Thank you to Chef Chris McKinley and Adam Hargett of The Local for hosting what was probably the highest attended summer Get Your PHX event in our 5 and a half year history.

And, as usual, thank you to Local First Arizona Localists for all that you do to support and organize Get Your PHX events while I was out pounding the pavement this summer. Helene, Kendall and Chrisal, you make it happen!

This month, Get Your PHX is unwinding uptown at The Newton!

Our good friend, Cindy Dach, has kindly offered to extend happy hour pricing on drinks for Get Your PHX!

We are checking in on all of the progress and additions since The Newton’s much-lauded opening before the summer hit us like a hot side of beef.

Formerly the iconic Beef Eaters restaurant and named in honor of its owner, Jay Newton, the new mixed-use space has been generating some serious buzz since opening in May.

All under one roof, visitors can read, shop, gather, and eat thanks to Changing Hands Bookstore, First Draft Book Bar, and Justin Beckett’s Southern Rail restaurant.

Beckett continues to wow diners with his savory southern style restaurant featuring down-home favorites like gumbo, sweet tea tart and po’boys. (You just can’t help but add a long southern drawl when reading the word ‘po’ boys’.)

Also joining The Newton bunch is Southwest Gardener and business consulting/leadership development team, Christofolo||Schermer. 

Lynn and Amy of Southwest Gardener opened their shop to showcase the extensive beauty desert plants and seasons have to offer. ”We treat the garden as high art,” the two proclaim. Lynn and Amy will hang an open sign in their new space this month.

The highly anticipated arrival of Changing Hands Bookstore to Phoenix comes with the added perk of the First Draft Book Bar. (Maybe they’ll take a note from the London Time’s and pipe in the sound of clacking typewriters to get the creative juices flowing.) 

This new destination was made possible through the vision and patience of Venue Project partners, Lorenzo Perez and Jon Kitchell, who scooped up the building, which lay vacant since 2006.

Like any construction overhaul project, there were some snags and setbacks along the way, including roof damage that wound up delaying the opening date. But patience prevailed and The Newton is finally here.

Kitchell remarks, “This is the nature of an adaptive reuse project. No matter how much you study, investigate and plan a building for an adaptive renovation… This makes them challenging, yet rewarding.”

Join us later this month for a gander at The Newton, Phoenix’s newest destination. As always, please reserve your spot using the Tickets link right here (“tickets” are free).

See the Facebook Page here for updates.

What: September Get Your PHX
Where: The Newton
                  300 W. Camelback Rd.,
                  Phoenix, 85013 (Map It)
When: Sept. 18th, 5:30 to 7:30
Specials: FREE Raffle, drink special, & complimentary snacks
Why: Because (don’t ask questions)

Thank you to Lisa Sette and her staff at the Lisa Sette Gallery  and our friends at Local First for hosting the July Get Your PHX. I was impressed with the number of people who attended, despite the 1,000 degree temperature outside.

Thank you, also, to the very generous George Hancock of the Phoenix Ale Brewery for supplying the beer.  P.A.B. will begin to issue its line of brews in cans, starting in September. 

This August, Get Your PHX invites you, the local, to check out another great new local spot called, The Local. So meta, right?

Chef Chris McKinley, previously at Atlas Bistro, and Adam Hargett, former general manager at Merc Bar, opened their joint venture just a few months ago at the corner of 3rd St. and Roosevelt. 

Opening in the heart of the Roosevelt Row Arts District was a great choice by Hargett and McKinley because it is the perfect venue for their balance of classy and casual dining. Guests can enjoy a great view with retractable glass doors lining the front of The Local, and when pulled open, provide passersby with an aromatic invitation of savory delights. 

McKinley’s menu can be described as ‘contemporary American’, which basically translates to timeless favorites done better. Dishes like Crispy Pig Ear Pad Thai, Marquez Stuffed Quail, and Roman Style Gnocchi are among the flavorful combinations you’ll find here. 

“It’s targeted toward the foodies,” McKinley said. “We want people to feel comfortable. People can have a cocktail wearing shorts and T-shirt and still eat bone marrow and head cheese.” 

Along with a rotating menu, filled with delicious and eclectic flavors, food and cocktail lovers can expect locally sourced ingredients in many of the amazing dishes and drinks. After all, it is The Local. 

Join us for an exciting evening with our new neighbors at The Local. As always, please reserve your spot below.

Reserve your free ticket here.

See the Facebook Page here.

Location: The Local
Address: 1011 N 3rd St., Phoenix AZ 85004 (Map It)
Date: 21 August, 2014
Time: 5:30 – 7:30

 I have clients from time to time who get very worried about an interest rate difference of .01%, 5.45% vs. 5.40%. Sure, it can make a big difference on a 30 year loan, if you stay there for 30 years. But putting it all in perspective, is that difference worth not buying the house that you want right now and then going back on the market for a house that may cost more, or for which the interest rate will have gone up by more than that same .01%?

 Those fears of “getting a bad” deal over .01% get put in to perspective when you look at the buying power that we have now versus 2003 or 2006.

 Have a look at the chart below. For about $1,060 (P&I only), you got a $201,715 house in 2003. You got only a $195,331 house in 2008. But today, you got a $246,648 house.

So, right now –as in this summer– we have a lot of houses listed higher than they should be, a lot of buyers who are sitting on the fence and incredibly low financing.

You get my drift here. If you are thinking of buying a house, now is the time. Call me at 602-456-9388. 

Thank you to Jenna Rousseau at Central Wine Bar and our friends at Local First for hosting the June Get Your PHX. We packed out Central Wine and a good time was had by all.

This month, Get Your PHX visits the Lisa Sette Gallery at its new location in Midtown Phoenix.

This month’s event is sponsored by our good friends at Phoenix Ale Brewery –brewers of the popular summer treat Watermelon Ale. P.A.B. will begin it issue its line of brews in cans, starting in September. 

We are very excited for Lisa and her crew whose new home is the ever awesome and architecturally pleasing Al Beadle structure located on East Catalina Drive. RSVP using the ‘Tickets’ link here.

The dwelling is quite unique and features a “sleek, low-slung, semi-subterranean” appeal, mirroring the adjacent design building, (also an Al Beadle creation), owned by Lisa’s husband Peter.

Sette and Wesley James, of StarkJames, collaborated on minor updates to the original structure, including a fabric scrim wrapping the building. 

James reflects, “Shading the exterior is a response that we feel is appropriate for our environment… It allows us to set the stage for what will be a beautiful transformation when the fabric is lit from the exterior for evening exhibition openings.”

Sette is exhilarated to be a part of the flourishing Phoenix scene, adding, “After 28 years, we are doing what we do best – leading/forging new territory. We are gravitating to an up-and-coming energy in Midtown Phoenix, and have just found the right architectural gem to house the gallery.”

She is also thrilled to see how Midtown will shape in the coming years and comments, “all of the infill projects will make the difference and those that are attracted to infill projects tend to be creative.” We couldn’t agree more!

Beadle’s parti pris blends effortlessly and perfectly with the contemporary local and international art in the Lisa Sette Gallery. This month’s exhibition is appropriately titled, “Hello Midtown!” and opened to the public on June 14th. 

We welcome with open arms the Lisa Sette Gallery and look forward to spending July 24th with you! 

 What: Get Your PHX: Fun, social monthly meet ups at new spots around downtown.
Where: Lisa Sette Gallery: 201 E. Catalina Dr., Phoenix, AZ 85012 (Map It)
When: July 24^th, from 5:30p.m. – 7:30p.m.
Specials: FREE Raffle, drink special, & complimentary snacks
RSVP HERE: July GYP: Lisa Sette Gallery

This post is the sixth in what I hope will become a 35-video series of videos. These are the neighborhoods that have officially-recognized historic designation.

So, while there are many neighborhoods in Phoenix with beautiful older homes full of character, folks are always asking me about these. So, I figured I’d put some of what I know on videos. This project may take a while, so please come back and check it out again soon.

And, of course, if you are looking to buy or sell in historic, older or unique Phoenix neighborhoods, please contact me at 602-456-9388.

Follow this link to see the other previous videos.

6. Brentwood

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for more!

If you want to see the kind of video I can produce to help sell your unique home, please have a look at the video below. The internet (and buyers) increasingly relies of video as a form of communication. I can help you communicate the story of your home better.

Summers in the desert seem endless, don’t they? With the relentless sun, spiking temperatures and distant dreams of winter, it’s easy to think that there’s no escape, but you’re wrong. (Gasp!)

This month, Get Your PHX is staying cool with Jenna Rousseau at her new spot, Central Wine Bar. Nestled in the cozy corner of shared property along with modern Asian concept restaurant, Clever Koi and Model Citizen, the new micro salon by Leidan Mitchell, Rousseau’s new digs is an oasis of great wine and happy memories.

Jenna’s roots run five generations deep here in Phoenix, which makes her proud to call Arizona ‘home’. After attending college in California, she opted to stay and learn the wine culture of Sonoma and San Francisco, working and cultivating her passion.

She then brought that knowledge back reflecting, “I was lucky to go to college in California and then live in Sonoma…but I’m glad to be home and hopefully brought a little bit of San Francisco to Phoenix by opening Central Wine.”

Rousseau strives to bring something new and delicious and says, “It’s not a requirement to know a lot about wine … just the fact that you enjoy it are curious about finding new things to try.”

The goal is to create a destination for the community, a place to come and relax, unwind, and enjoy. “We aren’t wine snobs,” Rousseau adds, “but we do strive for deliciousness and creativity in our menu and hope that we just keep people coming back.” Don’t you worry, we will!

Any political junky out there may find it interesting to know, (political views aside), that the space was formerly used as John McCain’s election office. 

Get Your PHX will be soaking up the wine scene on June 19^th and invite you to come check out Central Wine Bar and Model Citizen next door. Snacks and drink specials will be provided.

As always, please RSVP below.

FREE EVENT

What: Get Your PHX: Fun, social monthly meet ups at new spots around downtown.
Where: Central Wine Bar: 4236 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85012 (Map It)
When: June 19^th, from 5:30p.m. – 7:30p.m.
Specials: FREE Raffle, drink special, & complimentary snacks
RSVP HERE: June GYP: Central Wine Bar

Our very own matriarch of historic preservation and president of the Encanto Citizens Association, G.G. George has written a book that you will be able to get signed at an up-coming Get Your PHX event.

As a founder of the Association, G.G. fought in the 1970s to stop the Papago Freeway from impacting central Phoenix neighborhoods. She initiated the movement to have the Encanto-Palmcroft neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

G.G.’s Co-Author, Leigh Conrad, is the former manager of the Arizona history collection at Scottsdale Public Library. She served five years on the Phoenix Historic Preservation Commission and assisted the Coronado Neighborhood Association with its application for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Encanto-Palmcroft neighborhood in central Phoenix was created in the twilight of the “City Beautiful Movement,” a philosophy that supported beautiful surroundings to promote moral and social order. Palmcroft was developed in 1927 by prominent Phoenix booster Dwight B. Heard and William G. Hartranft, father of the parks system. Encanto, “The Enchanting,” was founded by Lloyd C. Lakin and George T. Peter in 1928. These custom Period Revival homes were styled as bucolic refuges from the bustle of downtown when the city limits ended at McDowell Road. Even into the 21st century, this neighborhood maintains its integrity and significance due to the participation of residents who realize its historic importance.

For more information please call 602-252-3151.

Book signing schedule:

Saturday, May 17 – Barnes and Noble, Metrocenter Mall, 1-4 p.m.

Sunday, May 18–Antiques on Central, 5037 N. Central-Uptown Plaza, 1 – 3 p.m.

This month Get Your PHX is checking out Phoenix Theatre’s newly renovated space on McDowell and Central Ave. Join us for exclusive access to the VIP lounge with our very own private bar and expansive view of the sculpture garden below. 

In addition, Phoenix Theatre is also giving Get Your PHX an exclusive $10 discount on tickets to see either Les Miserables or Avenue Q performing that same night, Thursday, May 22nd. Tickets are selling fast, so be sure to take advantage of this offer before it’s sold out!

The discount can be redeemed when purchasing tickets online at http://www.phoenixtheatre.com/ with the promo code: GETYOURPHX, or by calling the Box Office 602.254.2151 (Open Monday – Friday 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.)

TO BE CLEAR: The Get Your PHX event is free. If you would like to take advantage of this special offer for the productions, please purchase your tickets either online or over the phone.

Recent expansions have transformed the theater into a multistory venue with a soaring glass atrium, Black Box Theater, additional rehearsal spaces, and deluxe full bar and lounge areas. 

The new Hormel Black Box Theater is entirely unique because both the stage and the seating are flexible enabling each director and creative team to adjust how they want the audience to view their show. 

If you guessed that Hormel was the canned ham company, you are right! They generously donated funding to construct the new Black Box Theater, featuring Avenue Q.

Over its 93 seasons, the theater has featured numerous fantastic shows and even jumpstarted the career of one very notable director… Steven Spielberg!

Growing up in Scottsdale, Steven Spielberg was an unknown trying to break into the industry and looking for his big shot. Phoenix Theatre recognized great things were in store for the young Spielberg and agreed to screen his very first film. Obviously they are great at spotting talent! 

Spielberg has never forgotten his roots and has made numerous trips to visit the Phoenix Theatre every since. Most recently he stopped in to visit after renovations were completed a few months ago.

We’re very thankful and thrilled to have this one-of-a-kind experience with Phoenix Theatre to share with our friends and neighbors. Don’t forget to RSVP below!

FREE EVENT + Special Optional Discount
What: May Get Your PHX: Phoenix Theatre
When: May 22nd, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Phoenix Theatre: 100 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85004

Thank you to all the folks at the Groove on Grand, and, of course, our partners at Local First Arizona for a HUGE event last month.

This month Get Your PHX is heading to the Pressroom off Madison and 5^th this month. Built in the 1920’s, this historic red brick building has now transformed into a premier event venue with 1000+person indoor capacity, ample outdoor area and a recently added full bar.

Have you noticed recently how many great music venues are popping up downtown? We’ve come a long way, baby!

Also performing  exclusively for Get Your PHX attendees is Scandalesque, an exciting burlesque style show created by Julianna Curtis (Lady Fontayne) and Christy Zandlo (Pyrrha), two professional dancers and choreographers. Scandalesque features live music, dance theater, comedy, and circus arts into their must-see shows.

It says a lot about the arts and creative class in Phoenix that this group has not only survived, but thrived.

We are excited and curious to see how owners Jason Charles and Narender Raju have upgraded the 14,000 square foot space, which once housed the most modern printing press in Arizona.

Adaptive reuse has been gaining some serious popularity since the City of Phoenix began the push back in 2008. This space, specifically, is a reflection of how we can retain the remarkable originality of great historic architecture downtown.

You can learn more and see updates on Facebook, but please reserve your spot for Get Your PHX here: Pressroom RSVP

*This is a free event.

When: April 17^th, 5:30p.m. – 7:30p.m.

Where: 441 W. Madison, Phoenix, AZ 85003 (Map It)

Specials: Free raffle ticket; $5 drink special, courtesy of the Pressroom

This post is the third in what I hope will become a 35-video series of videos. These are the neighborhoods that have officially-recognized historic designation.

So, while there are many neighborhoods in Phoenix with beautiful older homes full of character, folks are always asking me about these. So, I figured I’d put some of what I know on videos. This project may take a while, so please come back and check it out again soon.

And, of course, if you are looking to buy or sell in historic, older or unique Phoenix neighborhoods, please contact me at 602-456-9388.

3. F.Q. Story

To see #2 in this series, click this link.