And when I say 'downtown,' I mean it...we're talking not about the relatively predictable and more tourist-friendly spots like the Sheraton and the Arizona Center, we're talking true, gritty downtown spots like Grand Avenue and the Clarendon Hotel. Here's an excerpt:
...in many respects Phoenix still feels like a city on the rise. Nowhere is this more appearant than in the emerging arts district along Grand Avenue...this strip of once derelict motels, storefronts and gas stations is the home of artists and other trendsetters.
Rogers goes on to make positive remarks about his visits to Sapna Cafe and the Paisley Violin on Grand.
Rogers also discusses the origins of First Fridays:
[Grand Avenue's] artsy flavor-- the sculpted lines of my Fiesta fit right in-- traces its roots back to Art Detour, an annual two-day self-guided tour of galleries and studios begun in 1989. The tradition became so popular that, five years later, the nonprofit group that established it made it a monthly event called First Fridays. Roughly 100 arts venues now open their doors to thousands of people on the first Friday evening of every month. Those who come to stroll include students from the downtown campus of Arizona State University, tourists and, especially gratifying for the organizers, suburbanites from Scottsdale.
The article (sorry, the magazine doesn't have an online presence to which to link) goes on to recommend Sapna Cafe, Paisley Violin and Gallo Blanco as well as the Clarendon Hotel for lodging. The story even includes a full-page picture of a white 2011 Fiesta sitting beneath the "Her Secret is Patience" artwork at the Downtown Civic Space.
So take heart, downtowners, what's going on here is still being noticed and appreciated.
2 comments:
I was fortunate enough to be hired for this job as location scout and location manager. As a result, I directed much of the scouting towards places I felt a Ford Fiesta owner would dig.
Plus I love my downtown, especially Grand Avenue.
Too bad Mayor Gordon didn't get as excited about the article as you did, when I passed him a copy. Guess he would have rather me spend time staring at the inward-facing Cityscape, Collier Center, Arizona Center...but I will pass the compliments to the writer, and the photographer Jonathan Kane.
My location scouting site...
http://www.candidlandscapes.com
Steve, thanks. I wondered what was the backstory. Great job steering the writer and photographer to these downtown treasures. Glad we now have all these items to show off to out-of-towners.
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