Tempe Conventions & Visitors Bureau

Looking for something to do on Monday nights? If you like jazz and live music, then Dave’s Electric Brew Pub in Tempe is a must! Jam’n Jazz Productions  is presenting a new Jazz Series at Dave’s Electric Brewpub every Monday Night at 8 p.m. In addition to the great entertainment, you can also enjoy $5 glasses of wine and the tasty dishes served at this popular brew pub. Upcoming shows include:

AUG 9        STU SIEFER GROUP WITH SIMON AMES & SANTO MAGLIO
AUG 16      JEFF LIBMAN TRIO

For more information, please visit http://www.jamnjazzproductions.com/ or www.daveselectricbrewpub.com.

Yes, it’s hot out. So, the best time to enjoy the weather in Arizona during the summer is at night! The sun goes down and the people come out! So, what is there to do at night in Tempe? Head to Tempe Marketplace where live music can be heard every weekend!

Tempe Marketplace has an amazing offering of live music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. It can be counted on for a great night out at an affordable price – free! All types of music can be heard – rock, acoustic guitar, alternative, classic, country, contemporary and more!

Choose from two types of music at two different stages every weekend. Live performances take place at the District Stage and also at the fountain in front of Barnes & Noble. Enjoy music from both ends of the main shopping district, so no matter where you are while shopping you can hear the sweet sound of live music!

Tempe Marketplace also offers an amazing selection of restaurants too. A few of my favorites are Lucille’s BBQ, Maria Maria, D’Arcy McGees and California Pizza Kitchen. Delicious food and great music…makes for a perfect night out in Tempe!

For a full schedule of live music performances and a list of dining options visit www.tempemarketplace.com!

It’s no surprise to me that salsa is the #1 condiment in the U.S. If you want to celebrate your love for salsa, don’t miss the My Nana’s Best Tasting Salsa Challenge, happening tomorrow at Tempe Beach Park.

From 11 am to 6 pm on April 24, you can sample the best salsas from 75 amateur and professional chefs. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite — the winning chef gets bragging rights and a fabulous grand prize trip. There will also be a margarita mix-off where 20 bartenders will compete to make the best margarita. There’s a kid zone just for the little ones, a Macayo’s food court (yummo!) and live entertainment by fun local bands like the Chadwicks.

Tickets are just $10 and all proceeds benefit Arizona children affected by bleeding disorders via the Arizona Hemophilia Association. For more info, visit www.salsachallenge.com.

See you there!!

The Yucca Tap Room recently expanded! A friend and I were trying to find a good laid back place to enjoy some music on a week night and noticed as we pulled up to the Yucca Tap Room there was an additional connected bar next door. Inside the main entrance, a DJ was on stage playing music with an artist working to the right of him. It was really neat to see how they both worked together simultaneously on stage; it was almost as if the painter was following his strokes with the music.

The new bar next to it is fully furnished with pool tables, music, and great drinks for everyone to enjoy! They have the whole back wall covered with a huge variety of bottled beers from all around the world as well as over eight draft beers (some of them including beers from our local Four Peaks Brewery in Tempe) to choose from. They had some really good unique tasting beers for a decent price, but don’t forget to bring cash because they do not accept debit/credit cards (There is an ATM is available). This dive bar is a nice place to come to; as soon as I walked into the Yucca Tap Room there was a great sense of atmosphere. Everyone was friendly, enjoying themselves and really excited about the new addition. Come check out the Yucca Tap Room and enjoy great live music any night of the week!

The following link has a list of their calendar of events: http://www.yuccatap.com/live.html

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

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.

Is there anything finer than experiencing the first truly balmy October twilight that finally comes on the heels of so many sweltering summer nights? It happened to me last Thursday when a bunch of us met after work at the first Spiked event of the season at the Desert Botanical Garden.   The cool temps enjoyed in the gorgeous surroundings of the Desert Botanical Gardens would have been plenty for me.   But, my ticket to Spiked included delicious hors d’oeuvres and great live music, a blend of rock, jazz and funk.   The cash bar offered a nice variety of beverages including a tasty specialty cocktail inspired by the flavors of autumn.  I’m looking forward to more of these magical Thursday evenings, which will be repeated every Thursday through November 5.   

Have you checked out all the action on Thursday evenings in the Mill Avenue District?  First off, there’s Music on Mill every Thursday night from 5-9 p.m. with street musicians all along Mill Avenue.  Then there are all the MADCAP Theater events such as MAD Jazz Night and the Midnight Movie Mamacita selection of B movies that are pretty bad, but  good fun.  And starting on September 3, Mill Avenue will host “Market on Mill,” the first sustainable, carbon neutral farmer’s market in Arizona. It will be bring together an eclectic mix of local growers, area businesses, artisans, restaurants and chefs and local musicians.  The Market on Mill will take place every Thursday evening from 5-9 p.m. in the Plaza outside the MADCAP theaters.  There will also be sustainable living classes inside the theater.  Yep, Mill Avenue is all abuzz with activity on Thursday evenings.  It’s a great way to wind down the week and transition into the weekend.

Here’s a great opportunity. Emmy and Golden Globe nominated comedian David Spade will be making a special appearance at Tempe Center for the Arts on Saturday, September 12, 8:00 PM, as part of the Friends of the TCA Annual Gala.  The performance has been opened to the public for those who would like to see Spade, but may not go to the gala. Reserved seats in this intimate setting are available for $100 and the proceeds will benefit the Friends of the TCA in their effort to support programs at the Center for the Arts. It’s a great opportunity.  Seats are available at the TCA box office.  More information at www.tempe.gov/TCA.

Enjoy live music and entertainment at MADCAP Theaters, located on Mill Avenue! MADCAP Theaters are the newest entertainment venue on Mill Avenue and provide an affordable way to have fun! It makes for the perfect evening out – grab a delicious dinner on Mill Avenue and then head over to MADCAP to continue the fun! Right now MADCAP is offering their Summer Series with great entertainment happening every weekend. Check the calendar to see what bands/acts will be playing.

Tickets are between $6 and $8 and can be purchased in advance online or at the door. Doors open at 7:00 PM!