Happy “Independents” Week from Local First Arizona
Happy “Independents Week!” No, that isn’t a typo, we’re celebrating independent, locally owned businesses with Local First Arizona. This week (June 27 - July 4) almost 200 local businesses are offering a 20% discount when you bring in a Local First “Golden Ticket”.
There are so many wonderful business participating from boutiques to restaurants to professional services. Check out the entire list of participants here and print out a golden ticket here.
Happy Shopping!
CityScape – Downtown Phoenix
The much anticipated CityScape in Downtown Phoenix is celebrating its Grand Opening. This shopping, dining and entertainment district fills a void in the downtown landscape and is accessible via METRO light rail. Many of the businesses are already up and running with more scheduled to open over the next few months. Here's an update on what's there now and what's coming soon.
Designer District
Premium Brand apparel for men and women
West of Soho
Modern Bohemiam fashion at reasonable prices
Par Exsalonce
Full-service salon and day spa
Five Guys Burgers
Casual dining
Urban Outfitters
Clothing, accessories adn housewares for the urban lifestyle.
Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge
Hip bowling lounge with a chance to "eat, drink, and knock down some pins"
Gold's Gym Elite
State-of-the-art co-ed fitness center
CVS
Pharmacy and general needs store
Coming Soon:
The Breakfast Club - Fall 2011
Charming Charlie - OPEN
Chipotle - Fall 2011
Jimmy John's Sandwich Shop - OPEN
Oakville Grocery - OPEN
Rasputin Vodka Bar - Summer 2011
Republic of Couture - OPEN
Sam Fox's The Arrogant Butcher - OPEN
Silk Sushi - October 2011
Stand Up Live - OPEN
Strand Italian - Fall 2011
Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery - OPEN
Vitamin T - OPEN
Yogurtini - Fall 2011
www.cityscapephx.com
Central and Washington in Downtown Phoenix
Kierland Commons
If there's one thing I love to do, it's S-H-O-P! And Kierland Commons happens to be one of the places I enjoy the most. I love it's selection of stores along with its openess and beautiful setting. It really sets the mood for a great day of shopping. They also have an amazing selection of restaurants, so there's always a place to rest your feet and refuel between stores (never underestimate the need to refuel during a shopping excursion - energy is crucial).
My most recent visit to Kierland Commons was for Fashion's Night Out. I needed a little retail therapy after a long week and this was the perfect solution. Kierland is fun any time of day, but evening is especially "magical" with all of the white lights, people strolling around and patios full of happy hour aficionados. Thanks to the celebratory nature of Fashion's Night Out, there was music playing, drinks flowing, deals to be had and a slew of live models showing off the latest must-haves for Fall. The stores really got into the spirit of the evening (Note: although tempting, I steered clear of drinking and shopping - it's hazardous to my wallet!).
Kierland truly has a little bit of everything. Some of my favorite stores include Anthropologie, The French Bee, Michael Kors and Charles David. Of course, they also have the good ol' stand bys like Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, J. Crew, LOFT, Banana Republic and Tommy Bahama (which includes the Cafe). Basically, I can meet all of my shopping needs in one place.
As mentioned, the restaurant selection is stellar as well. Some of my personal favs are The Greene House, Zinc Bistro and Ocean Club (the pretzel bread is to die for.)
But don't just take it from, be sure to check it out for yourself. To see all of their stores and restaurants, go to www.kierlandcommons.com.
Kierland Commons
Greenway Pkwy. and Scottsdale Rd.
Independents Week
It's no secret that here at The Hot Sheet, we're driven to showcase the best of the indie shops. Local businesses are what separates one city from another - one business from another. The charm, unique personality, service and - let's just face it - they're more fun places to be.
So as if you didn't have enough reason to visit a local boutique, restaurant, coffee shop, bar (okay, you get the gist), then this is your week - Independents Week. From today (June 28) through July 4, you get 20% off your purchases at participating members of Local First Arizona, a local non-profit to support independently owned businesses. And because Local First is such a cool organization, pretty much all your favorite places are on the list. (Check out the full list of participating shops.)
But just in case - in all your excitement - you are perplexed about where to visit first, here are a few of our top picks (click their pic to check 'em out):
frances
Urban Cookies
Desert Botanical Garden
The Willows
Bunky Boutique
Heard Museum
See, now your week was looking busier than you thought! To get your 20% off Golden Coupon, and to see a full list of participants, check out the Local First site. Happy outings!
La Grande Orange
La Grande Orange, or LGO for short, is a perfect little neighborhood retreat in central Phoenix. It's really two places in one with La Grande Orange Pizzeria on one side and La Grande Orange Grocery on the other. The Pizzeria side offers a well-balanced menu of salads and pizzas with a few "off the grill" items tossed in for good measure. They are kind enough to label items that are vegetarian, vegan or gluten free which is uber helpful if you care about these things like I do (for me, it's please hold the meat). The pizzas are nothing short of yummy, and I prefer mine topped with a fried egg. Hey, don't knock it 'til you've tried it!
My recent LGO dinner included the Classic Margherita (with egg, of course) followed by a stop on the Grocery side for a Tammie Coe cupcake. Tammie Coe desserts deserve their very own blog post - I'll save that for another day. If you're a bit of a shopaholic like me, then the Grocery can also help you out in that area. They have a fantastic array of items including soaps, candles, kitchen knick knacks, pet treats and more. All of their LGO-logoed stuff is adorable - very retro. And, oh yeah, they have groceries too, including a nice wine selection.
LGO Grocery is also known for it's homemade English muffins that are griddled there every day. These things are so darn good that I'm smiling right now just thinking about them. If, like me, you try one and decide that you can't live without them, then you're in luck. LGO sells them by the dozen and half dozen so that you can enjoy them morning, noon and night.
Well, I think I've rambled on long enough about this fabulous place. Hopefully, you'll get out and give it a try.
La Grande Orange Grocery and Pizzeria
4410 N. 40th Street, Phoenix
www.lagrandeorangegrocery.com
www.lagrandeorangepizzeria.com
Peaceful Soul
*REGRETTABLY, PEACEFUL SOUL HAS CLOSED*
Peaceful Soul is a shop just on the edge of downtown Phoenix on 7th Street next to The Main Ingredient, that always piques the curiosity of drivers-by with the furniture sitting out front. While at first I wondered if it was a new yoga studio, maybe a beverage place, maybe a clothing store, I was excited to hear that they had one of the best collections of furniture in Phoenix.
Drop by and you'll find long rooms filled with pieces from around the country, hand-picked by the owner. Every style, every era - you'll find it here. They sell new pieces, consignment and resale, so to go in with an open mind is your best bet.
One part you must check out - the jewelry "vault." It's literally an old bank vault from when the building was constructed as such in the early 1900s. You'll find some pretty great handbags and accessories in there, too.
If you're a local looking for an eclectic resource for furniture, this is your spot.
Peaceful Soul
2501 N 7th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85006
602-253-8700
