Tempe Conventions & Visitors Bureau

There’s nothing better than enjoying a cold delicious beverage on a hot summer day! Of course, there are loads of refreshing beverages out there to cool you down, but here is a list of my favorites in Tempe that really standout. They all make me feel like summer is really here!

1. Raspberry Iced Tea at House of Tricks – This drink is out of this world. Fresh whole raspberries are loaded into unsweetened iced tea. It’s the best while enjoying a light lunch at Tricks, and it doubles as your dessert!

2. Arizona Peach Beer at Four Peaks Brewery – This beer tastes of sweet summer with just a hint of peaches. It is my favorite beer at Four Peaks, although truly, every beer at Four Peaks is a tasty way to cool you down this summer.

3. Blanco Sangria at La Bocca Pizzeria - This white sangria is the perfect blend of a summer wine. Light in flavor and a perfect mix of fresh fruit, it goes perfectly with a delicious salad or pizza dish.

4. Smoothie at Mojo Yogurt - Getting frozen yogurt at Mojo’s is one of my favorite afternoon treats. I have just recently discovered their yummy smoothies – they are light and creamy, and the best part of all is that you can pack as much fruit in your smoothie as you wish!

5. Granita at Gold Bar Espresso - This mouth-watering frozen blend of espresso, milk, and sugar will cool you down and help to beat the heat. And it will keep your energy going all day long! My favorite way to enjoy this drink is to add a shot of vanilla!

These are my absolute favorite summer beverages – what are yours?

Tempe really knows how to celebrate the 4^th of July.  Anyone who has been to past events or just happens to be traveling on hwy 202 through Tempe knows what a show-stopper the Tempe fireworks extravaganza is. The Kiwanis Club of Tempe has been putting on July 4th  pyrotechnic spectaculars for 58 years and this year will make it the 59^th.

 The City of Tempe will get things going with a bunch of fun activities for the entire family starting at 4:00 p.m. Local bands will perform on the Hot Summer Nights Stage and the Fantastic Family Fest will feature a free inflatable village (try saying that five times fast), rides and a rock climbing wall. Kids and parents can cool down with a little water fun and games at the azcentral.com Splash Playground located at Tempe Beach Park.

Food is always a key component and there will be plenty of July 4^th favorites like burgers, hot dogs, BBQ, roasted corn, fry bread, Mexican food, snow cones and ice cream.

All of this preliminary activity sets the stage for the final event, the rousing, awe-inspiring fireworks show set to patriotic and classical music that will light up the skys over the historic Mill Avenue Bridge and Tempe Town Lake from 9:10 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.

Those who enjoy viewing the fireworks from outside will want to arrive with blankets and chairs in hand, in plenty of time to find a prime spot on the lawn at Tempe Beach Park. Let’s face it, being outside in Tempe in July is not for everyone. For those who prefer their air-conditioned comfort, Friends of TCA will host July 4^th Celebration at the Tempe Center for the Arts complete with hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, dessert, no host bar and amazing views of the fireworks from the rooftop terrace or inside the 201 Lounge. Reservations for this event must be made by June 29. 

Tickets may be purchased in advance at City of Tempe outlets and Fry’s stores throughout the Valley and at the gate on the day of the show.  For event details, ticket prices and ticket outlets, visit www.tempe4th.com.  For information on the Friends of TCA July 4^th Celebration at the Tempe Center for the Arts, visit www.tempe.gov/tca.

There is no doubt - when Jimmy John refers to his subs as the “World’s Greatest Gourmet Sandwiches,” he is only partially telling you the truth…I say partially because although the taste will fool you into gourmet, Jimmy John himself will tell you otherwise:

“Ok so my subs really aren’t gourmet and were not French either. My subs just taste a little better, that’s all! I wanted to call it Jimmy John’s Tasty Sandwiches, but my mom told me to stick to gourmet. She thinks whatever I do is gourmet, but I don’t think either of us knows what that means. So let’s stick to tasty!”

One thing I do know, Jimmy John is not fooling you with is the word Tasty. What really tops this sandwich off as the best is the bread which is baked in-house everyday and served fresh. Ironic that he mentioned they weren’t French because this fresh bread with a crunchy outer shell and chewy warm center will make you certain it came straight from a little European bakery, and have you craving to come back for more.

As Jimmy says, the best part of Jimmy John’s is that it’s the real deal. This family started business from Illinois serves all fresh ingredients, has good hearted customer service, and its prices are decent! They will also deliver you any sandwich you order.

There are four Jimmy John’s locations in Tempe, one of which just recently opened in Downtown Tempe on the corner of Mill Avenue and 6th street:

Address: 680 S. Mill Ave. Ste 102, Tempe, AZ 85281
Phone: 480-449-3100
Hours: Sun-Thur 10:30am-3am; Fri-Sat 10:30am-4am

For more info and menu options visit Jimmy John’s website.

I watched the Tony Awards last night and got all charged about attending the opening night of In the Heights at ASU Gammage on June 15, which won several Tonys in 2008. I’m a little sad because it will mark the end of the 2009-2010 Broadway show season.  On the other hand, how could I be anything but excited and happy at the prospect of seeing this great show that won four Tony awards for best musical, score, choreography and orchestrations?

This will be my first experience with the show, so I checked the website for some background.  According to the In the Heights website,  “In the Heights tells the universal story of a vibrant community in Manhattan’s Washington Heights – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the   breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the  biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind”.

My kind of story and with a young cast, a score that includes hip-hop, salsa, merengue and soul music with lots of singing and dancing, In the Heights will be a rousing, high-energy grand finale to what has been a terrific season of ASU Gammage Broadway shows.

In the Heights runs through June 20  when the ASU Gammage curtain goes down until the next exciting season which opens with Young Frankenstein on September 27.   It’s definitely something to look forward to.  For tickets and showtimes visit www.asugammage.com.

I would love to hear what your favorite ASU Gammage shows you saw this season and which were your favorites.

Living in Tempe has so many advantages, especially if you’re a child. Why? Because of Childsplay, of course. Childsplay is Arizona’s professional theater company for young audiences. Their amazing productions can be seen at Tempe Center for the Arts throughout the year. This Tempe treasure is sharing the wealth with a tour in the Netherlands. As we speak, two of Childsplay’s actors are in Holland, preparing to wow the youngsters there with their show ”Rock Paper Scissors.”

It’s such a small world, isn’t it? We’re happy to share Childsplay with the world, but we’re oh so lucky that they call Tempe home!

The next local production by Childsplay is “A Year With Frog and Toad.” Their adaptation of this classic tale premieres on September 12 and opens on September 18, 2010 at the Tempe Center for the Arts. For more info, please visit www.childsplayaz.org.

Tempe’s newest hotel is now the greenest. The Aloft Tempe has just been awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). 

Aloft Tempe joins a growing list of eco-conscious, LEED-certified buildings in Tempe, including the Downtown Tempe Transit Center, Arizona State University’s Memorial Student Union Center and Papago Gateway Center.

Starwood Hotels and especially the Aloft brand strive to have less of a negative impact on the environment.  The hotel’s loft-inspired guest rooms have packaging-free dispensers for shower productsto reduce plastic waste. The heating and cooling systems operate only in rooms that are reserved and occupied to help eliminate excess energy consumption.

Ecologically-minded features continue into the hotel’s communal spaces with natural daylight in 75 percent of public areas to reduce electricity use. The hotel’s re:freshSM housekeeping service utilizes eco-friendly cleaning products and laundry detergent, while offering guests the option to re-use sheets and towels to reduce energy and water usage. Outside, Aloft Tempe’s landscaping features only native Arizona plants that allow for water efficiency.

If you haven’t been to an Aloft hotel yet, you must go. The Aloft brand offers an urban-influenced, modern, open and vibrant design, high tech amenities and a social guest experience with its dynamic re:mix lounge and destination w xyz bar. And the best part? All of this style comes at an affordable price. It’s a perfect fit for a college town like Tempe.

For more information about the Aloft Tempe, go to http://www.alofttempe.com/.