If you’re heading Downtown for First Friday, you’ll find some juicy new attractions this week. And by juicy, I mean melt-in-your-mouth burger sliders and pot roast with gravy, just to name a few of the dishes at Bliss, a brand-new eatery.
But first, for any newbies who don’t know about First Friday, I’ll keep it short and sweet: First Friday is the country’s largest, self-guided art walk. This event takes place every month in Downtown Phoenix from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and the pleasures range from live music, food and performance artists to more than 100 art galleries.
Just as a heads-up, the street closure is still on hiatus for Roosevelt, but Roosevelt Row restaurants are always open for business, so be sure to check out Bliss and its companion bar ReBar, which just opened at Roosevelt and Fourth Streets.
American Comfort Food, Updated
Bliss is co-owned by Mark Howard, who also owns Fez, one of the most popular restaurants in central Phoenix (oh, Fez, if only you delivered those sweet potato fries). The menu for Bliss features a new angle on American comfort foods, from pot roast and pork chops to mac and cheese with chicken and bacon. After 10 p.m., Bliss offers $5 nibbles including mini beef tacos and burger sliders.
Target Free First Fridays
Thanks to Target, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix is open and free of charge during First Friday. A tribute to imagination, this interactive museum has one kid-friendly exhibit after another, from the Noodle Forest to the Texture Café, where kids use fabrics to create entire meals. The astonishing 3-story Climber, made from odd and found materials, provides kids with a one-of-a-kind experience.
Adult’s Night Out
This adults-only event returns this Friday to the Arizona Science Center with a free lecture from an actual CSI-type scientist. Kim Kobojek, forensic scientist, will give you the skinny on Hollywood vs. reality when it comes to crime labs. The lecture starts at 7 p.m., but for the regular admission fee, you can stick around and see an IMAX film or a Dorrance Planetarium presentation at 8:15 p.m. (the topic is “Black Holes”).
I know plenty of people who are fascinated by eight-legged critters and will rush over to see the spider exhibit from the ASU Spider Lab. I’ll be avoiding it like the terrified, overgrown child I really am. But, the rest of this event should make for spine-tingling fun, this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
So this Father’s Day, show the old man how much he means to you by taking him out for a good time in Downtown Phoenix. Since men like very few things in this world outside of food and sports let’s stick to those key areas for the purposes of this particular exercise.
And here are some of the answers we received…
Enjoy a SUPER Memorial Day Weekend with your friends and family at
It’s good to have friends. Especially on Facebook! “Like”
Is your teen interested in being a doctor or doing scientific research in a lab? The
We all have our heroes. One of mine is Jane Goodall. This heroic woman chose to work with animals in the wild more than 40 years ago, and her research into the lives of chimpanzees changed the way we understand both apes and humans. Jane’s research transformed her into an animal advocate, committed to the survival of chimpanzees and the wild places in which they live.
If you haven’t been recently, I encourage you to check out the Dorrance Planetarium at
Both scary and giggle-inducing, the new exhibit at the Arizona Science Center will help you understand the science behind our common fears in a series of creative, first-hand encounters.



