Phoenix Neighborhood Blogger

We hear about our brave soldiers being killed in Iraq and Afghanistan too often. Sometimes, though, a solider will be showcased and we get the chance to become invested in that individual. Those who pray have a face to think about. Those who meditate know a family they can send good thoughts or positive energy too. Those are the little things we can do when we’re at war.

Very often, a soldier will go and do something, beyond what they already do, to stand out. Staff Sgt. Thaddeus Montgomery asked for extra copies of Arizona Highways for his platoon. They had enjoyed reading them as a way to unwind from what is probably some of the roughest work there is to do. Arizona Highways staff was so touched that the December issue that was inspired through Montgomery’s request was also dedicated to Staff Sgt. Montgomery and his platoon.

I thought maybe the next time I’d see him, would be his return home. That’s how these stories usually go. That is not to be in this case. We have now learned that Staff Sgt. Montgomery has been killed in Afghanistan. Words can not tell the sadness running through Arizona as Arizona Highways readers learn of his passing.

He did not want to be in the spotlight and simply wanted some entertainment for his hard working platoon. Perhaps, today, we can honor him by a simple unselfish act. Maybe that small action can create something bigger than all the pain and loss we feel from these wars. Maybe that act will alleviate, even a small portion, of the hurt his friends and family are experiencing. Maybe it was Staff Sgt. Thaddeus Montgomery’s final mission, to help make us better people. I’d like to think so, though I would imagine he would shrug off the idea. That’s how he was.

Arizona Highways Blog

Arizona Family Followed the Story

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

5th and Wine offered their Beef Bourguignon again this past weekend and, of course, it was superb. If you weren’t able to make it down to the stellar, new restaurant/wine bar, I hope they’ll do it again for you. The food is always wonderful and the staff, as usual, were helpful, friendly and just plain fun.

Scott Yanni is one of the managers there now and for those who don’t know him, he’s a wine God. Scott believes there is a wine for everyone and if you are not a fan of the grape yet, you just have to find the right one for you. Whenever his expertise is available, I put my palate in his capable hands. My friend also asked for Scott’s guidance and was thrilled with his suggestion for her. For myself, Scharffenberger Brut started the affair and since it was happy hour, I paid only $5 a glass. It just doesn’t get much better than that.

We had the bruschetta, again, and the calamari, again, because when it’s that good, you just have to. We did try the shrimp cocktail and hot wings and they were wonderful. The wings were on the spicy side but full of flavor. I get a bit annoyed at wings whose sole purpose is to burn. These had some fire, but offered wonderful flavor as well. The shrimp cocktail was pretty typical in its set up, but much like the calamari, the shrimp was tender and delicious.

Now, on to the Beef bourguignon. It was beautiful. With just the right mix of home style simplicity and extravagant flare it was obvious that 5th and Wine made their special with a tender and loving hand. The dish is relatively simple in ingredients, but hugely time consuming, to say the least. The fork tender beef , mushrooms, pearl onions and flavorful sauce was served over a bed of noodles. The noodles were perfectly al dente and definitely played an important part in this dish. Served up with crusty bread that had just the right amount of crunch to sop up every ounce of taste the plate had to offer. I don’t know what it is about all the bread at 5th and Wine, but like everything else on their menu, it seems to have a desire to be eaten.

It was a great evening and I look forward to our next visit. It seems like the managers, Scott and Scott, are always looking for inventive and fun ways to bring in new guests. Believe me, it works.

5th and Wine is located in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale at 7051 E. 5th Avenue.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Storms over Phoenix

A few summers ago our back room flooded during that storm that took out the Cardinals training facility – the bubble one. So now we are more aware of just how vulnerable any house can be to flooding, especially here in the Valley. Here are a few things to consider with rain in Phoenix.

1. Have some sand bags ready. You never know when your house may flood. Keep two to four sand bags ready to at least keep water from coming in through the doors.

3. Have flashlights and candles available in every room. The saint candles, found at most supermarkets and dollar stores, seem to be the safest and most reliable. They are meant for long term burning and pose less of a fire hazard than typical emergency candles. Also, keep some extra batteries available for flashlights.

4. Think about your needs should you loose electricity. I know it may seem crazy for some transplants from colder regions, but it can get cold in Phoenix. During winter storms, you may need to have heavy blankets on stand by. This is less of a concern during the summer, when keeping cool is the goal and handmade paper fans are your best friend.

5. Think about food. Should you loose power, you will want to keep the fridge closed to maintain your food supply and electric ovens will not be operating. Make sure to have pantry items that do not requiring cooking. This is especially important for children and babies.

6. Have the number for your utility companies available or, better yet, add them to your cell phone. You will be able to report outages and sometimes will get an estimate of when services may be returned. For SRP, call 602-236-8811. For APS, call 602-371-7171.

Here are some additional links and helpful information for storm readiness in the Valley.

Visit NOAA’s Phoenix site for some of the best weather forecasting and current weather alerts.

Arizona Family offered a few tips on how to get your car rain ready.

Phoenix Fire Department is also offering sand for sand bags on a limited basis. Here’s a link to which stations have the sand and/or bags.You can also call 602-495-5555 for more information.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Julia Child is a personal Deity of mine. I fell in love with her as a young child because her voice and personality fascinated me. As an adult, her culinary mastery is absolutely mesmerizing. So, I was thrilled when I saw that 5th and Wine was going to be offering Beef Bourguignon again. They had offered it for New Year’s Eve, but we had a previous engagement (P.J. party at home).

Come Friday and/or Saturday night to enjoy this culinary orgasm of perfection. They have a fabulous Happy Hour running from 3-6pm with mouth watering food and all wine-by-the-glass for $5. It just doesn’t get better than that. They are located at 7051 E. 5th Avenue in Old Town Scottsdale and are open from 11am-11pm. Hope to see you there!

You can follow just one of our many 5th and Wine picture journeys below.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Local writer Tom Leveen writes as if he crawls into the minds of his young adult audience to relive his own teen angst. Much like young adult favorites like Judy Blume, his writing shuns condescension replacing it with understanding and apathy for the real world of the young adult.

His book, Party, is set to sail on April 27th, but Tom is scheduled to appear at Changing Hands bookstore this weekend for their Yallapalooza event. This Young Adult Literature showcase includes several local writers, as well as, some talented chaps from L.A. There will be games, music, book signings, pizza and prizes. If you are a young adult, or you know a young adult, or you wish you were still a young adult, you should attend.

The party starts this Saturday at 4:00pm and runs until 7:00pm. Changing Hands is located at 6428 S McClintock Drive in
Tempe. Here’s is the link for more information.

Here’s the link to his website. His book can be pre-ordered online, but it’s better if you buy it through a local independent bookstore, like Changing Hands.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Potato Wedges from the December box made a perfect side for hamburger night.

Food boxes get such a stigma. While many food banks offer discounted boxes to any family, few families-in-need take them up on the offer. Let’s face it, times are tough for a lot of families and there is no reason to shun a deal. The Treasure Box saw the need for all families, not just low income, and came up with a great system.

Every month The Treasure Box offers three box choices that subscribers pick up at a delivery location, usually a church or non-profit agency. There’s the Hearty Meat Box, the Quick and Healthy Box and the traditional Treasure Box. All are just $30 and can be ordered online. There is a deadline for ordering, but it is usually mid-month giving plenty of time for planning. Here’s the link to this month’s box contents.

Having worked in social service I am aware of what food boxes have come to mean. Perhaps there are feelings of inadequacy or failure. Having become a stay-at-home mom I am well aware of the difficulties of healthy menu planning on a tight budget and I have to say this makes it a lot easier. We did it last month and have had some great meals.

Some of the items in December’s box were turkey meatloaf with a cranberry glaze and frozen peas. We simply bought some potatoes and made some mashed potatoes for a complete and healthy dinner. The Quick and Healthy Box actually offers 10 complete meals, but we choose to add to the items for more creative dinner choices.

I hope you’ll give them a try. So far I have heard from many subscribers who have been pleased with the boxes. Some parents with picky eaters actually find their children more excited to eat things they would normally shy away from just because it’s exciting to see what is in the box. Those I’ve heard from are teachers, counselors and work-from-home parents, so there really are no guidelines for income. Anyone who wants some help with menu planning and easing stress on their pocketbook should check it out.

Here’s their website. If you give them a try, please come back and let me know what you think.

**Also, here’s a link to those yummy hamburger buns in the picture. I made them with the help of a woman known only as “Ruth”.

Blessings

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Please stand by…beeeeeep! Seriously, I have great things planned. I have many restaurants to add and places of interest to update. Headed out to 5th and Wine this weekend and can’t wait to report back. That place sounds like a real winner! Nothing but high marks being heard about it by foodies and everyday Joes alike. Sweet!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tags: 5th and Wine

(CC photo courtesy of Posh Living, LLC on Flickr)

I know, I know, we hear all the time about how the arts suffer from lack of funding. What can we do? The majority of people who support the arts are those who can’t afford to give their last $10. And yet, here I am, asking my readers to give just once more before the end of the year.

I’m going to make this easy though. I am going to tell you who to give your money to. This sofa here represents Chyro Arts Venue in south Scottsdale. It’s a multi-arts venue that offers some of the best entertainment this side of the Mississippi. Most importantly, they have sofas. I kid you not, you can sit in a comfy sofa and enjoy a play or poetry reading. Without leaving the comforts of home, you have been transported to another destination. Would you like a beverage? Perhaps a nice latte would warm your soul. They have a coffee bar that puts Starbucks to shame.

The people who run this place are humble as pie. They went into this because of their undying love of the arts and the need to provide a place for the average person, especially young people, to fall deep in love too. They don’t make money off of this, instead it is a labor of love that simply gives back to the community. Music lovers have a place to sway to the sounds of local talent because Chyro brings in the best up-and-coming groups along with Valley favorites.

Here’s the thing, they don’t want your next paycheck, they just want a few bucks. Seriously, they would be thrilled if you threw a five their way.  Please consider them this holiday season. Times are tough everywhere, I know, but if we can keep this place going it makes a huge impact on the youth of Phoenix and people, like me, who love to see plays and listening to bands but don’t have the bucks for season subscriptions that cost more than my mortgage.

Here’s their site Chyro Arts Venue. Now I’m going to hold you to going and making a donation. If you are still unsure than go check it out. I guarantee the spirit and energy of the place will make you want to give until it hurts.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tags: chyro arts venue

It hardly seems possible that a horror/sci fi geek like me could ever possibly meet Judith O’Dea of Night of the Living Dead fame. It just might happen though. This weekend is the International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival which is being held in Tempe at the MADCAP theaters (formally Harkin’s Centerpoint).

The fabulous weekend brings fans of scream and science cinema together for a chance to delight in the beauty of flesh ripping fun. Fans will have a chance to meet Barbra (Judith O’Dea) from“Night of the Living Dead”. Marilyn Burns of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” fame will be inducted into the International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival Hall of Fame. Did I mention Johnny Rico of “Starship Troopers” will be there? Well, Casper Van Dien, that is. He is also well known for “Sleepy Hollow”.

So if you walk away with one thing, let it be that a good time is going to be had on Mill Avenue this weekend. Now go check out some of these awesome teasers for this weekend’s fun.

and…

You had better go check out the site for more juicy details. There are costume contests, raffles and sponsorship by Pabst Blue Ribbon, Icansmellyourbrains.com and more.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tags: The International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival

(Paper Hearts CC photo courtesy of Lucy Turnill Phillips)

I have a few old high school friends who work the Phoenix film circuit, Greg Hall and Jason Carney, but I am a bit clueless. Recently though, I found out that a gal I went to high school with, Elise Salomon, is the executive producer of Paper Heart. When I got an update from Jason about a premiere being held here in Phoenix, I was very excited. I had seen a trailer before and was already intrigued by the quirky honesty of the film.

The film follows Charlyne’s trek across America making a documentary about love. It’s simple, sweet and honest. I am the first person to cower in horror at romantic comedies, but this was so appealing and different. I could go on, but the trailer speaks volumes and I am the worst person to give movie reviews, or previews for that matter. The film includes Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera and it looks like a lot of fun. Here’s the Paper Heart Trailer.

Here’s why I love this. It’s a fresh film that doesn’t rely on tired cliches and huge bimbo actors to drive in the masses. This is one film I can feel great about supporting. Besides, the proceeds for the Phoenix premiere went to the local, non-profit Phoenix Film Foundation. Now, a bit about that Elise who I seem so fond of.

Honestly, I haven’t seen or talked to her since she graduated. We weren’t best friends or anything like that. We were in Masque and Gavel together and did some stage work together. Elise was one of the few girls I looked up to. She was never giddy, silly or fake, in the obnoxious sense. Lord knows we all acted like idiots in the secrecy of our drama world. But Elise was funny, smart , charismatic and nice.  So, for a budding little feminist like myself, she rocked. I knew she would wind up doing something of substance, and she has. This is her first full length film, but it’s not her first taste of success.  I am so very proud of her and simply want others to see what I saw back in high school. She’s a genuine person through and through.

There are still tickets for tonight so enjoy some entertainment in a nice cool theater and support a fellow Phoenician who’s done very well! Here is a link to the Phoenix Film Festival’s link about the premiere. Gotta promote them because Greg and Jason are good guys and anything they are associated with has to be good. Go buy Tickets for Arizona Premiere here!

That’s all – shameless friend promo complete.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tags: elise salomon, paper heart