Distrito, Take Two
After a very positive experience dining at Distrito in downtown Scottsdale, located inside The Saguaro, my friend and I stopped in to try the Blue Demon Express Lunch before we headed off to a meeting. In the daytime, the atmosphere is still colorful and pleasant in the dining room. On a nice day you can sit on the patio that looks out over Scottsdale Civic Center Park and enjoy the sunshine at picnic-style tables.
 Distrito Burger © Judy Hedding |
The online lunch menu is outdated and prices have risen, including the price for the Blue Demon Express which is now $17.50 instead of $15. This special isn't especially fast, as the name might indicate (lunch took nearly an hour), but it does provide a savings over ordering a la carte if you find a combination that appeals to you. It includes your choice of one first course, one second course and a soft drink. Not a cheap lunch at over $20 per person with tax and tip, but this isn't intended to be cheap food either.
I ordered the Chilango Chop Salad (a la carte $8) and Carne Asada (a la carte $14) and my friend ordered the Tortilla Soup (a la carte $7) along with a Distrito Burger (a la carte $12). So, couple those with a soft drink and we got a bargain, financially speaking. Unfortunately, lunch was not a success on a variety of levels.
Read More...8 Free Things To Do In and Around Phoenix - February 2012
This week you can learn CPR, celebrate black history, crawl some techs, see Arizona memorabilia, save your sight, watch fastballs, deal with disease and make your kids stop biting you.
This column includes activities and programs in the Greater Phoenix area that have free admission. If you are looking for fundraisers, seminars, workshops, and other community programs that have an admission charge, or where donations are expected, I have a separate column for those. I call them "Phoenix Area Programs, Fundraisers & Events" and you can find those listings in my blog. They tend to cover a wider range of dates than a week, because advance registration is often required. For a long list of programs and festivals that are annual events in Greater Phoenix check the calendar.
Upcoming Phoenix Area Programs, Fundraisers & Events (Issue #17)
In this issue: centennial bike ride, taco week, zoo walk, fashion show, pet walk, munchies with an author, composting, brain cancer walk, rescue dogs, golf tournament, a bed race, casino games fundraiser, sanza, symphony, an Irish band, chef's studio and fishing fun.
This column includes announcements of seminars, workshops, community events, fundraisers and other programs for which there is an admission charge, a donation expected or you are otherwise expected to spend money, such as shopping events. Advance registration is required at some these events, so you might see them listed here weeks before they are scheduled to occur.
If you are looking for programs or activities where there is no charge for admission, you can check my weekly "Free Things To Do" column (it comes out every Monday), or check the monthly calendar of recurring annual events.
Events are presented here in date order.
Mesa Flash Mob
Saturday, February 11, 2012: flash mob starts at 1 p.m., you should arrive at 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, February 11, 2012: flash mob starts at 3 p.m., you should arrive at 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 12, 2012: flash mob starts at 2 p.m., you should arrive at 12:30 p.m.
 © Getty |
The Mesa Flash Mobs are being held in conjunction with the Mesa Takes Flight event. To learn the flash mob dance steps, please watch the videos on the Mesa Arts Center's Mesa Takes Flight Dance at YouTube. Begin Part 1 and move through Part 9; you'll find them on the right side of the page. The full dance takes about around 6 minutes.
There is no charge to participate. I took a look at the videos and it's going to take some practice, so get to work!
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Phoenix Restaurant Inspections - January 2012
Although it seems popular with online reviewers, the worst offender during the month of January had 8 significant violations on their latest restaurant inspection, mostly revolving around proper food temperatures and cleanliness. Most of the serious offenders in January were Asian restaurants, with a few pizza places sprinkled in. Do you stop eating at your favorite restaurant when they fail their inspection? It's difficult, I know!
This list represents those restaurants (not schools, caterers, corporate cafeterias, bakeries or other food processing businesses) that had five or more Risk Factor violations -- those that are considered a risk for foodborne illness -- during their last inspection. There is no magic to that number; a restaurant that had that many Risk Factors would be one that I'd avoid, at least until they had subsequent inspections showing more understanding of safe food preparation standards and concern for their patrons.
Here is the list of those restaurants in Maricopa County which had 5 or more Risk Factors noted on their last inspection. After you peruse that, please take a look at the many Phoenix area restaurants that achieved perfect inspections during the month of January 2012.
Read More...Arizona Best Fest
At the Arizona State Capitol
© Judy Hedding
When: Saturday, February 11, 2012 from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday, February 12, 2012 from noon to 6 p.m. Here is the schedule of events.
Where: Arizona State Capitol area from 10th Avenue to 17th Avenue along Centennial Way (Washington Street)
How much: Admission is free
Recommendation: Try using public transportation instead of driving
More information: www.AZ100YEARS.org
17 Free Things To Do In and Around Phoenix - February 2012
This week you can breathe healthy, go to a birthday party, listen to sustainable music, take flight, spring into art, meet cool baseball players, hear a chamber choir, protect your identity, enjoy history, get into science, hear an AZ concert, go to another centennial party, explore dots, deal with Alzheimer's and see a holiday movie.
This column includes activities and programs in the Greater Phoenix area that have free admission. If you are looking for fundraisers, seminars, workshops, and other community programs that have an admission charge, or where donations are expected, I have a separate column for those. I call them "Phoenix Area Programs & Events - Fee or Donation" and you can find those listings in my blog. They tend to cover a wider range of dates than a week, because advance registration is often required. For a long list of programs and festivals that are annual events in Greater Phoenix check the calendar.
Sedona International Film Festival
Several Arizona films and filmmakers are represented among the 145 official selections of the 2012 Sedona International Film Festival. Twelve films with Arizona ties will be screened at four locations throughout Sedona including the new Mary D. Fisher Theater, which will be inaugurated during the Festival and serve as the official screening venue for Sedona International Film Festival films.
Arizona-connected films include: Read More...
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon
 © PF Chang's |
P.F. Chang's also partnered with Tsingtao Lager, China's #1 beer, to create a specialty cocktail, the P.F. Chang's Dragon Punch. Try one at one of their eight locations in the metro Phoenix area (Chandler, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe). Did you know that P.F. Chang's also just introduced a new lunch menu, with more than 20 lunch combinations for under $10? I haven't tried it yet....
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18 Free Things To Do In and Around Phoenix - February 2012
This week you can be a tough girl, prepare for baby, Zumba, see a tense movie, improve your body and mind, look at heroes, play old time ball, hear an AZ concert, love a loaf, ooh and aah over cars, hear energetic music, dedicate a plaza, analyze ceramics, send a kid to boot camp, share your passion, become a knight, grow a beard and get tax help.
This column includes activities and programs in the Greater Phoenix area that have free admission. If you are looking for fundraisers, seminars, workshops, and other community programs that have an admission charge, or where donations are expected, I have a separate column for those. I call them "Phoenix Area Programs & Events - Fee or Donation" and you can find those listings in my blog. They tend to cover a wider range of dates than a week, because advance registration is often required. For a long list of programs and festivals that are annual events in Greater Phoenix check the calendar.