We’ll be hosting the May Get Your PHX at Palabra.

In 2012, Jorge Torres first opened Palabra Hair. Art. Collective. in downtown Phoenix and in January of this year, the creative hub launched its new location on 1^st Street.

Since breaking out on his own, Torres’ vision for Palabra has intentionally brought together hair, art, fashion, music and performance. The idea is to cultivate growth in others and to infuse creativity into all aspects of the business.

Inside the stark white building, Futuro coffee welcomes guests with a rich wafting aroma of espresso, and behind it to the left is a dedicated gallery space, to the right is Torres’ hair studio.

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Phoenix’s Historic Downtown Baptist Church is getting the long overdue resurrection is so desperately needs. The church, affectionately dubbed “The Monroe Abbey”, is transforming into a new hub of bustling active space for downtowners and visitors to enjoy.

“This was finished in 1929, just before the depression. It was a big church; 1,400 or more were here for services. It was designed for chorale singing and mass choirs,” former Arizona Attorney General and First Baptist Church advocate, Terry Goddard, explains.

In 1968 The First Baptist Congregation held its final church service at the 3^rd Avenue Church, and relocated to its new facilities on Glendale Avenue, leaving the building vacant.

In 1982 the Church is added to the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1984,the sanctuary went up in flames and burned for two days, causing the roof to collapse completely.

In 1992 the Church is declared a hazard and was set for demolition.  Saved from the wrecking ball by Terry Goddard and other local heroes.

Although the fire left the church in disrepair, the open-air cathedral has had a renaissance of nature over the last twenty years with an unruly “secret garden”, zillions of birds, and about thousands bees making the space their home.

Architects at Jones Studio along with Patry Building Co are taking on the heavy lifting to transform the Abbey into a multi-tenant, mixed-use space while keeping both the integrity of the structure and working the majestic beauty of the natural growth into the development.

The new four-story space will be activated with a black box theatre, restaurant, office space, gallery and even a speakeasy. There’s even enough space in the center courtyard for performances and events.

Join us on April 21^st for tours inside the palatial property with Katherine Patry as well as a special update on the Welnick Bros. development just down the street.

As always, please RSVP below.

Date: Thursday, April 21^st
Time: 5:30PM – 7:30PM
Location: Monroe Street Abbey: 302 W. Monroe St.
RSVP: Click Here
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Thanks again to Tim Bishop, Ryan Jerrell and Jessica Brining for hosting a beautiful event at DIG IT Urban Garden. The weather was perfect, the lighting was elegant and everybody had a great time.

March is looking to be another great event. Satisfy your curiosity this month as we explore Phoenix’s finest oddities shop, Curious Nature, at their new home on Camelback and Central.

Oddities, curiosities and eclectic collections fill every inch of space at Curious Nature making it one of the most interesting shops you’ll ever step into. Specimen jars and jawbones line the display shelves while walls hold pinned moths, butterflies, and mounted animal heads. Owner Mason Conway modeled the shop after history’s iconic cabinet of curiosity, (also called “wonder rooms”), where extraordinary objects tell a visual story of the wonders of the natural world.

Conway has always been a fan of the Victorian Era and began collecting at a young age, “Collecting natural specimens was a very popular hobby at that time, and I was looking for a new career path. The opportunity to open the shop presented itself, so I jumped at the chance.”

Conway’s contacts in the collectors world affords him opportunities to bring in great pieces by local artists like Heather Grimes Dream Wings jewelry collection, which works with 100% harm-free wings, bones and snakeskins to create incredible necklaces sold in store.

Mason’s passion for sharing his knowledge with others encouraged him to launch his own business. With the new space, Conway’s now able to expand the class sizes for etymology and taxidermy, which sells out quickly! Next up is a class on Taxidermy with rats in early April.

As Conway puts it, “I just wanted to share the things I love with Phoenix. I love teaching and I love learning. This is a great opportunity to share my interest in the beauty of science and nature in a unique way. It’s like a museum, but you can take it home with you. I encourage people to pick things up and touch them.”

Meet Mason and the crew of Curious Nature this March with us and enjoy tours and small bites till 7:30PM. As always, RSVP below.

Date: Thursday, March 24th
Time: 5:30PM – 7:30PM
Host: Curious Nature: 5032 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, 85012
Note: Free to attend, free raffle ticket at entry!

RSVP HERE

When I heard that a movie was made about our own Durant’s restaurant and bar, I had to act quickly. The director was thinking of hosting the world premier in Scottsdale.

Not over my dead body. Nothing against Scottsdale, but is Durant’s in Scottsdale? Was this restaurant, which was the scene of many political deals, schemes and even plans to assassinate reporter Don Bolles in 1976 not located in Phoenix?

I immediately got on the phone with Kendall over at Local First Arizona, our Get Your PHX event co-conspirator, we found great partners with the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel and Edison Midtown (now under construction steps away from the original Durant’s (Official).

We are putting together a star-studded, red carpeted premier event that respects the history and tradition of Phoenix on January 21st , 2016 at the Renaissance. The premiere screening of the film will take place January 21st in the ballroom of the Renaissance Downtown Hotel. The event starts at 6pm with a pre-party mixer and the screening will begin at 7pm.

Tickets will be sold online ONLY until January 17th. Your name will be on a will call list. Tickets must be purchased on computers, mobile devices are experiencing issues.

Watch the trailer for Durant’s Never Closes here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXZQBsHevkg

Check out some of the press for the film: http://www.durantsnevercloses.com/press/

And here’s a little more history from you, thanks to Kendall over at Local First:

Jack Durant first opened his famous, (or infamous?), steakhouse, Durant’s, in 1950 at Central and Virginia Avenues, and remains frozen in time with red leather booths and server staff donning red vests. Durant’s quickly became a favorite hotspot for movie stars and sports icons; a place where you’d find John Wayne, Joe DiMaggio and Clark Gable enjoying steak and martinis.

Owner Jack Durant was no shy character in Phoenix’s history with rumors surrounding his ties to mobster Bugsy Seigel when he was a teenager to the murder of Arizona reporter, Don Bolles, which Durant was said to have been planned right in his restaurant. “It’s not like anything else in Phoenix because you know it feels like you walked into ‘Goodfellas,’ basically,” said Valley filmmaker Travis Mills of Running Wild Films.

The film, Durant’s Never Closes, centers around the legendary Jack Durant, a restaurateur, ladies’ man, and mysterious gentleman who maintained many connections to the mafia. Based on the play by Terry Earp and the book by Mabel Leo, tells his story during one day at his restaurant. Tom Sizemore stars as Jack Durant along with Peter Bogdanovich and Phoenix’s own, Wayne Rainey.

“Durant’s was the spot for the movers and shakers of Phoenix,” said Mills. “Celebrities, politicians, mobsters, they came and they made business deals here.”

From the backwoods of Tennessee, to the world of Vegas at the time of Bugsy, and finally as the owner of his famous steakhouse, Durant is a legend and dynamic character, at once charming, powerful, and dangerous…

Have we really been hosting Phoestivus for six years now? What kind of madness is this? Every year we celebrate locally-owned businesses and raise money for Community Food Connections, the folks who run the downtown open air farmer’s market.

Plus, it simply gives us a chance to show of our true goofy credentials with our Pheats of Strength, the Phoestivus Pole and the Airing of Grievances. This is also the second annual Zero K race. Now, that’s got you intrigued, right?

I, personally, get most of my shopping done at one place. Could it be that I’m avoiding the mad rush of them malls and chain stores? Or, maybe I’m just lazy and prefer knocking out all the shopping with a Phoestivus Ale in my hand. Who knows?

December 10th and 17th
721 N Central, Phoenix

Thank you so much to our friends at Hidden Track Bottle Shop. It feels like Phoenix are growing up when we get a downtown, exclusive wine shop like Hidden Track. It especially warmed my heart that they highlighted so many locally-grown wines.

Now, on to November. Shipping containers are finding a new home here on Grand Ave. and Get Your PHX is inviting you to take a look inside the future of residential living!

Be on the lookout for our exclusive Get Your PHX offer from both ThirdSpace and Grand Avenue Pizza; you’ll just flash your red raffle ticket to get the deals.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Containers on Grand this month. As always, please RSVP below.

When: Thursday, November 19^th, from 5:30PM – 7:30PM
Where: Containers on Grand: 12^th Ave & Grand
Details: Specials from ThirdSpace and Grand Avenue Pizza + Free raffle ticket to great prizes!

RSVP HERE

Check us out on Facebook here.

Thank you so much to our friends at Antique Sugar for hosting Get Your PHX in September. Their space is so comfortable and homey that I hung out for an hour after the event, just visiting with Sarah, Anna Marie and our Get Your PHX regulars.

Love wine? Then don’t miss our October Get Your PHX as we explore Hidden Track Bottle Shop, Phoenix’s newest haven for vino neophytes and virtuosos alike who are looking for that perfect bottle.

When you’re looking for that incredible lesser-known wine, it’s called the ‘hidden track’. The phrase is the inspiration for owners Danielle Middlebrook and Craig Dziadowicz’ new wine shop, Hidden Track Bottle Shop.

Fear not, beer lovers! Hidden Track’s got you covered…“Our shelves are stocked with 300+ selections of unique wine and 100+ selections of craft beer from around the world. We also offer a few artisan foods to pair well with your wine and beer,” says Middlebrook

With a combined 20 years experience in wine, Craig and Danielle’s approach to the industry is like a modern day explorer discovering new land. Even here in the desert, vast acres have been transformed into vineyards producing incredible wines.

“Arizona is such a unique and exciting wine region! We turned over every cactus and prickly pear to find some of our state’s most shining examples of locally grown and produced wine. A few of our favorite wineries are D.A.Ranch and Bodega Pierce/Saeculum Cellars. D.A.Ranch offers small production wines grown from only seven acres of their estate located in the heart of the Verde Valley. Bodega Pierce/Saeculum Cellars also offers estate grown fruit…” Okay, so we had to cut it off there because these folks go on forever about how awesome wine is!

Looking to try before you buy? Every Thursday (4:30-6:30p) and Saturdays (noon-3:00p) Hidden Track hosts a wine and beer tastings. Also, you can join their über popular wine club where you’ll score great deals on extraordinary wines! Click here to join

The downtown core’s been notorious for vacating each weekend, but that’s changing, and changing fast. More people are exploring downtown Phoenix seven days a week, and with the addition of places like Hidden Track, Morning Moonshine, Valley Bar and so many more, there’s always something exciting to explore anytime of day. Join us as we uncover Hidden Track Bottle Shop and Morning Moonshine, right next door!

When: Thursday, October 22^nd from 5:30P – 7:30P
Where: 111 W. Monroe, Phoenix
Details: Wine tasting, snacks and raffle entry provided! Open to all public (wine tasting for 21+ only!)

Please RSVP here, as this engagement has limited space.

Join our Facebook event and invite your friends too!

Phoenix’s favorite vintage clothing store, Antique Sugar, recently set new roots at the corner of McKinley & Second Streets – and owners, AnnaMarie Sanchez and Sarah Bingham couldn’t be more excited.

As Sarah puts it, “Years ago, when we were first looking for shop space, we had envisioned ourselves downtown, but fate and opportunity took us to the Melrose, which was also an insanely cool neighborhood to be a part of. But coming downtown feels like coming home…”

Just as we suspected, Sanchez and Bingham have been in the vintage game since they could first drive to thrift stores. “We’ve been buying and selling vintage clothing since high school. We always loved thrift shopping and eventually started selling on Ebay.”

After realizing the potential of what a storefront could offer, the two friends took the plunge and opened Antique Sugar’s brick and mortar in 2010. They proudly called Melrose home till the AC went out last summer; the out-of-state landlord was of little help, and, as Sarah adds, “…Our lease was ending in March of this year and he [landlord] wanted to raise the rent 40%,“ Once they found out a friend was converting old offices into retail space, they were ready for a change.

But the real question: Where do they get all the clothes?

“People always ask us where we find all this stuff and I wish there was a short answer. Basically, we’re always shopping; constantly going to estate sales and thrift shops,” Sarah says, “It’s a constant search and you never know when or where you might find something awesome.” This pretty much means that Sarah and AnnaMarie are the best at shopping, so you should save your time and simply shop at Antique Sugar for the best finds!

From the new office buildings that have transformed into retail space to the fact that Antique Sugar shares the street with FilmBar, The Velo, Angel’s Trumpet and more, we’re excited to welcome Sarah and AnnaMarie to their new home downtown.

Check out the retro fashion finds at Antique Sugar this month and enjoy complimentary bites, drinks and local shopping!

Date: Thursday, September 17^th
Time: 5:30-7:30p
Where: Antique Sugar: 801 N. 2^nd St., Phoenix
Details: Raffle prizes, small bites and drinks!
RSVP HERE

This month, we will visit a tiny space with a big history in Phoenix –the Dressing room.

Boasting “elevated shack” cuisine, the Dressing Room is certainly something of a gem. This previously non-descript  micro building  connected to MonOrchid has some big plans. You may have seen the incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign created by owners and founders Kyu Utsunomiya and Troy Watkins, which raised over $38,000 to build an extended back patio and rooftop deck! Stay tuned for more…

Troy and Kyu have flipped, sautéed and cooked in top restaurants and hotels all around the world, finally realizing their dream of opening their own restaurant here in the downtown area. The concept of this micro-restaurant is “elevated shack” food. As Troy puts it, “Burgers, some salads, sandwiches; just very elevated ingredients at a very value driven price point.”

We all know Roosevelt Row is seeing some changes coming down the pipeline, but for Troy and Kyu, it’s also important to keep a bit of history too. The name “The Dressing Room” comes from the fact that the building was once used as a dressing room for the first drag bar in Phoenix, (what was Green Haus until recently). They’re also incorporating a new mural by local artists JB Snyder and Tato Careveo, updating the existing mural also by JB Snyder.

As if starting one restaurant wasn’t enough, this creative duo opened Be: Coffee + Food + Stuff in the space once occupied by Songbird Coffee. A rotating menu of open-faced sandwiches, infusion coffee and tea, plus pastries from local bakeries and even soft serve ice cream are fast-making loyal fans.

For the moment, The Dressing Room and Be are separated by a wall, but not for long. Along with plans for the extended back patio and rooftop deck, they plan to break through and join the two concepts for a cohesive space to work, meet and connect.

We’re excited to check out the opening of Be and get exclusive access to the progress of The Dressing Room, set to serve diners this fall. RSVP below to save your seat!

When: Thursday, August 20^th from 5:30PM – 7:30PM
Where: Be: Coffee + Food + Stuff & The Dressing Room:
214 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix (map it)
Details: Raffle prizes and small bites!
Click here to RSVP

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