Tempe Conventions & Visitors Bureau

Working on Mill Avenue, there are a lot of shops I have never been to yet I walk by every day.  One such store is Brand X Custom T-Shirts.  I decided it was time to go in and check it out. Now that I have, I can honestly say that Brand X is great.  It’s locally owned by Charles, who opened it after graduating college.

I was fortunate enough to chat with the man himself and was able to learn more about him and his business.  Charles is a Michigan native and graduated with a degree in business from Michigan State University.  After graduating, he moved to Arizona to work for the Hillstone Restaurant Group, you know, the one that manage some of our favorite valley restaurants.

Charles has always been a big supporter of originality and giving people the opportunity to express themselves.  In July 2006, he rented retail space and started Brand X on Mill Ave.  His store gives people like you and me an outlet to do just that – express ourselves.

If you’ve never been to Brand X before, it’s not like your typical clothing store.  It’s really laid back and you’re not being constantly harassed by sales people every fifteen seconds.  I loved that.  They have designs on the wall and books with pages and pages of images to choose from.  In non-clothing related items, there’s a Super Nintendo downstairs, where you can sit back, play Mario and pretend you’re 10 years old all over again.  The concept of the store that Charles has brought to life is wonderful.

“It’s great,” says Charles.  “My concept needs an urban experience and Mill Ave is just that.”  You can choose from a lots of designs at Brand X and have one put on a t-shirt, long sleeve shirt or hoodie.  They have a variety of different fits in every color you can think of.  If you don’t see a picture that catches your eye, you can bring in your own design.  While I was there, I saw that you can even turn your Instagram photos in iPhone cases, coasters, koozies and more.  For Instagram addicts like myself, I think this is a brilliant idea.  You can buy one shirt or a hundred, it’s all up to you.

“Tempe is full of opportunity.  It’s an exciting time to be part of the city,” Charles points out.   If you haven’t been to Brand X, you should definitely stop in.  They’re located on Mill Avenue, just south of Fourth Street. Visit their website, www.brandxtshirts.com, or give them a call: 480-200-2833.

Four more information about Tempe shopping and events, visit the Tempe Tourism Website or call 800-283-6734.

Whether you’re a world traveler just passing through or a Tempe resident, there are terrific gifts made right here in the Tempe area that are perfect for the holidays. Besides, it’s fun to remind family and friends from far away that you live in a state that still boasts 80 degree temps in December. Give the gift of Tempe this year to spread sunny holiday cheer!

While walking through the beautiful grounds at Desert Botanical Garden, stop in the Garden Shop located near the front entrance to send someone who may be chilly a little piece of sunshine. Shop for desert plants like mini barrel cactus or a colored gem wind chime to hang in the backyard. The Desert Botanical Garden’s Prickly Pear Margarita Mix will surely warm them up from the inside out, matched with brightly decorated margarita glasses and a pitcher as a reminder of sunny times in Tempe.

Locally made Decio Pasta is a delicious gift and something different to send to family and friends out of town.  Decio Pasta has a wide range of products, such as fettuccine pasta, rotini pastas, pasta shells and pasta flowers that are mainly sold at local markets and festivals, or you can order online. The vegetable infused flavors are diverse and delicious like the spinach basil garlic or wild mushroom and Szechuan orange spice. Try a unique flavor like habanero infused pasta for a spicy Arizona twist. You can also order gift baskets from Decio Pasta that include sauces, olive oils, and sun dried tomatoes to accompany the pasta assortments.

After seeing an exhibition at the Gallery at the Tempe Center for the Arts, stop in the TCArt Shop, the gift store located near the main entrance. Inside, you will find fine craft jewelry and scarves, fine art, ceramics and much more all designed by local artists.

Another great place for an artistic gift is the ASU Art Museum Store at the ASU Art Museum, acclaimed as one of the best contemporary art museums in the state of Arizona. This store focuses on artwork from local artists and works by ASU alumni and faculty, such as Street Gems, eco-friendly contemporary jewelry, designed by ASU alumna and faculty associate Ann Morton.

Though you cannot always be with the ones you love during the holidays, let them know you are thinking of them with a unique Tempe gift to cherish through this season and many more. Check out the Tempe Tourism Office shopping page for more retailers in Tempe.

Necklace and box by Phoenix artist Mimi Jardine. Ceramic teapots by Tempe artist Tom Budzak. Photo by Sean Deckert.

“It’s the thought that counts,” goes the old saying. But it never hurts if the gift is nice, too.

This holiday season, the ASU Art Museum Store, in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, is the place in Tempe to find gifts that are thoughtful, beautiful and socially conscious. 

When you shop at the museum store, you’re shopping local. According to Local First Arizona, of which the museum is a member, when shoppers choose to spend their money locally, 73 percent remains in the local economy, compared to just 43 percent from non-local stores. 

And from Dec. 4 to Dec. 22, just in time for Christmas and Hanukkah, the museum store is offering 20 percent off all its merchandise. Museum members receive a whopping 30 percent discount.

Over the past year, the store has moved in a new direction, focusing on local artists and works by ASU alumni and faculty.

ASU School of Art alumna and faculty member Ann Morton is the creative force behind Street Gems, eco-friendly contemporary jewelry made from discarded items such as plastic bottles, bags and caution tape. This wearable art is made by homeless artisans affiliated with Lodestar Day Resource Center in Phoenix. The social initiative gives the jewelry makers the opportunity to learn a new skill and work as a team, helping them feel a sense of pride and connection to the community.

Jewelers Wendy Grace and Mimi Jardine are both Phoenicians, each with a distinctive style. Wendy Grace, who was trained as a sculptor, makes simple, elegant necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings using silver, gold and precious gems; her fans include celebrities like Meredith Vieira and Rachael Ray. And Mimi Jardine constructs one-of-a-kind necklaces that incorporate vintage beads, found objects and elements from her own jewelry collection, including baubles that belonged to her grandmother, each with its own hand-made box.

The store also carries ceramic pieces by highly acclaimed ASU School of Art faculty like Susan Beiner, Sam Chung and Kurt Weiser, as well as works from artists around the world, hand-made greeting cards, imaginative and challenging toys for children, Oaxacan wood carvings and other unusual items, all eligible for the holiday sale discount.

ASU Art Museum store hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m.,Tuesday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday-Saturday. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Ah, the Tempe Festival of the Arts…this is an event that I look forward to every year. From November 30 through December 2, the Tempe Festival of the Arts will fill Mill Avenue District with artists selling everything from jewelry to sculptures to holiday ornaments. It’s a perfect place to find gifts…even if those gifts are for you.

Admission is free and the event is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. This is a juried event, meaning that a committee reviews all of the artists who are interested in participating and then they select the best artisans in each category. There are more than 350 artists at the festival with unique, handmade artwork and cottage edibles and crafts, such as salsa, jam and lotions.

While the festival’s main attraction is the art, there are also street performers and entertainment booths throughout the event. Children can make their own works of art at the Kids Innovation Station. And, everyone can get a taste of roasted corn, fry bread, crepes and more from the food vendors. The Arizona Wine Festival features tastings and sales by the glass, bottle, or case from some of the top Arizona wineries. And, enjoy The Art of Beer featuring local microbrewery sampling and sales from Four Peaks Brewing Co. and Sleepy Dog Brewery.

As a bonus, the Tempe Festival of the Arts is in the Mill Avenue District, so visitors can also take a break in one of the many restaurants and pubs in the area, such as The Handlebar Tempe and the Tavern on Mill. And, many of the retailers along Mill Avenue have specials during the festival weekend. My favorite place to look for great deals is The Shoe Mill.

Trust me. You won’t want to miss the Tempe Festival of the Arts. For more info, go to www.tempefestivalofthearts.com.

It’s that time of year again, that’s right, time to holiday shop. Whether you have a special girl who has just recently come into your life or maybe you have been married for 50 years, there is no other present that ranks as high on your holiday shopping list as the gift for the lady most dear to your heart.

There is no need to stress about finding her the perfect present because Tempe has some of the best shopping areas in town, such as Tempe Marketplace, Mill Avenue and Arizona Mills, where you can find a unique and special gift that she is sure to love.

Charming Charlie, located in The District at Tempe Marketplace, makes finding a gift easy with one simple question, “what is your favorite color, love?” Charming Charlie is easy to navigate with each section organized by color with a selection of earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings, purses, clutches and more. The over sized statement ring is a great pick to give an outfit extra pizzazz. Or, try a sparkly clutch purse that she can tote around the fabulous holiday parties this season. The Kay Jewelry Outlet at Arizona Mills is another great stop for jewelry at a great price. As well as classic diamond selections, they have other gemstones like black rutilated quartz or grey moonstone that gives the gift of jewelry a unique twist. An over sized boyfriend style watch, like the Citizen women’s watch, is another great option.

If clothing is her weapon of choice, Mill Avenue boutiques like Divaz and Pitaya are both great choices that will leave her wondering how you became such a fashion guru. At Pitaya, you will be sure to find something unique because they change out their merchandise weekly. Like Charming Charlie, they divide their items by color, making for easy shopping. Have one of the helpful salespeople from Divaz pick out a piece that will really wow your lady love. This season is all about the “holiday dress” with a high-low hem line, in a color like eggplant purple. Divaz also has a second Tempe location at Tempe Marketplace.

There is nothing like a little pampering to relax during the stress of the holidays, Massage Envy offers gift cards that include gratuity so your lady can take the day off and head to the spa for a massage, facial or maybe both.  You can also find her favorite beauty products from Ulta Beauty, located in Tempe Marketplace. Ulta is known for amazing holiday deals and is the seamless stop for top beauty lines such as Smashbox, Bar Minerals and Philosophy. A great deal featured by these lines are gift sets that cost less than half of the retail value of what you get in the box. The Studio Pops For Lips gift set from Smashbox is a particularly good pick, featuring five of their most popular shades of lip gloss.

To show her how much you care, spoil her a little bit, or a lot a bit, for all the great things she does all year round with something special this holiday season.

In the summer of 2000, I was a freshman in college.  I went to an out of state school, so I was in unfamiliar territory once I drove into town.  Once I unloaded everything into my apartment, it was time to go out and get some school supplies, groceries and all the other essentials.  Christopher Columbus had an easier time sailing to America than I did trying to find a Walmart.

It’s that time of year again, when parents from near and far come to Tempe to drop off their kids at ASU.  If you’re not from Arizona, trying to find a store or a restaurant could be more difficult that it needs to be.

If you need to pick something up for your new dorm room or apartment, Tempe is home to IKEA.  They have everything you need for your new home away from home.  Everything from furniture to home decorating can be found here.

Tempe Marketplace offers a variety of restaurants and stores to choose from and is only located about two miles east of campus.  Home to both large and national retailers, they have stores such as Target, Pier 1, Cost Plus World Imports, Best Buy and JcPenney — perfect for making a dorm room or apartment feel like home. Also, Tempe Marketplace has  free, outdoor concerts every Friday and Saturday night and the Harkins Movie Theater there is home to the largest movie screen in Arizona.

Once you’re all moved in, it’s time to see some of what Tempe has to offer.  Hiking “A” Mountain, located just west of Sun Devil Stadium, off Mill Avenue is a great urban hike that offers breathtaking views of the city.  It’s a fairly easy hike, with both dirt and paved paths up to the peak.  For something a little more relaxing, a walk around Tempe Beach Park or Papago Park is always a great choice.

If you want a little culture, the ASU Art Museum always has great exhibits and has free admission.  The SEA LIFE Arizona aquarium located at Arizona Mills Mall, approximately 15 minutes south of ASU, has over 5,000 creatures and is home to a rescued sea turtle named Ziva.  If you want to travel to other towns, Tempe is just minutes from Phoenix and downtown Scottsdale. If you’re headed to downtown Phoenix for a Diamondbacks game or a museum visit, you can take METRO light rail. There are several light rail stops near campus and in the downtown Mill Avenue District.

These are just a few of the great places and sights that Tempe has to offer.  The Tempe Tourism Office is a great resource for new students and their parents.  Find us at www.tempetourism.com or 800-283-6734.

I’m prideful.  I love knowing all the great places to eat around town that aren’t national chain restaurants.  By no means do I consider myself a foodie but you can call me a wannabe foodie and I’d be okay with that.   To me, finding a great, locally-owned restaurant is like putting on that pair of pants I haven’t worn in a while, reaching in the pocket and finding a $20 bill.

Local First Arizona, a non-profit organization whose primary goal is helping communities and locally owned businesses throughout the state of Arizona, is participating in the Golden Coupon program which offers 20% off at participating members through July 7th.  All you have to do is print the Golden Coupon from their website. They’re celebrating the 10th Anniversary of National Independents Week, which is the week of July 1st through July 7th and encourages you to “go local” by supporting as many locally owned businesses as possible.

Some great Tempe restaurants and shops that I plan on stopping by are:
•    La Bocca Urban Pizzeria & Wine Bar
•    Canteen Modern Tequila Bar
•    Bison Witches
•    Changing Hands
•    Dhaba Indian Plaza
•    Here on the Corner Boutique
•    Hoodlums
•    Ivy
•    Spinato’s

Here’s a full list of the over 200 local businesses that are participating.

Lights along Mill Avenue, nightly snowfalls at Tempe Marketplace and Santa visits at Arizona Mills…’tis the season in Tempe!

The holiday season fills your heart with cheer and fills your mind with a seemingly endless list of all that we need to do in the next few days. One of the most important, yet time consuming, tasks on our to-do lists can be gift shopping. But not this year! Instead of running around all over the Valley, all your holiday needs can be met by shopping in Tempe. Whether you need a gift for your grandma or your boyfriend, Tempe has a gift to offer everyone.

Here’s a list of my favorite Tempe spots where you can find some unique treasures:

1. For your health conscious friend that you just aren’t sure what to get this year, problem solved! Purchase a gift card for Green, a new American vegetarian restaurant that disguises health food as comfort food with their salivating menu.
2. Inspire someone with the performing arts. Purchase tickets to Conder Dance or Childsplay at the Tempe Center for the Arts. Or, buy ticket for STOMP, WICKED or one of the upcoming shows at ASU Gammage.
3. Shop for art at Loft a Go Go, a hip, new store on Mill Avenue that provides the latest prints and accessories.
4. For that special someone, show them you care with roses dipped in 24K gold from Bobbies Flowers & Gift Shop. Be sure to snoop around the gift shop while you’re there too. They have tons of fun items that would fit perfect in a gift basket.
5. Have a friend that you wish you saw more often? Buy a membership for you and them to the Phoenix Rock Gym and experience the thrill and excitement of indoor rock climbing together.
6. Heading to a holiday get-together and need to take a gift? Stop in at Essence Bakery Café and pick up some of their delicious macaroons to take with you. Trust me; you will be the hit of the party!
7. For all your fashionable lady friends, check out Divaz Boutique and Ivy Boutique for designer steals. There is no such thing as having TOO much clothing.

Although it may seem like school just started, it’s already time for parents and families to visit Tempe. So clean up your room and get your grades up now because your parents will be here before you know it!

Family Weekend at Arizona State University (ASU) takes place during the first weekend in October when fall has officially arrived, October 1-2. The weather will finally start to cool off a bit, which opens the door for some fun outdoor activities for you and your family to enjoy. Make this Family Weekend memorable by spending the weekend showing your family around Tempe, ensuring them that they indeed sent you to the right school. Here is a list of some unique and fun things to do with your parents that you may not get to do normally.

1. Plan to wake up early one morning and squeeze in a family hike at Papago Park to start off the day right. There’s a great trailhead located at the southwest corner of College and Curry. Your hike will have everyone feeling fresh and ready to take on the day. After, enjoy a delicious breakfast together in the Mill Avenue District. You earned it! NCounter on Mill is close by and has a mouth-watering menu that will leave everyone satisfied.
2. Spend an afternoon strolling in and out of shops around Tempe Marketplace, an outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment district. Be sure to grab lunch while you’re there too!
3. Plan a fun night out – whether you see a show at ASU Gammage, catch a movie at the IMAX theatre at Arizona Mills, laugh out loud at Tempe Improv, or have happy hour on Mill Avenue – no matter what you choose, you’ll be sure you have smiles on your faces.  
4. Saturday is game day! Show some school spirit and spend the day sporting gold t-shirts, tailgating, and watching ASU crush Oregon State!
5. Embrace the beautiful weather and head to Tempe Town Lake. Rent a paddle boat, kayak, or even attempt stand-up paddle boarding.
6. Take the opportunity to dine at a restaurant that you normally wouldn’t. Enjoy the beautiful outdoor patio at House of Tricks and savor seasonally inspired dishes, or head to Top of the Rock Restaurant at The Buttes, A Marriott Resort for world-class cuisine and breathtaking views of Tempe.

There are so many different ways to spend this Family Weekend, but which options you choose to is up to you! No matter what you decide to do, you and your family will experience a weekend full of memories and be left glowing with ASU pride. 

It’s about that time in Tempe where the weather is beckoning me outside! I want to shop, eat, walk, play and relax in the sunny Arizona climate! Here is my top 6 list of fun things to do in Tempe that are all outside:

1. Shop at Tempe Marketplace – This outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment hub is great for window shopping, listening to live music and strolling under the misters. There are several restaurants that offer outdoor dining such as California Pizza Kitchen, San Felipe’s Cantina, Lucille’s Smokehouse BBQ, D’arcy McGee’s and more. I also love going to the free music concerts that take place every Friday and Saturday night at the outdoor Disctrict Stage area – loads of fun and always a seat open!

2. Stroll Through the Mill Avenue District – Funky shops, unique restaurants and located in the heart of downtown Tempe, Mill Avenue is one of my favorite spots to enjoy the Arizona weather. There’s lots to choose from for dining “al fresco.” The House of Tricks, Z’Tejas Southwest Grill, La Bocca Pizzeria  and Rula Bula are just a few of my regular spots to enjoy a delicious meal in an amazing outdoor patio atmosphere.

3. See the Animals at the Phoenix Zoo – The Phoenix Zoo is exciting every time I go. My niece and nephew love this zoo and are entertained from the moment they enter. Exhibits that I can’t miss are the Orangutans, Monkey Village and Sting Ray Bay. If you get to Sting Ray Bay at the right time you can even feed them! For the kids, my niece and nephew love Harmony Farm, Leapin Lagoon and Yakulla Caverns – they can run around and play while you can sit and relax!

4. Explore the Desert at the Desert Botanical Garden – If you ever thought the Sonoran desert was barren, think again! Discover over 5,000 different types of desert plants on display here. The Succulent Galleries and Wildflower Loop Trail are among my favorite exhibits – they take my breath away. The Garden also offers a variety of outdoor events all year long such as live music concerts and a medley of holiday events.

5. Water Fun at Tempe Town Lake – Love the water? Try out one of the many boating options on Tempe Town Lake. Stand-Up Paddleboarding is both exceptionally fun and physically challenging. The pedal boats are a great choice when you want to relax on the water a bit more. For big groups I recommend renting a pontoon boat. They fit about ten people and are a blast! When you’re done on the water you can spread out a picnic at Tempe Beach Park and soak in the sun.

6. Take a Hike at Papago Park – Papago Park offers every level of hiking and bike trails galore. Breathtaking views can be seen from “Hole in the Rock,” just a short climb up the rock. The hiking and biking trails are abundant and offer stunning views of the Sonoran desert landscape. I love that it’s located in the heart of the Valley because it makes it such a convenient spot to meet up with friends and family to enjoy a hike, walk or picnic in a lovely spot!