post your photography online. It’s another to thoughtfully dish in detail how a work is captured in a The Daybooks of Edward Weston-esque fashion…

Pick The Right Tequila with Tequila Goddess Danielle Griffin of La Hacienda at The Fairmont

Tequila is tricky, and let’s face it, we’ve all had our tequila terror stories: that night your don’t remember, the salt burn on your hand, the horrific hangover that leaves you in the fetal position on the cold, hard, bathroom floor until 4 p.m. the next day. We’ve heard it all, but Danielle Griffin, the Tequila Goddess of La Hacienda at The Fairmont Princess assures us tequila can be tasty, fun and regret-free.

Etsy.com Wedding Abominations…This is Truly Awful, Folks

http://www.etsy.com/You’re going to want to keep that cart at “0.”​We know darn well we aren’t the first to do a blog post about some of the awfulness that can happen on Etsy.com.So, in keeping with our ongoing wedding coverage, we’ve taken inspiration from Regretsy.com (whose author is also a bride-to-be,…

Stickers, Wheat Pastes, Stencils, and Spraypaint on Urban Art Attack

urbanartattack.com ​The ASU grads who started Spraygraphic — the creative social networking forum/website — are back at it with their very own street art blog. Urban Art Attack features graffiti, wheat pastes, stencils, stickers, and murals in Brooklyn, Paris, Barcelona, Los Angeles, and yes, even in Phoenix. …

Ali Karim, What Are You Wearing?

Courtesy of Ali Karim.​If you’ve spent any time dancing in clubs around town, you’ve surely seen Ali Karim in his signature specs and cardigans.The all-around cool dude got his start in the mid-’90s promoting record labels with DJ Bigie-Meanmugg. Since then, he’s coordinated hip-hop shows, charity events, and weekly dance…

2010 Stylos Award Nominees Are Up for Vote

The Stylos Awards at the Phoenix Art Museum may not be until November 13, but the booths (in this case online surveys) are officially open and counting votes until October 24. Since they began in 2005, the Stylos awards have recognized those who reflect the accomplishments of the Latino community…

Tempe’s Oktoberfest: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

PHOTOS BY MARIA VASSETTThe three essentials of a “good” Oktoberfest: wristband, double-fisting, and overall confused expression​Tempe Beach Park got hammered this weekend as tiny cups of beer endlessly met the lips of brew-lovers during Tempe’s Oktoberfest. We stopped by to check out the alcohol-fueled antics and to take a few…

Fear Farm

Where: Fear Farm, 99th Avenue between Thomas and McDowell avenues In Brief: Are we surprised that Fear Farm was Best Outdoor Haunted House? Nope. Living up to its name, Fear Farm is scary and is definitely like a farm (think hay, dirt, and pigs — we’re still not certain if they…