HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS MONTH’S EDITION
• The Sheraton Downtown Phoenix Hotel wins Arizona’s Most Admired Companies Award.
• The Ritz-Carlton welcomes new Executive Chef Stephen Toevs to the kitchen.
• MIM opens a new exhibit in honor of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort was recently named a 2011 Gold Tee winner by Meetings & Conventions magazine that placed the resort among elite groups earning top honors for their onsite facilities. This highly coveted award is given annually to outstanding golf and meeting properties worldwide. Winners of the Gold Tee Award were nominated and selected by readers of M&C based on their overall excellence. Seventy-eight properties earned enough votes to win the Gold Tee Award in 2011.

Hyatt Regency Phoenix and AAA are making vacation possibilities a reality this summer for AAA/CAA members travelling to Phoenix. Members can enjoy a 10 percent savings off the Hyatt daily rate and a complimentary full breakfast for two at Terrace Café for stays through Sept. 6.

Summer at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North promises poolside relaxation, sunrise hikes to Pinnacle Peak, starry nights, and above all – indulgent getaways with superb value. While staying at the resort, families can enjoy the complimentary Kids for All Seasons program, open daily from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., for guests 5-12 years old. For families, the resort will be offering the “Very Important Kids” package, with rates beginning at $184 per night, June 1 to Aug. 31. The package includes $100 Resort credit for every two paid consecutive nights, family-themed “make your own snack mix” turndown amenity, one complimentary in-room family movie during stay, and one voucher per child (up to two per room) to receive one complimentary poolside smoothie during stay. Additionally, the resort extends complimentary meals in the restaurants to children under age 5, and surprises the youngest travelers with an age-specific welcome amenity. Families also can choose from a weekly calendar of events at the resort, including offerings such as stargazing, family hikes and “Pajama Jam,” where children enjoy pizza and a movie and parents can enjoy a night out in Talavera or Crescent Moon.

Joie de Vivre Hotels, the West Coast-based company known for its fun, whimsical boutique hotels, will introduce its first property outside of California in Greater Phoenix this fall. The Drinkwater, the 195-room hotel is currently being reimaged to showcase the colorful, vibrant spirit of the Southwest by Peter Stamberg and Paul Areriat of Stambeg Areriat Architecture. The Drinkwater takes its name from its location and entrance on Drinkwater Boulevard, which in turn was named for Scottsdale’s former mayor, Herb Drinkwater.

Plant yourself in the lush gardens of the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess and rake in the hot summer deals. This summer, the AAA Five-Diamond resort is offering the “Sip, Savor & Splash Package,“ which includes a $50 dining credit, starting at $159, per night. To accommodate the whole family, the “Playcation Family Package” includes two Kids Resort Dining Passes, two full-day admissions to the new Bobcat Billy’s Clubhouse for kids (5-12) and one complimentary court time session at the John Austin Center for Tennis. Rates start from $179 per night. Both deals are good through Sept. 22, or based upon availability.

Find your way to the Arizona Science Center and experience their latest exhibit MAZES, an unforgettable adventure that’s sure to challenge, entertain and amaze visitors of all ages. Get lost in over 9,000 square feet of mind-blowing adventures, 3-D puzzles and full-body games. Admission to MAZES is free for members and groups of 15 or more and $3 for non-members. Then, on August 20, come support Global Awareness Day and learn how your actions affect the world around you and discover how to support global sustainability through a number of fun activities, displays and presentations by organizations throughout the Valley.

The Heard Museum will feature Native performers to mark the unofficial end of summer on Labor Day. Experience another world champion as Brian Hammill (Ho Chunk), the 2009 World Champion Hoop Dancer, showcases his skills on Monday, Sept. 5. Free with museum admission.

Turn all ears to The Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre’s Hot August Nights Concert Series to see performances by notable tribute bands including The Magic of Manilow on Aug. 11, Abba Fab, Aug. 18, AZ Diamond, Aug. 19 & 20, That Kool Band, Aug. 21 & 22 and Piano Man, Aug. 25. Pay no more that $39 for any of the performances, dinner included, with the exception of That Kool Band performances, which are $15 per ticket and are concert only.

Get a blast from the past and embark on a historical adventure with Arizona’s newest outfitter, Arizona Frontiers. Experience the history of Arizona through personal tours led by scholars with an extensive knowledge of historical and ancient Arizona. Guests get to choose between a Sedona & Sinagua Ruins Tour, which stops at both Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well ($110 per adult, $60 per child 12 & under), or a Hohokam Ruins Tour, which stops at Casa Grande National Monument and Pueblo Grande ($55 per adult, $30 per child 12 & under).

LON’s at The Hermosa Inn will offer a “Holiday Roasts from the Grill” class on November 12. What better place to enjoy Holiday’s in the outdoors than Phoenix. Join Chef Jeremy Pacheco and learn how to cook your entire Holiday meal from the grill. For starters and snacks guests will make spiced and spiked cider, fall fruit sangria, smoked pork sliders and grilled potatoes. Then move on to whole brined and grilled turkey; smoked prime rib and pork; green beans and mushrooms; Maple grilled sweet potato and bacon Brussels sprouts. Reservations required. Price is $49 per person.

Prado at Montelucia Resort & Spa is serving the summer months right with hot deals and meals that include a three course prix-fixe menu of Chef de Cuisine, Peter DeRuvo’s favorite seasonal dishes. This special menu will be offered exclusively from 5 – 6 p.m. and priced at $40 per person only through Sept. 1.

Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain will offer its popular “Lunch & Learn” series which returns for their 10th summer in a row. Cooked up by the award-winning resort’s own culinary star, Executive Chef Beau MacMillan, the weekly events bring guests together with culinary masters, wine makers and TV’s top chefs for afternoons and evenings of cooking, conversation and camaraderie in The Views Ballroom. The Saturday lunch series with the Sanz Family, sixth-generation winemakers in northwestern Spain, will continue through Aug. 27 with phoenix star chefs Aaron May and Matt Carter, along with the producers of Food Network’s The Best thing I Ever Ate. Classes are from 12 -2:30 p.m. The $75 per person ticket covers a three-course meal and take-home recipes. For the evening, a dinner engagement is scheduled for Aug. 20, from 6 -10 p.m. Priced at $125, the special dinners include all the features of the lunches, plus live entertainment. If you want to keep the fun rolling after lunch, book a Friday or Saturday night stay at a special room rate of $169.

Throughout the month of October, Arizona Stronghold Vineyards will donate a portion of the proceeds from each individual sale of their Dayden Rosé directly to the Southern Arizona Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. Drink Pink this October by purchasing your own bottle of Dayden Rosé for only $13 to help support the fight against breast cancer.

-The Devoured Culinary Classic comes to the Phoenix Art Museum this March
-Take advantage of Spring specials offered at several valley resorts
-MLB All-Star Week will be hosted this July in Phoenix

Known for its exceptional service and luxurious surroundings, JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa has completed a $16 million renovation of its rooms, suites and corridors to transform its 950 guest rooms to private sanctuaries. Connecting interior space with the outdoors, the new guest rooms at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa feature textured desert sand carpeting and wall coverings; contemporary lighting treatments; refinished armoires, sofas, chairs and furnishings; floor-to-ceiling sheer drapes; and artwork depicting warm desert landscapes, indigenous flora and fauna.

Newly renovated Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort provides guests with more than a plain-jane pool. Tucked away in the North Phoenix Mountains, Pointe Hilton’s Falls Water Village offers guests a personal oasis just in time for spring. With more than three acres of pools surrounded by cascading waterfalls, guests can relax in private cabanas and soak up the Arizona sun.

Spring at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North promises poolside relaxation, sunrise hikes to Pinnacle Peak, starry nights, and – above all – indulgent getaways with superb value. While at the Resort, enjoy a variety of complimentary amenities, including weekly tequila tasting, wine education, guided hikes to Pinnacle Peak Park, stargazing and the comprehensive Kids For All Seasons children’s activity program.

This summer, Hotel Valley Ho will feature  live music at the OH Pool. On Fridays from March 4th through July 1, Elvis Before Noon can be heard mixing modern and retro sounds. Enjoy specialty cocktails and beer and food discounts. Saturdays from April 2nd through October 29th, DJ P-Body will be spinning tunes from today and the fifties. He can also be heard Sundays, Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day weekends.

If you live green, it’s likely you’ll want to vacation green. Kimpton’s FireSky is proud to be Arizona’s only Green Seal certified stay. In addition to creature comforts and a keen location in Old Town Scottsdale, the hotel’s eco practices include a mix of recycling, composting and resource-management efforts – all of which resonate deeply with leisure and business travelers alike. Beyond being planet-friendly, the green getaway package is loco for local.

W Scottsdale is partnering with Lululemon Athletica to offer a new weekly yoga series, Sip & Stretch. Starting April 7, W Scottsdale will host a one hour yoga session each Thursday through the month of May. Sip & Stretch is free for hotel guests and locals and will take place on the hotel’s rooftop WET deck where yoga instructors from top studios in the Valley will lead class each week. Afterwards, an extended happy hour will be held where fellow yogis can mix and mingle at W Scottsdale’s Mediterranean-inspired open-air lounge, Shade, while cooling down with a refreshing cocktail.

Springtime in the desert doesn’t usually conjure up visions of blossoms en masse, but at The Hermosa Inn, a jewel of a desert hideaway, there is no more lush season to enjoy an abundance of aromatic flowers in the most glorious of weather. Families, couples and executives alike flock to The Hermosa and LON’s, its acclaimed AAA Four Diamond restaurant, to enjoy the beautiful plant life.

Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain will help shake the end-of-weekend blues with free Sundays in Paradise starting March 6, 2011.  Designed as an opportunity for locals to meet and mingle, Sundays in Paradise will take place on Sanctuary’s Paradise Views lawn from 2-6 p.m. through June 5, 2011*, with live entertainment courtesy of the resort.  To celebrate, Sundays will showcase live music including the Walt Richardson Band, SugahBeats and EastonAshe.

Back to Top

Ever since it first opened its doors in April of last year, the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) has proven to be a valuable cultural and educational resource for the greater Phoenix community. Arizona K–12 teachers will have a golden opportunity to do so free of charge this March. For the entire month, the museum will offer complimentary admission to all Arizona K–12 teachers, registered student teachers, school principals, and home-school educators who present a school-issued ID or (for home-school educators) an affidavit of intent at the Guest Service desk upon entering the museum. MIM also participates in the Bank of America Museums on Us® (MOU) program, which provides Bank of America and Merrill Lynch cardholders free general admission to 150 of the nation’s finest arts, cultural, and educational institutions during the first full weekend of every month.

Arizona Science Center is proud to present their newest permanent gallery, The W.O.N.D.E.R. Center, which is now open. An exploration of the original super computer, the human brain, this visionary new gallery will examine the anatomy of the brain, neuroscience, development, and thought to further our mission to inspire, educate and entertain people of all ages about science.

The Valley Youth Theatre Presents Alice in Wonderland. Experience the enchantment and follow Alice down the rabbit hole. Regarded as one of the greatest children’s books ever written, Lewis Carroll’s cherished story will delight and engage children and adults alike. Join Alice as she chases the White Rabbit, races the Dodo Bird, and beats the Queen of Hearts at her own game. With dozens of madcap characters, this is one exciting journey you won’t want to miss.

This spring, crustaceans will scuttle to Sea Life Arizona with the opening of its newest display, Claws. The five-tank Claws exhibit  features Japanese spider crabs, which can grow to 15-feet across, and coconut crabs, named for their ability to crack open coconuts with the power of their claws. Guests journey to a world where even the tanks have sprouted claws to see the extraordinary weapons and defenses of these fascinating alien-like creatures of the deep. Interactive features, such as a touch display that allows guests to feel the shell textures of different crabs, make learning about these animals a thrilling experience.

Seven new tenants recently joined the rapidly growing Scottsdale Quarter, a 28-acre shopping, dining and entertainment district at Scottsdale Road and Greenway-Hayden Loop. In January, the Quarter welcomed Paris Optique,  Elan Style, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, Parc Central, TK’s Urban Tavern and Avalon Spa and Nails. Eddie V’s Prime Seafood is the most recent addition.

Six days of food, fun and sun await you at the Scottsdale Culinary Festival April 5-10 in downtown. Kick off the weekend at the Eat, Drink & Be Pretty Party, a fashion-forward event with food and wine from more than a dozen restaurants. Don’t miss the signature Great Arizona Picnic at the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall with loads of family friendly food fun like the Challenge to the Chefs in-kitchen battle reminiscent of “Iron Chef”. Or, watch cooking demonstrations and sip on wine and cocktails at the Cooks & Corks event, which also utilizes freshly grown produce from the Civic Center’s Giving Garden.

Two Mountain Lion cubs are now on temporary display at the Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium Baby Animal Nursery. These are the first mountain lions ever to be featured at Wildlife World in its 26-year history. Since its inception, Wildlife World has focused on featuring an ever-growing list (currently over 600 species) of nonnative exotic and endangered species from all over the globe. However, given the elusive nature of these large predators and their importance to maintaining a healthy ecosystem, zoo officials leapt at the educational opportunity to bring these animals to the West Valley during the spring months, when school field trips are at their highest levels.

Back to Top

The new “Just Bring Your Swing!” package at JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa makes planning a breeze; the package includes accommodations, daily unlimited golf for two, daily golf club and shoe rental, two sleeves of Callaway golf balls and a course yardage guide.

Camelback Inn’s two eighteen-hole championship golf courses were designed by world-renowned course architect Arthur Hills and the ninth hole at the resort’s Padre Course’s was voted best water hole in the state by Arizona Golf magazine.  The property—which recently received its 35th consecutive AAA Five Diamond Award—also offers six tennis courts, a 32,000 square-foot spa, three swimming pools, and seven restaurants and lounges

Adults can have a ball at clinics of their own at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, such as Tequila & Tennis, a round-robin tennis tourney for all skill levels, followed by margaritas, chips and salsa from La Hacienda. Other fun features include Cardio Tennis: a heart-pumping, great exercise class that burns calories and gets players in shape. Classes are underway now and are offered three mornings every week. Other adult activities include “Drills & Skills” and “Dominating Doubles” clinics for the intermediate to advanced players and “Play Days” where players are matched for round-robin doubles.

Troon Golf introduces the new Troon Family Golf program, making the game more accessible to junior golfers and their families at Troon North Golf Club in Phoenix, Ariz., and 60 other participating Troon Golf facilities throughout the United States.  Troon Golf and Troon North are making a conscious effort to lead the way with introducing juniors to the game of golf in a simple and affordable way.

At the new John Austin Center for Tennis at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, one might find the next Roger Federer, Venus or Serena polishing his or her power serve. Bringing the spotlight back to tennis at the AAA Five-Diamond resort, Wimbledon champion John Austin has joined the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess as the Director of Tennis, overseeing the development of all tennis programming, special event play, local memberships, youth tennis and community outreach for the resort. The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess has also renamed its tennis facilities: the John Austin Center for Tennis.

Back to top

The Golden Door Spa at The Boulders Resort introduces a Just for Him; a male-friendly spa package designed for the industry’s growing male clientele. An ideal package to enjoy after a rock climbing on the granite boulders or a round of golf, the spa package includes: Gentlemen’s Facial, Sports Pedicure, a choice of: Ashiatsu, Golfer’s Massage, or Golden Door Massage and followed by lunch at the Golden Door Spa Café.

Back to Top

The Arizona Biltmore is inviting you to step “Inside the Chef’s Studio” and learn from noted cookbook authors and food writers how to whip up delicious gourmet dishes. A one-of-a-kind series of special weekend cooking classes at the legendary resort, Inside the Chef’s Studio is an exiting opportunity to learn from master chefs and personalities of the culinary world – whose cookbooks you’ve seen in the bookstores, and whose articles you’ve read in leading food magazines.

If your appetite requires more than sunshine, Pointe Hilton dishes up culinary experiences at a Different Pointe of View and Pointe in Thyme. The contemporary American-inspired mountaintop restaurant, Different Point of View, has floor-to-ceiling windows with matchless dinnertime view of the Valley’s scenic landscape and sunsets. Also a favorite, Pointe Hilton’s Pointe in Thyme serves lunch, dinner and cocktails late into the evening.

For the ultimate romantic experience, Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale introduces “celestial picnics” under the stars.  Guests can customize a menu with Executive Chef Mel Mecinas tailored toward romance. Paired with a bottle of Champagne or wine of the guest’s choice, the picnic is packaged in a deluxe basket with all the traditional accoutrements. To enhance the evening, a telescope for stargazing and a celestial talk and guided stargazing session by astronomer Richard Allen can be arranged.

Create new kinships at the dawn of the New Year.  Join J&G Steakhouse as they debut a monthly Full Moon Tasting, an evening of new tastes and new people. Located on J&G’s spectacular panoramic patio atop The Phoenician, this $25 all-inclusive tasting will feature an assortment of tray passed small bites, cocktails and wine. The first full moon of the year will be on Wednesday, January 19th, and will happen each month thereafter.

With the launch a new dining environment in 2010 called the Red Sun Lounge, Sushi Roku which is located at the chic W Scottsdale, has been wowing diners with their award winning “east meets west” cuisine in this new al fresco space.  With the introduction of the new year, Sushi Roku has ushered in a brand new menu for 2011 that highlights their multi-course Omakase style dining, while providing a variety of options in a three-course format that is debuting for $23. Offered daily from 5:30-6:30pm, the Sunset Menu features everything from Red Snapper “Usuzukuri”, Miso Eggplant Dengaku and Kurobuta Kakuni to Baked Crab Hand Rolls and assorted raw samplings.

Intercontinental Montelucia Resort and Spa’s renowned restaurant Prado has a new Chef de Cuisine.  Peter DeRuvo has   served as Executive Chef of Sassi, a Four Diamond Italian Restaurant located in North Scottsdale and recently was asked to cook at the James Beard House in New York City. Stop into Prado to experience the freshest Italian-inspired seafood, meats and produce.

Trader Vic’s at Hotel Valley Ho has simplified happy hour, with one food menu and one drink menu available every day. The new happy hour tidbits menu features a variety of $5 items while the new happy hour drink menu includes beer for $3, wines by the glass for $6, cocktails for $5-$7, and classic Vic’s drinks for $6. Happy Hour is Monday – Saturday from 4:00-6:00 p.m. and reverse from 9:00-11:00 p.m. Live music can be heard Fridays and Saturdays from 8:00-11:00 p.m. Happy Hour continues on Sunday from 2:00-9:00 p.m., with live music from 3:00-6:00 p.m.

Back to Top