a.ware Sets Up Shop on Central Avenue

The a.ware girls claim that the suitcases pictured (aren’t they cool?) are filled with crafts by local artists for a big move to a Central Avenue store.We’re excited to hear that. And we dig the photo they chose for their flier … so much that we snagged it for this…

Crafting like a Man with Patrick Murillo: Bobblehead Dolls

Some people are crafty, some aren’t (i.e. me). It’s the way of the world. But taking a cue from Mantastic Crafter Patrick Murillo, I’m training in the art, and hoping to work my way up to something truly mantastic, all while trying to avoid what Murillo calls a “craftastrophe.” Meeting…

Black Friday: Local Shopping and Irresistible Leftovers

The day after Thanksgiving usually means waking up at 1 a.m., running to the nearest big-box store and schlepping your discounted finds back home (bruises included) before sitting down to a recycled turkey sandwich. Lucky for you, we have some alternatives. We’re big fans of local business, so if you’re…

Happy Thanksgiving: What Are You Doing Here?

No really, we’re happy you’re here. We’re actually eating turkey, tofurkey, or whatever the hell they’re calling it … and we’re using a ton of the Thanksgiving tips our foodie sister blog, Chow Bella’s been dishing out for the past week. We thought we’d dish out a surprise of our…

Dayvid LemMon’s Downtown Phoenix Museum of Gentrification

Dayvid LemMon started calling his house the Downtown Phoenix Museum of Gentrification a few months ago (he even registered it on Google Maps and Foursquare), and has been receiving curious visitors and phone calls ever since. “I get random ASU students coming to check the place out for their latest…

Black Friday: A Guide to Shopping Local in Phoenix

Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving. Which means the dreaded Black Friday is upon us. While we do believe there’s nothing like a healthy round of bargain binge shopping to help chase away post-Thanksgiving woes, the idea of going to a mall on Black Friday makes us want scratch our own eyeballs out.Lucky for…

Nico Cruz’s Outlandish and Abstract Style

Nico Cruz has always been passionate about graphic design and fashion. In high school he participated in a FCCLA competition for fashion students from schools around the valley. The prize was a scholarship to FIDM, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. Nico Cruz won.Earlier this year Cruz graduated from the…

Lightning Octopus: A Local Guide to Geekdom

Jonathan Simon’s a geek — and a damn funny one. He started Lightning Octopus in June to share Phoenix geek-culture news, photos and events — it’s also his excuse to get out and meet like-minded geeks at geeky events.”Since its launch, my wife and I have traded in a lot…

Sweets & Beats: Grand Avenue’s Whimsical Sweet Spot

Driving down Grand Avenue in Phoenix, you might see an assortment of interesting things, including a purple, leopard-print building called Sweets & Beats. Owners, Liam James T. Murtagh and Emily Spetrino-Murtagh, were saving to buy a home, but when it came time to finalize their potential plans, something always went…

Marshall Shore’s Vintage Individualism

Marshall Shore can be spotted at nearly any Downtown get together, rally, or conference (even a peacock gathering). He’s usually taking a few photos and notes, but mostly, he’s gathering people’s stories about Phoenix.Shore’s a local historian who also shares his  collection of notes and photos at a monthly slideshow/story…

Crafting like a Man with Patrick Murillo: Christmas Ornaments

Some people are crafty, some aren’t (i.e. me). It’s the way of the world. But taking a cue from Mantastic Crafter Patrick Murillo, I’m training in the art, and hoping to work my way up to something truly mantastic, all while trying to avoid what Murillo calls a “craftastrophe.”When I…

11th Monk3y Apparel and Designs by Ruben Gonzales

Ruben Gonzales will always have b-boying on his mind. From a young age, Gonzales was a regular with the Arizona breakdancing scene; but he had another passion — design. When he wasn’t dancing, Gonzales did graffiti art until a friend pointed him to instructional videos on Youtube for Adobe Photoshop…

The Happy Hippie: Clothes and Accessories for the Stylish Pacifist

The Happy Hippie boutique has only been in business for a year, but the store’s chill vibe, and friendly staff makes it a standout in downtown Glendale. Tons of accessories and clothes line walls, shelves and racks, making this boutique a promising destination on any holiday shopping scavenger hunt (especially…

National Novel Writing Month: Dragged Down By Excuses

Last week was much better. In the bleakest of moments, a flood of excuses pours into my mind. What good is writing 50,000 words when they aren’t 50,000 good words? Should I not focus on writing well rather than upchucking prose in order to fulfill a self-imposed quota? And that…

Cocktails and Jewelry at Heard Museum North

Cocktails and jewelry shopping…could there be a better combination?The Heard Museum North is hosting a trunk show with New Mexican Jewelers David and Wayne Nez Gaussoin tomorrow evening, Thursday, November 18.The two will be selling their dramatic wearable art pieces. And did we mention there’ll be cocktails?…

Treg Bradley’s Modern Temple of Creativity

Part-home, part-gallery, Treg Bradley’s modern abode at the tip top of north Scottsdale pays homage to artists both local and international. Bradley, the inventor of the Grobal — a self-watering plant pot — says although his home is dedicated to the work of others, it’s also very personal. “I wanted…

Tiffe Fermaint Celebrates 10 years in Fashion

It all started with a birthday request; a 15-year-old Tiffe Fermaint wanted a sewing machine. She didn’t know how to sew, but says she picked up a few skills from employees at local craft supply stores. Fermaint caught the entrepreneurial bug at a young age. She made clothing that appealed…

Kelly Calabrese’s Rocker Street Style

When local designer, Kelly Calabrese started her own business at age 19, all it took was some good ol’ self motivation, a little help from talented local Rhonda Zayas and a ton of passion for fashion. Her line, WISKC (Who is Kelly Calabrese), reflects her own rocker chick street style…

Art on Wheels: Walter, The World’s Largest Faux-Volkswagen Bus

The story of Walter the Bus, the world’s largest fan-made Volkswagen, sounds like a hippie folk tale that spans almost 50 years. But everything about the project is rooted in the 60s. Walter, now a 13-foot high, 30-foot long, 19,500-pound VW stationed in Scottsdale, doesn’t look much like he did…