All press is good press

Downtown and midtown Phoenix got some unexpected positive press recently from a pretty unlikely source. Paul Rogers of MyFord Magazine, a publication produced by Ford Motor Company and sent to all registered Ford owners, spent a few days in Phoenix to test out the new Ford Fiesta and-- instead of staying in the typical suburban environs-- spent his time downtown.

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.

More Fridays

Last weekend's Art Detour (most know it as the annual event where First Friday lasts all weekend) reminded me of a couple years back when the detour weekend didn’t coincide with a First Friday. Attendance for that Art Detour was way down and many of the artists and gallery owners who participate in First Fridays and Art Detour blamed the decision to sever Art Detour from First Fridays. Still, I wish they could have stuck with that experiment. I liked the idea of getting people into the arts district and Roosevelt Row more than just 12 times per year (and I’m sure a lot of the downtown restaurants and businesses did too). Perhaps some year in the future Art Detour can merge with a Third Friday to help that night’s art walk take off and at least give us 13 crazy Friday nights a year.

A holiday aberration, or a sign of the future?

Yesterday's First Fridays was the most poorly-attended version of the event I can remember since I started attending regularly in 2004. The question is why-- the insane heat, the fact it was Fourth of July and everyone who stayed in town was watching fireworks or the Diamondbacks, or whether the new rules on street vending have had some effect.

I happen to favor the restrictions on the vendors-- for a while it seemed First Fridays was turning into Phoenix's largest garage sale-- and happen to think that even if the crowds dissipate somewhat because of the absence of the vendors, that the focus will turn back to the art in the various galleries. And that's where it belongs.

A city dweller's guide to Super Bowl XLII

No, Phoenix is not Boston or New York. That's hardly a revelation. But visitors here for the Super Bowl wishing to take in a little urban culture in the desert should look carefully, because there are some great finds in our city as well.

I've compiled a list of downtown Phoenix "city culture" that our guests should check out if they want an escape from the bleached-blonde vapidity of Scottsdale or the beer-soaked environments of Tempe and Glendale (or the suburban sameness of everywhere else):


* First Fridays Art Walk. Friday, February 1, 2008, 6-11 p.m.; sites all over downtown and uptown Phoenix but concentrated at Third Street and Roosevelt Street and Grand Avenue at Fifteenth Avenue (for details see artlinkphoenix.com). More than 10,000 people descend on downtown Phoenix monthly to check out the artwork in the various avante garde downtown galleries (which stay open late on this night). The art is really hit or miss, although I recommend checking out what's new at the Bragg's Pie Factory at 1301 NW Grand Avenue or taking in the Gold Spot Gallery at Third Avenue and Roosevelt Street.


* Downtown breakfast and lunch. At this point in downtown Phoenix's nascent renaissance, the restaurant scene is further ahead than the nightlife options (although I'll discuss those as well). There are terrific options for breakfast and dinner downtown. First, breakfast-- Matt's Big Breakfast is the gold standard for breakfast and lunch in Phoenix; Palatte opened last summer in a renovated historic home at 606 N. Fourth Avenue and serves healthy breakfast and lunch options and has a nice outside patio; and for the really adventurous the Welcome Diner serves limited breakfasts and lunches in a Depression-era/Route 66 diner-on-wheels (seating nine individuals) in the Garfield neighborhood.

[Matt's Big Breakfast, 801 N. First Street, 7:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.; Palatte, 606 N. Fourth Avenue, 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; Welcome Diner, 924 E. Roosevelt Street, 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.]


* Downtown dinner. Everybody knows about Pizzeria Bianco, the downtown wood-fired pizza that has won multiple awards and was even called (by an out-of-town reviewer) "the best pizza in the world." It's great food and is worth the wait when you couple a trip there with stops at next-door Bar Bianco and the brand-new Cross and Crown English pub across the way. But if you'd like to avoid the three-hour waits that can be common at Pizzeria Bianco, check out Cibo in the Roosevelt Historic District next to downtown Phoenix. It's in a refurbished 1920's house and has a great selection of pizza, wines, and desserts (try the crepes with nutella). Another great spot for bohemian adventurers is Fate, which serves inexpensive pan-Asian fare in a restored historic home just off Roosevelt Street. Fate is even more of a destination these days thanks to its recently-opened Next Door outdoor bar. Fate is open until 3:00 a.m. on the weekends, which is great for those living the NYC lifestyle, as is Carly's, an avante garde sandwich place with a great beer selection, open until at least 2:00 a.m. on weekends.

[Pizzeria Bianco 623 E. Adams St., 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.; Bar Bianco, 609 E. Adams St., 4:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.; Cross and Crown Pub, across from Pizzeria Bianco, call ahead for hours; Cibo, 603 N. Fifth Avenue, 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. weekends, earlier weekdays; Fate, 905 N. Fourth Street, open until 2:00 a.m. Friday and 3:00 a.m. Saturday; Carly's, 128 E. Roosevelt Street, open until 2:00 a.m. on weekends. (Keep in mind these places will be mobbed on First Fridays (Feb. 2), but other than Pizzeria Bianco should be only moderately busy on other nights.)]


* Nightlife. Downtown Phoenix is just starting to develop a nightlife scene and its current options are very limited, but for those who get tired of Scottsdale's fakeness or Tempe's college scene, there are some quality spots to relax and try some great beer. Go to the Roosevelt Tavern, owned by the same couple that runs Matt's Big Breakfast, featuring multiple beers on tap including Tempe's own Kiltlifter, plus some clever takes on bar munchies, and take in a scene that features everything from prep school teachers to beatniks (yes, Phoenix has some). A great discovery just two blocks away is the Lost Leaf, which has more than 75 varieties of domestic and imported bottled beers (that will seem really cheap by east coast standards). A nice, authentic Irish pub will help the Bostonians get over any brief homesickness, and that's what you'll find at Seamus McCaffrey's in the heart of downtown, which usually features live music on weekends. Finally, for wine lovers, a stop at Cheuvront (beware- it closes early) or Silver might be a good option.

[Roosevelt Tavern, 816 N. Third Street, open until 2:00 a.m. on weekends; Lost Leaf, 914 N. Fifth Street, open until 2:00 a.m. every night; Seamus McCaffrey's, 18 W. Monroe Street; Cheuvront, 1326 N. Central Avenue, open until midnight on weekends; Silver, Second Street and Washington Street, call for hours.]