Tempe Conventions & Visitors Bureau

Wednesdays. The middle of the week seemed so ho-hum. Until now. The gorgeous Tempe Center for the Arts hosts Walk-in Wednesdays, an open mic night, every week from 6:30 pm-11 pm through February 24. This free event is the perfect opportunity to hear the words and music of some of Tempe’s best musicians, and those who are performing for the very first time.

This blend of songs and community is hosted by Walt Richardson, a local musical legend known for his blend of reggae, folk and world music. 

I invite you to experience the Tempe music scene for yourself. For get a preview of Walk-in Wednesdays, please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu_K20yAaBg or for more detailed information: www.tempe.gov/tca.

See you there!

After I had my daughter, I realized that parents look at activities completely differently. We want to make sure that restaurants are kid-friendly. We look for museums that have exhibits just for kids, or at least art that’s colorful and exciting. If we take a walk, we want there to be good access for strollers. And, of course, we have to time our activities around our children’s schedule. Here are just a few activity suggestions for parents who travel to Tempe with their children. For more ideas, check out “Things to Do” and the “Calendar of Events” on the Tempe CVB Web site.

• Tempe Town Lake – Perfect for an afternoon or sunset stroll. Watch for public art and wildlife along the way. If you visit from April-September, don’t miss the Cox Splash Playground at the adjacent Tempe Beach Park.
• The Phoenix Zoo - Voted one of the nation’s top 5 zoos for kids. Kids will love the petting zoo and Fisher Price-themed playground at Harmony Farm and interactive exhibits like Monkey Village.
• Childsplay – Arizona’s professional theatre company for young audiences brings their excellent performances to Tempe Center for the Arts throughout the year
• Arizona Historical Society Museum – Hands-on activities for school aged children that teach about the history of our area
• Arizona Museum for Youth – an art museum just for kids, complete with an area for art projects, kid-friendly art exhibitions and play areas
• Children’s Museum of Phoenix - With an emphasis on learning through play, this new musuem is just plain fun for kids from birth through age 10.
• Kiwanis Park – the ultimate community park with a lake, walking paths, picnic ramadas, a playground and fields for sports
• Changing Hands Bookstore – one of the best independent bookstores around, Changing Hands has a wonderful selection of children’s toys and books. Check their event calendar for storytimes.
• Hall of Flame Fire Museum – If your child dreams of being a firefighter, this museum is the perfect stop. See fire trucks and equipment dating back to the 18th century. Kids can climb on a truck and try on firefighter gear.
• Tempe Marketplace – Great destination for shopping, dining and live music. They schedule live acts Friday and Saturday nights. There are plenty of places to relax and listen to music and colorful fountains fit for splashing about.
• ASU Art Museum – This free contemporary art museum hosts a First Saturday for Families on the first Saturday of every month. Children from 4-12 are encouraged to create artwork that’s inspired by a current exhibition.

Congratulations to Hackett House and Wildflower Bread Company!  This week, the two joined forces to offer a very YUMMY meal of a soup, salad, dessert and tea/coffee for $10.00. It was Tempe dining with a twist.  The full amount went to the Red Cross to support recovering efforts in Haiti.  I went all 5 days  and it was money well spent.  A great lunch and the donation goes to charity – it was a win – win.  This is a great model of how a non-profit (Tempe Sister Cities) and a for-profit company (Wildflower) can work together for one great cause.  I look forward to seeing the total amount raised!

I have come to the conclusion that University Drive in Tempe Arizona needs to be recognized for its great dining options.  I have always stopped in once in a while to a few places, but I never really put it into the context of great food on one street.  So here I go. I’ll eat my way through University Drive!  First up, Thai Elephant near Hardy and University in Tempe.  YUM!  I am a fan of Thai food (you’ll see that in the coming weeks) and I was expecting a little hole-in-the-wall place with a few items on the menu. I was happy to find a array of options, some that I have not seen before. I had a beef noodle dish with an amazing peanut sauce.  There was so much food that I was very happy to eat the left overs the next day for lunch! I don’t do spicy, but my partner does.  He got the medium.  Beware! The medium was still really spicy – you could see the chili pepper all over his dish.  Those that love their food to be on fire, then go for it!  The prices are very reasonable and the space is large and pleasant with friendly staff to boot!  If you are looking for a great Thai food restaurant in Arizona with reasonable prices, then check out Thai Elephant.  http://www.letterse7en.com/TE/tempe.html

I have always loved House of Tricks. Ever since the first time I went there I have been in love with the food and atmosphere of this lovely restaurant.

I have dined both in the charming cottage houses and outside in the lush garden environment. They are both very enjoyable, but I think I prefer the garden patio area. Especially in the spring and fall, dining al fresco in Arizona is the best!

The atmosphere of this restaurant is both beautiful and relaxing, but it’s the food that really wins me over time after time. Everything on the menu is fresh and unique with amazing flavor combinations. And the wine menu is one of the best I’ve seen.

One of my favorite lunch dishes is the Moroccan Fruit and Chicken Shawarma Salad…it has all sorts of fresh fruit, pine nuts and fresh citrus cous cous to complete the dish. Is your mouth watering yet? Just wait. My favorite dinner menu item is the Pan Seared Scottish Salmon. Green chili-white corn grits, fried green tomatoes and charred yellow tomatoes surround the salmon in perfect harmony. The desserts are also to die for, so you must save some room for that too!

If you are looking for a delicious meal, head to House of Tricks for a wonderful experience!

The Stray Cat Bar and Grill has an “Open Mic” every Monday night from 8:00 pm until Midnight. Local musician George Hughes is the host and he will make sure to furnish all musicians with acoustic guitar, bass, and percussions if needed.

For great food, awesome drink specials, and a casual atmosphere, the Stray Cat is the place to be. The staff is extremely friendly and attentive as well.

So gather the friends, come on down and show off your musical talent. The Stray Cat Bar & Grill is located at 2433 East University Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281.

I’ve never been a runner, even when I was a kid. I do enjoy walking, but I don’t have the right stuff for marathon walking. However, I do love the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon & ½ Marathon because participating as a spectator is so much fun at this one. It’s the event where music hits the pavement along with runners and spectators from all over the world. And, it’s definitely not only for the runners. It is just as exciting for spectators like me who line the streets from the starting point at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza in Phoenix, through Scottsdale right to the end in Tempe. It’s electrifying being there to cheer for friends, family and elite racers and energizing just listening to all the great music provided by bands every mile along the marathon routes. With more than 60 bands playing reggae, rock, country, rhythm and blues and jazz, there’s plenty of toe tapping and dancing along both courses. It all culminates in a big free post race concert. This year Everclear will perform at Sun Angel Stadium at Arizona State University. The band will perform two sets, at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

The marathons take place this Sunday, January 17; but, everyone can get into the spirit of the race ahead of time by attending the Health and Fitness Expo on January 15-16 at the Phoenix Convention Center. More than 130 exhibitors will be on hand with athletic clothing and gear, official race merchandise, souvenirs and food. There’s even tourism information for visitors who are not familiar with our area in booths hosted by the Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe.

The P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon & ½ Marathon is just plain fun. When so many people are suffering through a brutally harsh winter, it’s great to be in this part of the world soaking up the sun and enjoying this fantastic frenzy of runners, fans and bands. Will you be there as a spectator, or as a participant in the race?

For more information on Tempe events, visit www.ExploreTempe.com and http://www.tempescene.com/.

August: Osage County, the superb play by Tracy Letts opened Tuesday night at ASU Gammage and I’m happy to report that I was surprised at how funny it was.  It was hilarious from the moment we were introduced to the intelligent, literate, damaged Westin family and became intimately acquainted with all their weaknesses and strengths.  Members of the dysfunctional family come back their Oklahoma home when Beverly, the alcoholic patriarch, mysteriously disappears. 

From the start, it’s apparent that this family has major issues, starting with the disappearing dad, and moving right along to Violet, the mother who is addicted to practically every prescription drug on the market and her three middle-aged daughters, each in possession of enough emotional baggage to fill the cargo hold of a 747. There is also Violet’s shrewish sister, Mattie Fae and her sweet and simple son, Little Charles who is having an affair with his cousin, the middle sister Ivy; the pot-smoking 14 year-old daughter of the oldest sister, Barbara and her estranged husband George; Steven, the sleazy fiancé of youngest daughter Karen; Charlie, the long suffering husband of Mattie Fae; Johanna, the stoic housekeeper; and the steady and stalwart Sheriff Dean Gilbeau.

All if this could be totally sad and serious. It’s not. It is seriously funny and sufficiently shocking with just enough family tragedy, divisiveness and daggers (metaphorical) to satisfy William Shakespeare. The show stars Estelle Parsons, an amazing force as Violet, who never shrinks from an opportunity to start a good fight with a family member and anyone else in her path.  The rest of the cast is equally remarkable, completely believable, convincing and real. 

I can’t say enough about August: OsageCounty and luckily you have from now through Sunday, January 10 to see for yourself. For tickets visit www.asugammage.com.

The P.F. Chang’s Rock n’ Roll Arizona Marathon & 1/2 Marathon takes place on the morning of January 17, just under two weeks away! That means just two weeks left of training until the big day! This will be my first time running the 1/2 marathon - 13.1 miles. Maybe someday I will try the full 26.2 mile marathon, but it may be only in my dreams!

Marathon runners begin their race at 7:40 a.m., while 1/2 marathon runners like myself start at 8:30 a.m. The excitement starts early for runners while they enjoy coffee, fruit and more at the Start Line Village before the race. Once the race begins, so does the non-stop entertainment! A variety of different bands line the course to keep the energy going. This race is not just fun for the runners, but also for the many spectators that come to watch their family members and friends compete.

Once the race is over, the runners and spectators can keep the fun going at the post-race headliner concert featuring Everclear! I will be excited for the final concert since at that point I will know that I have made it, and completed the 1/2 marathon! This year’s headliner concert will begin at 11:30 a.m. in Sun Angel Stadium, immediately following the race. The concert is free and open to the public so make sure to invite your friends!

If you plan to have friends or family meet you at the finish line make sure to check out the road closure information for race day too. It can be tricky getting around that day!

I’m super excited about my first 1/2 marathon – hopefully I make it to the finish line either running or walking – not crawling! Is anyone else running the marathon or 1/2 marathon? If so, I’d love to hear any tips you have for a first-timer!

One of my favorite holiday season events is almost here. It’s the 15^th annual New Year’s Day book sale at Changing Hands Bookstore. Much more than just a book sale, it’s an event that is eagerly anticipated by book lovers and fans of Changing Hands who wouldn’t dream of missing it, regardless of how much they celebrated New Year’s Eve. The store will be open from noon until 9:00 pm on January 1^st to accommodate every last one of them.

True, with everything in the store—books, gift items, music, cards—discounted 25%, this is a big sale. However, there are also a lot of delicious free treats provided by area restaurants, including Wildflower Bread Company, Trader Joe’s and Mac’s Broiler Tap. There are intangible qualities too, such as the camaraderie among all those readers who love to browse bookstore shelves for great reads and who love to talk about what they’ve read. Readers tend to be nice, sociable people who love to strike-up conversations about favorite books and authors, while waiting in the check out line. I have to admit that the first time I went I was a bit reluctant to stay because the check-out line was so long. But, really the line isn’t a big deal because it moves quickly thanks to all the lively discussions about books along with plenty of tasty nibbles offered by the considerate and efficient staff. And, singles take note: the book sales lines can lead to romance as was the case for one couple, who met in the check out line, fell in love and were married a year later.

Changing Hands Bookstore has been an important part of Tempe’s literary arts scene since 1974. Beyond the book sale, there is a hefty schedule of first class literary activities for adults and kids every month, including author events and book signings, workshops on writing and publishing, poetry readings and book clubs. There are also monthly sessions devoted to tarot and readings, conversational Spanish and French and sign language.

For old friends of Changing Hands, the annual book sale is an essential holiday tradition not to be missed. For first-timers, it’s a wonderful way to become acquainted with this gem of an independent bookseller. For everyone, it’s a chance to stock up on great books (both new and gently used) and to meet new friends who have at least two things in common: a passion for books and an appreciation of outstanding bookstores like Changing Hands. I’ll be there for sure. Will you?