Need Help? Call an Ambassador at (602) 495-1500, or text ASK to 25866.

Archive for the ‘Sports’ Category

Weekend Forecast: Mostly Sunny With a Chance for Awesome

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

As I write this post it’s 52 degrees.

52!

That’s a New England basement, not Downtown Phoenix.

Worry not, fellow Downtowners. If you believe our local weather prognosticators, the generally poopy weather that has plagued us this week will soon be moving out  to make way for the glorious sunshine and highs in the mid-70s we’re accustomed to.

Which is fortunate, because Downtown is blessed with a treasure trove of fun things to do this weekend.

THURSDAY

chelsea-handlerComic, late-night talk show host, author, vodka lover and self-appointed floozy Chelsea Handler skewers celebrities, friends and family alike in a show at Dodge Theatre.

Since we’re talking about weather, Class 6 Theatre presents It’s Always Sunny In Phoenix, three short plays by award-winning playwright David Ives, who has been making people laugh for 15 years.

FRIDAY

Kobe Bryant and the detestable Lakers bring Showtime to the Valley for a tussle with Steve Nash, Grant Hill, and that Stoudemire fella Suns fans should be thankful the team didn’t trade away for 50 cents on the dollar.  

Actors Theatre Company presents Secret Order, a bio-medical psychological thriller about an upstart scientist on the verge of curing cancer. Intrigued? Read Downtown Blogger Liz Fichera’s review here.

SATURDAY

fitness_pr_bootcamp_fitnessNeed to get in shape? People of all fitness levels can head to Civic Space Park for Personal PowerTraining Boot Camp with trainer Scott White at 6:30 a.m. or 7:30 a.m. Boot Camp classes are $10 a person, with multi-class packages available. If you’d rather not go the Biggest Loser route, check out the FREE Community Yoga Project that happens at 10 a.m. every week. Just bring a yoga mat or towel.

Want a part-time job working for the 2010 Census? Representatives will be recruiting workers at the Phoenix Public Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. While you’re there, grab a Caramel Addiction brownie from Sherrye’s Kitchen.

The finest amateur pugilists in Arizona will be on display at Alice Cooper’stown for Independent Events’ Olympic Style Boxing at 2 p.m.

SUNDAY

Rained out last weekend, the Wheels of Britain car show has been rescheduled for Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Heritage & Science Park.

Adam awakes one morning to find himself alone and locked in a strange, sterile room with four beds.  One by one, three more people join him – but nobody knows why they are there. Want to know more? Go see Indivisible at the Herberger at 2 p.m.

There’s no better place to wind down a weekend than at District American Kitchen, where on Sundays bottles of red and white wines are half-priced.

Breaking Out In a Cactus League Sweat

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

I’ve got a fever. And the only prescription is more baseball.

Football is over, March Madness is still weeks away, and the NBA season has been about as exciting as watching your mother shop for window treatments.

Fear not, sports rubes and suntan seekers, there’s a light at the end of that tunnel.

The 2010 Cactus League season.

gradyI can almost smell that seductive fragrance that is one part SPF-50, one part Polish sausage, and four parts beer. I want to fall asleep in the outfield at Peoria Sports Complex, perform advanced scouting for my numerous fantasy baseball teams, ask Reds’ first baseman Joey Votto to sign my son’s baseball even though I’m completely childless, and I want to befriend Dodgers fans only to give them horrible directions back to their hotel.

It’s a glorious time of the year, when the sun shines bright every day and 30 teams have a shot at the World Series.

2010 might be your last chance to see the Cubs play at HoHoKam Stadium in Mesa. Mayor Scott Smith is currently embroiled in a tug-of-war with Naples, Fla., to secure the team’s Spring Training address and all the economic windfalls that come with it. This will also be the last season you can road-trip to Tucson to watch the Diamondbacks and Rockies play at Tucson Electric Park; those teams move into swanky new Scottsdale digs in 2011.

The Cactus League now boasts 15 teams and is no longer the pesky younger sibling to Florida’s Grapefruit League. And with aggressive expansion has come some awe-inspiring new facilities, including Camelback Ranch, home to the Dodgers and White Sox, Surprise Stadium, home to the Rangers and Royals, and Goodyear Ballpark, home to Ohio’s Indians and Reds. Combine those megaplexes with the traditional, more quaint venues like the Giants’ Scottsdale Stadium, Athletics’ Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Brewers’ Maryvale Baseball Park and Angels’ Tempe Diablo Stadium, and the Cactus League offers baseball fans everything they could possibly want–most of it located 40 minutes or less away from Downtown. 

Pitchers and catchers have already reported and games begin the first week in March so you best make ticket arrangement pronto.  

And make sure to load up on sunscreen.

Super Sunday (and Saturday) Downtown

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

You don’t have to be a fan of the Colts or the Saints to get geeked for Super Bowl Weekend. Whether you’re the hardest of hardcore football fan who watches all 43 hours of pregame coverage, or simply someone who favors party dips and expensive commercials featuring primates, the Super Bowl is a global event that blurs the lines between football and holiday.

sbxlivWhile it won’t be quite as busy as Miami’s South Beach, site of Super Bowl XLIV (or, 44 for the layperson), Downtown Phoenix is offering its own super mix of activities this weekend.

SATURDAY

Saturday Market at Phoenix Public Market

From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., enjoy cool temps and beautiful Arizona sunshine while experiencing the best in local produce, cheese, jewelry, fish, breads, sweets, salsas and sauces. Grab a coffee from Royal at the Market, enjoy the music of Ron Bowen, and get your hands on some special Valentine’s Day offerings from the vast array of Arizona vendors.

yoga2Community Yoga Project at Civic Space Park

This is the perfect gathering for first-timers or those who want to practice yoga outdoors in front of a truly urban backdrop. It starts at 10 a.m. and is totally free.

Heritage & Science Park

At 10 a.m., you can see some of the Valley’s most beautifully restored antique and classic autos at Motoring Thru Time. The event is free, and after you’re done coveting the shiny cars, you can head over to Rosson House at noon for Hertage Craft Saturdays, a free historical crafts program for the whole family.

Herberger Theater

If you prefer the stage over turf, the Herberger Theater is putting on multiple performance of Valley Youth Theatre’s “13″ The Musical and Actors Theatre’s Shipwrecked! all weekend long. For more on ”13,” watch VYT’s Web series

Sonoma Casual Dining

Want to combine dinner and a show? Head over to Sonoma Casual Dining for its crowd-pleasing Mystery Mansion Dinner Theater, with two shows (including a three-course meal) every Friday and Saturday.

iglesiasDodge Theatre

Comedian Gabriel Iglesias brings his Fluffy Shop Tour to the Dodge for a 8 p.m. performance. If you haven’t seen Iglesias on ”Last Comic Standing” or on one of his many specials on Comedy Central, you’re missing out on one of the most gifted young storytellers on the comedy circuit.

SUNDAY

Need a place to watch the Big Game? Downtown Phoenix has you covered.

Coach & Willie’s

cwlogo_blkThe 9th Annual Super Bowl Bash features a complimentary buffet during the game and unbeatable drink specials, not to mention a football crazy crowd.

Hooters

Nothing goes better with football than chicken wings and beer and Hooters is offering Big Daddy Budweisers for $4 and Big Daddy Sam Adams for $5. Plus, at halftime, Hooters will give away a 40-inch HDTV!

Majerle’s

Majerle’s will be giving away hats, T-shirts and gift cards throughout the game, plus offering 1/2-off well drinks, drafts, wine and margaritas on the rocks. Get your grub on with $5 boneless wings and $7 gorilla wings and celebrate touchdowns with special Super Bowl Bombers for both the Saints and Colts.

Friday’s Front Row

Friday’s will be offering $3 and $4 drink specials and $4 appetizers from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Pizzeria Uno

Drink and food specials starting at $2.99, plus 1/2 domestics and house wine.

Irwin, Fairbanks Among DREAMR Winners

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

The 16th Annual DREAMR Awards were held Monday afternoon at the Phoenix Convention Center, where R. Neil Irwin received the Visionary Award, the highest honor given.

DREAMR with dateDREAMR stands for Downtown Revitalization Effort Awards of Merit and Recognition and honors the individuals, projects and organizations that dare to dream and work to make those dreams come true. Thanks to DREAMRs, urban blight and decline have been replaced with new centers of retail and commerce, urban residential opportunities, and an active arts and entertainment community. Because these DREAMRs followed their dreams, crowds of people are returning to a renewed and invigorated Downtown Phoenix.

Irwin, a partner at Brian Cave LLP, was the only Chairman the Downtown Phoenix Partnership had known during the organization’s first 20 years of operation prior to stepping down earlier this year. He played a key role in both the revitalization of Downtown and the development of the Partnership. In 2009, Irwin was named one of The Business Journal’s 25-Most Admired Top Level Executives.

Also receiving DREAMR Awards were: Tom’s Tavern owner Mike Ratner (Private Sector Individual); Don Keuth (Public Sector / Non-Profit Individual); Phoenix Mercury (Organization); Freeport McMoRan Center (Project); and former Phoenix City Manager Frank Fairbanks (”Unsung Hero”).

In addition to awarding the DREAMRs, the event also spotlighted Best of Downtown winners and featured two captivating keynote speakers, Local First Arizona Executive Director Kimber Lanning and Alliance for Audience Executive Director Matt Lehrman. Both offered up simple ways everyone can help raise the profile of Downtown and grow local business. You can watch Lehrman’s speech here and here, and you can watch Lanning’s speech here and here.

An Entire Community at One Address

Friday, January 29th, 2010

I get it. Not everyone is married to technology.

So you don’t Facebook from your Palm or Uber-Tweet from your BlackBerry. You may not even know the difference between an iPhone, an iPad and an iCarly.

It’s OK. Even if you refer to your mobile device as a “cell phone” (gasp!), only order ”apps” at Friday’s Front Row, or own a home PC running on Windows ‘95, here are five simple ways you can join our online community at downtownphoenix.com:

Text Alerts and “ASK” an Ambassador

From traffic updates to lunch specials, the latest and greatest Downtown information can be had via  text alerts from downtownphoenix.com. For instance, if you were signed up to receive Sports or Deal texts, this week you would have known that the Suns were selling upper-level seats to Tuesday’s game against Charlotte for $10 and that 20 percent of Wednesday’s sales at Baja Fresh went directly to Helping Hands for Haiti. Also, whenever you have a question you can text “ASK” to 25866 and one of our helpful Ambassadors will quickly supply you with the right answer. Trust me when I tell you that the peeps running around in the orange shirts are wicked smart when it comes to everything Downtown Phoenix.

mobile phoneDining Guide

If you work Downtown, no doubt you are faced with a handful of lunch quandaries a month: Where should we go for lunch today? Where should we take this client? What are you hungry for? How much do you want to spend? What’s close to your office? Between our Directory, our =Picks, Coupons & Deals, and Pick a Place feature, we’ve got every possible dining dilemma covered. 

What’s Happening

You can download our handy What’s Happening Weekly  guide–which details every concert, museum exhibit, play, happy hour, DJ appearance, sporting event and community gathering going on in Downtown–each and every Monday morning.

Weekly Insider

If you don’t visit the Downtown Blog on a regular basis (shame on you, by the way),  you can receive blog highlights every Thursday by subscribing to our Weekly Insider e-newsletter. When you become a subscriber at downtownphoenix.com, we’ll ask which subjects are of the greatest interest to you–Deals, Arts & Culture, Sports, Music, Dining, Nightlife, etc.–and custom-tailor your Weekly Insider to reflect those preferences. Pretty slick, right? And if you happen to be an aspiring Downtown Blogger, there’s even an application to join our editorial army. 

Social Networking

Downtown Phoenix has jumped into the social networking pool with both feet and now you can be a part of our online community through Twitter and Facebook. Are you an ace photographer? If so, we’re always seeking new members for our Flickr group. 

So as you can see, you needn’t fully embrace technology to join the online community at downtownphoenix.com. A fist-pump will do just fine. Or maybe a bro-hug.

Chance of Rain but No Chance of Boredom

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

I’ve  had a great time splashing though the puddles over the last week. I find the rain fun, but what I really enjoy is being in a community where the rain can’t stop me from doing the things I love. One of the main reasons for my move to Downtown Phoenix 10 years ago was the easy access to my favorite social and entertainment interests. My first night in my new apartment I looked over my balcony railing and read, “MOBY, TONIGHT” on the marquee of the Web Theater. At that very moment I knew I had made the right decision. If my friends thought I was crazy, well they could go right ahead a think that because I will be in Downtown Phoenix at a MOBY concert. 

Alabama Symphony Led Zeppelin #4.jpgDowntown Phoenix has so many different ways to entertain yourself and satisfies so many different interests, that at this moment I couldn’t imagine myself living anywhere else in the Valley. I would not be able to experience the crowds of the World Series or the annual Mexico vs. (fill in blank) soccer game from my patio.

The Orpheum Theater is one of the most beautiful historic theaters in the country, with the original Wurlitzer Organ still intact and in use, and host to a wide variety of performances like Defending  the Caveman or Riverdance and other Broadway performances. Not to mention all the local artists who perform there because it is so accessible and affordable. The Dodge Theater brings in countless great acts like Alicia Keys, Kathy Griffin and The Blue Collar Tour. Alice in Chains and  the Pink Floyd Laser Light Spectacular play in February and this week I can enjoy the music of Queen and Led Zeppelin with a rock band and full orchestra.  Moreover, I can walk there! 

monsterjamThe Herberger Theater and Symphony Hall are home to many of my favorite theater companies. The Arizona Opera who performs La Boheme’ this week, Ballet Arizona with Sleeping Beauty coming up in a few weeks, Arizona Theater Co. who just brought in Ain’t Misbehaven’ and will bring in Second City at the end of the season. How about Actors Theater, who brings in great comedy like Triple Esspresso and Pulitzer Prize winning shows like Shipwrecked, which plays through the end of this week.

I am not super huge on sports, but being in the middle of a high energy crowd at the Suns games or our two-time world champions, the Mercury, can give you a great feeling of intensity that I love. Supercross and, this weekend, Monster Truck Jam, are seen every year at Chase Field, and the Diamondbacks bring in millions during the summer, giving you a year-round experience.

 There are so many great things to do that it isn’t humanly possible to attend everything. But I challenge anyone to try, for even if you fail you win.

Suns 7 Day Planner

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

Turns out the New Jersey Nets were just what the doctor ordered for our Phoenix Suns (25-18, 2nd in the Pacific Division). The Suns flattened the Nets 118-94 on the strength of 27 points from A’mare Stoudemire and 15 assists from Steve Nash. The Suns look to get back to their winning ways this week, with three of four games in the comfy confines of US Airways Center.

RoseFriday vs. Chicago

The Baby Bulls (18-22, 2nd in the Central Division) are better than their record might indicate but they have struggled mightily on the road (4-16), including a loss Wednesday at the Clippers. Believe it or not, Chicago is the currently the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, showing just how watered down the East really is. Second-year point guard Derrick Rose leads the Bulls, averaging 19 points and 6 assists per game. Player to watch: Suns’ center Robin Lopez, who upon being inserted into the starting lineup promptly scored 20 points in the win over the Nets.

Saturday vs. Golden State

It’s always fun when the Warriors (12-27, 5th in the Pacific Division) and Suns hook up, unless of course you’re a fan of good defense. Player to watch: Warriors’ guard Monta Ellis, who scored 39 points in an overtime loss to the Nuggets on Wednesday.

Monday at Utah

Salt Lake City is a tough place to play for any team, much less one that struggles on the road as much as the Suns do. Worse news for the Suns is that the Jazz (24-18, 4th in the Northwest Division) have really begun to hit their stride as of late, including a huge road win at San Antonio on Wednesday. Players to watch: Just like John Stockton and Karl Malone in the 80s and 90s, the high-low game between Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer fuels the Jazz attack. Williams and Boozer average 19 points per contest each.

Tuesday vs. Charlotte

The Bobcats (21-19, 3rd in the Southeast Division) are breathing rarified air, playing above-.500 ball and challenging for its first playoff berth in franchise history. Player to watch: Gerald Wallace is as dynamic a swingman as you’ll find in the NBA, averaging 18.6 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.69 steals and 1.23 blocks per game.

For Downtown Pioneers, This Weekend Tops All Others

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

I love my city. I’ve called Downtown home for 10 years. I’ve seen my share of successes and failures down here. (Monroe’s will always hold a special place in my heart.) When I first joined the Downtown Pioneers, the energy Downtown was like a few sparkling grains of sand. You found a grain at the Web Theater, you picked up another grain or two over at the Bentley Projects or Lodo, and on the right night a golden handful at Modified Arts. If you weren’t careful or if the wrong person breathed on it, the sand would blow away, leaving nothing to show for your dedication and no way to prove to  the naysayers that what you found was unique and worth nurturing.

supercrossWell, my fellow Downtown Pioneers, we have our victory at long last! The community we’ve cared for and lovingly nurtured with scraped and bleeding hands has finally come to life. Its energy is palpable, heavy in your hand. You can breathe it in like fresh herbs or your favorite corner restaurant. And we can laugh in the faces of the naysayers as they now scramble for a plot in our beautiful urban garden.

If you would like to experience what I have just described then I say, “No more excuses!” You will not find a better example of what Downtown has become than this weekend, which just so happens to be my favorite weekend of the entire year. Want to know why? Here’s the rundown: The P.F. Chang’s Rock N’ Roll Marathon will bring at least 40,000 bodies Downtown. AMA Supercross will bring another 50,000 inside Chase Field, and another 10,o00 taking part in the FanFest all day Saturday before the racing begins. The Herberger is playing host to one of the best musicals ever written, Ain’t Misbehavin’, and will surely bring another few thousand people Downtown for the last shows of the musical’s wildly successful run. Kathy Griffin is in town at Dodge (5,000 people there), Master Peter’s Puppet Show’s Don Quixote will pack 2,400 into Symphony Hall, Disney On Ice has four shows scheduled at US Airways Center with 9,000 attending each one, and the World Music Festival is bringing two acts and 2,400 people to the Orpheum Theater.  

That doesn’t include the great family activites at Arizona Science Center, the Saturday market at Phoenix Public Market, Third Fridays Concert at Civic Space Park, or any of the restaurants and bars that will be spilling over with people.

So… remember that Downtown energy I mentioned earlier?

Suns 7 Day Planner

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

Coming off back-to-back hard-fought wins over the Kings and Rockets, the Suns (23-13, 2nd in the Pacific Division) begin an Eastern Conference-heavy stretch in their schedule, including a pair of home games against two of the league’s most dynamic guards.

dwayne_wade_miami_heatFriday vs Miami

The Heat (17-16, 3rd in the Atlantic Division) have been up and down this season with many of their losses coming in heartbreaking fashion, including Wednesday’s overtime loss to the Celtics, in which Boston’s Rajon Rondo scored on an alley-oop buzzer-beating layup to force the game into an extra session. Dwayne Wade once again sits near the top of the Association in scoring and is coming off a 44-point effort against the Celtics. Player to watch: Former Suns three-point machine Quentin Richardson, who after bouncing around to four different teams in a calendar year has settled in quite nicely with Miami.

Monday vs Milwaukee

The Bucks (14-18) are often overshadowed in ‘Sconsin by the Green Bay Packers (go Cards!) but rookie point guard and almost-UofA Wildcat Brandon Jennings has breathed new life into a franchise that hasn’t enjoyed much success since Ray Allen, Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson and Sam Cassell led Milwaukee to the playoffs in the early Aughts. Jennings has started all 32 games for the Bucks and leads the team with 19 points and 5.9 assists per game. Player to watch: 7-foot Australian center Andrew Bogut is a matchup nightmare for the Suns.

Wednesday at Indiana

The Pacers (11-23, 5th in the Central Division) are in the running for the top pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, due in large part to key injuries, including All-Star forward Danny Granger, swingman Mike Dunleavy Jr., and top ‘09 draft choice Tyler Hansbrough. This is the first meeting of the year between the two teams, which split last year’s series with each team winning on the other’s home court. Player to watch: A’mare Stoudemire, who scored 49 points in a 113-103 Suns win on Nov. 5, 2008.

Dishing Up Decadent Desserts Downtown

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

Whoever said, “Life is short, eat dessert first,” deserves a big slice of caramel cheesecake. So before those New Year’s Resolutions kick in, sample some of Downtown’s best desserts.

Cupcakes

I know, you’re way ahead of me, but I have to mention the cupcakes at Tammie Coe Bakery. Get the coconut, which has the most heavenly, cream cheese-y frosting with just a hint of tartness to keep it from being too sweet.

Deep-Fried Ice Cream

The Matador’s version of this local favorite begins with a scoop of ice cream coated in cinnamon, cornflakes and peanuts. The ice cream is deep fried, then topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. It’s the perfect bite: the outside is hot and crispy with a spicy kick, while the inside is cold and creamy.

Zabaglione

My Florist Cafe serves an untraditional version of this Italian treat, blending custard with organic raspberries and blueberries, served with whipped cream and vanilla bean ice cream. The first time I tried this, I made one of those faces you only see in R-rated films. Be careful or you’ll fall in love with your server.

Big_Fat_GreekPeach Pecan Cobbler

The Compass Arizona Grill at the Hyatt Regency makes this dish, which reminds me of my childhood in the South, where we’d pick fresh peaches off the tree and… oh, wait, I’m from Cleveland. That’s how good this dish is. Cinnamon crumb topping and butter pecan ice cream set off the peaches wonderfully.

Flamed Baklava

This is one of those wow-your-date desserts. My Big Fat Greek Restaurant, located in the Arizona Center, serves this dish tableside, setting fire to the honey-soaked pastry.

Gelato

The City Bakery at the Arizona Science Center has some wonderfully cream gelato which actually has fewer calories and about half the fat of ice cream.

Mini Lemon Meringue Tart

This dessert is a big hit at Hanny’s, and the secret is in the lemon zest. It makes these tarts really pop with flavor. Made fresh to order, each tart is big enough for two people to share. Just remember that sharing is optional.