Phoenix New Times

As is common in Scottsdale, upscale shopping center Scottsdale Quarter is getting a facelift. The complex, which celebrated its 15th anniversary this year, announced on Thursday that the North Street portion of the property would be undergoing a major transformation. https://lnkd.in/drD44xbR

"James Beard Award-winning chef Rene Andrade of Bacanora PHX and Huarachis Taqueria, James Beard Award-nominated chefs Brett Vibber and Jaren Bates of Wild Arizona Cuisine and Roessel, the baker behind Scone On? spent time cooking and talking with French, who also owns The Lost Kitchen in Freedom, Maine. "The episode was filmed in February and includes an intimate dinner party. Roessel, who makes scones and other baked goods that blend her culinary training with her Diné heritage and Indigenous ingredients, invited me because French learned of Roessel’s work from an article I’d written." https://lnkd.in/gMRH8Sjv

The Valley is home to a lot of fast-growing, increasingly affluent suburbs. The East Valley suburbs continue to explode — The New Yorker recently turned its attention to Gilbert, although not for particularly happy reasons — and West Valley exurbs like Goodyear and Buckeye are getting only bigger and more populous. But the richest suburb in the Phoenix metro area? We'll be surprised if you're surprised. And no, it's not Surprise. https://lnkd.in/gF-46S7j

📢📢 Calling all Phoenix writers: We need your help to stay on top of the Valley food scene. If you’re interested in finding and sharing stories that make metro Phoenix a fascinating place to eat, drink and live, we’d love to hear from you. Click on the story to learn more about the position. Still have more questions? Comment them below! ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/gUDkgg8S

One of Phoenix’s stalwart cocktail lounges has announced it will pour its last drinks this week. MERCBAR, the sleek lounge that first opened near Biltmore Fashion Park in The Esplanade in 1996, will close after last call on Saturday. “28 years, 10,000 nights, hundreds of thousands of Cosmos, Sophia Lorens and Goldfish later, we’re saying goodbye,” owner Rick Phillips wrote in a post on Instagram alluding to the classic cocktails and complimentary crackers that have been offered to guests over the bar’s nearly three decades. https://lnkd.in/g_ScuVbU

Ziggie’s Music is a business that’s steeped in local history. The iconic Phoenix retailer dates back decades and has been a go-to spot for generations of local musicians, including famous names like Duane Eddy, Waylon Jennings and Dick Dale. Now, it looks as though the store is about to become history. Ziggie’s Music shut down at the end of May, possibly for good, due to health issues affecting longtime owner Dionne Hauke. https://lnkd.in/gXKqCw8C

The New York Times published a list of the Best Pizza Places in the U.S. on Tuesday, explaining that "pizza in America has never been better." The list makes a point that some of the country's best pizza comes from unexpected places. Next to each city name, the article lists its population size. For example, The Lincoln Winebar, a pizza slinger in Mount Vernon, Iowa serves a town with a population of just 4,527. But some big names in big cities still made it onto the list, including Arizona's most celebrated pizzeria: Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix, population 1,608,139. https://lnkd.in/grdyQhDi

This year, 12 Phoenix chefs were named as semifinalists, with two becoming finalist nominees. On Monday night, skipping a tuxedo for a bomber jacket and his signature trucker hat, chef Rene Andrade accepted his James Beard Award. The local chef was named the Best Chef - Southwest.

The drinks usually flow freely at concerts at Yucca Tap Room, but it's hard to say no to another beverage when some of the proceeds from bar sales benefit a youth music program. It's for the kids, after all. The Girls Rock! Phoenix benefit raised about $1,000 for the nonprofit organization's summer camp program. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/exRZt4Eg

Will you support our spring campaign to help us flourish in the upcoming year? 🌷 We’re hoping to raise $5,000 to support the free journalism we’ve been serving since 1970. You can help by giving any amount and becoming a member. When you support our community-rooted newsroom, you enable all of us to be better informed, connected and empowered during this important year. We use every cent to keep delivering our in-depth coverage of food, news, arts, music and cannabis while keeping it free and accessible to everyone. 🗞 Become a member today and you'll gain access to our next members-only event on Saturday June 8, 2024: a concert and Q&A with local indie rockers Chrome Rhino at Four Peaks Brewing. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g6Zee2X3