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What’s New in Greater Phoenix?
March 2013
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS MONTH’S EDITION:
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| CITY NEWS |
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Visit Phoenix recently launched their 2013 Travel Guide app for Greater Phoenix visitors and has been made available to iPad users. The user-friendly and interactive app allows users to go on a virtual journey throughout the Greater Phoenix area – featuring visual photography and dual-orientation layouts to navigate content easily, as well as niche feature stories that appeal to specific interests. Live links are also provided to encourage engagement with Greater Phoenix through blogs and social networks. The app is free and contains all of the visitor information a tourist needs. It can be found on the Apple App Store as “Phoenix Official Travel Guide 2013.”
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| RESORT NEWS |
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Celebrate your birthday at the Arizona Biltmore, where guests can enjoy complimentary balloons and a cupcake delivered to their room with the “Birthday Package”. Also, guests will receive a special gift of a free room for one of the booked nights. Minimum stay is for two nights. Rates start at $279 and proof of birthday month is required upon check-in.
Book the “Spring Training Getaway” package at The Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix. The best warm up to the Spring Training season begins atThe Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix. Conveniently located within a 27 mile radius of all 10 Phoenix stadiums, you will be right in the heart of all the action. Along with the striking city and mountain views from deluxe accommodations, you will enjoy maps and directions to all Spring Training facilities, Cactus League game schedules, an American breakfast for two in bistro 24, complimentary overnight parking and an exclusive Spring Training amenity. The “Spring Training Getaway” is priced at $409 USD per night and valid through March 31, 2013.
Spring is in full swing, so start planning your getaway now to the Arizona Grand Resort. Their 7-acre Oasis Water Park is now open every day and has something for every member of the family. Make a splash at the gigantic wave pool, float down the Zuni River with mini-rapids and take the plunge down heart-pounding dual 8-story water slides. The “Spring Plus” vacation package includes a spacious one-bedroom suite. Plus, create your own vacation experience with a nightly $50 resort credit. Rate is from $369 per night.
The Phoenician offers the “Sonoran Adventure” package in conjunction with Desert Splash Adventures and includes an “Apache Air Trail” tour for two by seaplane with a water landing on Lake Roosevelt. The sightseeing tour of the Apache Air Trail features spectacular views of the Sonoran Desert and Tonto Basin, including Salt River Canyon and the Roosevelt Dam and Bridge. Guests will experience it all within the $2 million, nine-passenger plane, which offers all window seats and headsets for listening to pilot narration. The package also includes AAA Five Diamond accommodations, an island picnic lunch for two with wine prepared by The Phoenician’s award winning culinary team and complimentary transportation to and from Scottsdale Airport where the seaplane departs. Rates start at $749 per night and is available until March 31, 2013.
The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician has been awarded the coveted Five Star ranking by Forbes Travel Guide, the only hotel in Arizona, and is one of just 76 properties worldwide to be so honored. The announcement was made during the unveiling of the 55th annual list of Star Award-winning hospitality establishments. The Canyon Suites has also been awarded a Five Diamond ranking from the Automobile Association of America (AAA) every year since 2008, and has earned a consistent No. 1 ranking on TripAdvisor since 2012.
The Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resorts has the ultimate “Resort Escapes” package: If you book five nights, you get the fifth night free. While you’re there, head to the Tocaloma Spa and Salon and indulge in Papaya and Pineapple Manicure and Pedicure, or relax in a poolside cabana at the Falls Water Village. Available now through April 30, 2013.
The Phoenician has created an exclusive offering for those wishing to visit the Phoenix Art Museum. The “Work of Art” Package includes spacious accommodations, a Phoenician welcome amenity, daily breakfast for two, two tickets to the Phoenix Art Museum exhibition of Order, Chaos, and the Space Between, a 10 percent discount at The Museum Store, late checkout and a Phoenician departure memento. Rates start at $499 per night and is available through May 5, 2013.
Forbes Travel Guide unveiled its 55th annual listing of Star Award-winning hospitality establishments worldwide and announced their list of 2013 winners. Kai restaurant at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa was again honored with Forbes Travel Guide’shighest rating, the Five-Star Award. Kai stands as one of only 28 Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurants for 2013 and the sole restaurant in Arizona to receive this prestigious acclamation. In addition, Aji Spa at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spawas again named to the list of Forbes Four-Star recipients, making it one of the top ten spas in Arizona.
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is turning 25 and is inviting guests to celebrate the occasion with discounted, early-bird booking summer room rates starting at $125 with a $25 daily food and beverage credit. For a summer getaway between Memorial Day and Labor Day, guests must book by April 30, 2013 to be eligible for this special rate. Guests can enjoy dive-in movies, fireworks, techno waterslides and the Arizona summer sun.
Escape from the winter blues at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess with the “Sip, Savor & Celebrate” package. Featuring luxurious accommodations, the package includes a $100 resort credit per room per night for use at any of the resort’s four signature restaurants or award-winning spa. The complimentary Scottsdale Trolley is running and provides transportation from Fairmont Scottsdale Princess to stops at Salt River Fields (one of the popular stadiums to watch a spring training baseball game) and shopping at Scottsdale Fashion Square. Package starts at $249 per room, per night, based upon space availability through April 30, 2013.
The Hermosa Inn is offering a “Spring Escape” package for the upcoming season. The package includes a three-night stay for two in a Casita, Deluxe, or Grand Casita, and a $50 resort credit per day. The package is valid now through Saturday, May 11, 2013 and starts at $369 per night. In addition, The Hermosa Inn also offers poolside yoga classes for a $15 fee every Wednesday at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 10 a.m.
W Scottsdale is pleased to announce that it has debuted six new specialty suites, collectively called VIP Suites. These new accommodations are located on a private wing of the hotel’s sixth floor and will offer a new level of luxury to W Scottsdale guests. The accommodation selection includes a one-bedroom Wow Suite, four two-bedroom Wow Suites and an astounding 2,200-square-foot Extreme Wow corner suite. Each suite features a separate living room, high-tech kitchen and en-suite laundry unit, as well as hardwood floors, sliding glass doors, large balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows. Master bedrooms feature walk-in closets and attached baths with full vanity walls, stone and porcelain textures, sleek chrome fixtures and wall and ceiling-mount rain shower heads The VIP Suites are accessible through chic corridor, complete with crystal chandeliers, sultry electronic tones and rich dark wood paneled doors. The suites feature commanding views of Scottsdale, Camelback Mountain or the hotel’s WET deck, the hottest pool scene in the city.
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| ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT |
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| Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) will be holding a signature cultural event, “Experience Ireland.” MIM will be celebrating Irish culture this year during St. Patrick’s Day weekend on March 16 and 17. The two-day event will offer multiple activities designed to fully immerse the community in Irish culture and heritage (many free with museum admission). There will also be a Celtic drumming workshop on Saturday and two concerts in MIM Music Theater on Sunday. “Experience Ireland” is the third cultural event in MIM’s Unity Through Diversity partnership with PetSmart. The initiative brings the two organizations together to celebrate cultural diversity. For this event, guests are encouraged to get in the Irish spirit with step dancing demonstrations and lessons, Irish craft activities, exhibit talks, Celtic cuisine and live music.Following last-season’s sold-out performances, Ballet Arizona announces the return of its ground-breaking masterpiece, TOPIA, at theDesert Botanical Garden. TOPIA challenges each audience member to see world-class ballet and the world-class garden in a new light. With its revolutionary outdoor performance space, spanning 80 feet wide, and positioned against the dramatic backdrop of the Papago Buttes at Desert Botanical Garden, TOPIA presents a unique perspective of dance and the natural beauty of Arizona. Performances of TOPIA are scheduled for May 14 – June 1, 2013 at the Desert Botanical Garden with an option to enjoy a sunset dinner prior to the performance.The Cirque du Musee presented by Kids at Heart Gala has announced their rocking post gala experience, The After Party. This is a continuation of Children’s Museum of Phoenix’s Cirque de Musee Gala, a black tie event benefiting the museum’s Every Child Program. Delicious appetizers, decadent desserts, signature spirits, wine and music will have you partying into the wee hours of the morning. Tickets are on-sale now for $125 per person and includes all food and drink. Proceeds directly benefit the museum.
In keeping with the Inn’s artistic origins, and with the recent installment of a $2 million art exhibit from Figarelli Fine Art, The Hermosa Inn will begin hosting Art Walks every Wednesday and Friday at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and on Sundays at 10 a.m. From original works by cowboy artist and original owner Alonzo “Lon” Megargee, to the flora and fauna throughout the property and paintings and sculptures by some of the most prominent contemporary Southwestern artists, guests and Valley residents alike are invited to embark on a 45-minute tour led by the Inn’s “Artful Ambassador” that will explore its rich history, horticulture and artwork.
Butterfly Wonderland comes to the Valley as the largest butterfly pavilion in America. It’s emergence is planned for May 2013. Spanning a 5-acre parcel of land, this state-of-the art new facility, located on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, will entertain and enchant as it educates visitors of all ages on the wonders of one of Mother Nature’s most beloved creatures. It will feature a magnificent glass atrium that brings a tropical rainforest environment to the Arizona desert, as well as educational laboratories and interactive exhibits, a 3D movie theater, gift shop, and a café-style dining area. Butterfly Wonderland is the first phase of a planned Odysea in the Desert, 522,000 sq. ft. entertainment complex that will eventually include the largest aquarium in the southwest, an IMAX theatre and a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum.
In partnership with the Arizona Wine Growers Association, the Tempe Festival of the Arts presents the Arizona Wine Festival Gardens April 5-7, bringing the best in Arizona wines to compliment the ambiance of a fine arts festival environment. Arizona wine growers will be on hand for tastings, serving and selling their fruits of the vine by the bottle. The wine tasting prices start at $15 and include 6 tasting tickets and a commemorative tasting glass.
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| SPORTS/GOLF |
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It may sound too good to be true, but it is. The JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort is offering the “Unlimited Golf Package”, which includes unlimited golf at the Wildfire Golf Club for two with golf cart, unlimited use of practice facilities including driving range, chipping and putting greens and 20% off golf, Revive Spa and tennis retail. With the package, you receive a deluxe room and enjoy the breakfast buffet.
Kierland Golf Club is the latest golf destination to offer accessible golf to those who have lost the mobility and stamina they once had with a stable, comfortable and fun way to get back in the game. The SoloRider Golf Car enables golfers at Kierland to drive onto greens and tees without impact to turf, drive over rough terrain with confidence, easily enter and exit the golf car using the 350-degree swivel seat, play from the elevated seat and it has easier handling with the ergonomic controls. Kierland Golf Club hopes to help extend the golf game for many seniors and offer mobility-impaired golfers a safe way to get back out on the course to enjoy their love of the game.
If golf is your thing, then head to The Boulders Resort, which is offering a “Fore for Four” package. This package gives golfers a whole lot more of what they love – more golf, more great courses to choose from, more extras and more for the money. The package not only features play at The Boulders’ renowned courses, but also a choice of eight top rated golf courses in the Greater Phoenix area. The “Fore for Four” package includes 4 nights luxury accommodation, 72 holes of golf, one round each at the Boulders north and south course, round of golf at two golf courses. Package is available until April 30, 2013.
For those ‘flowboarders’ for who have done some shredding on Kierland FlowRider at the, or out on the real waves, SHRED SCHOOL is for experienced riders who are ready to learn some new skills, cool tricks and take their flowboarding to the next level. For guests ofThe Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, SHRED SCHOOL includes individual instruction from the Resort’s very own Wave Master, Steve Richardson. SHRED SCHOOL is a held at Kierland FlowRider in a small group setting of five surfers per class. Steve will show students how to carve and kick waves, do 360-degree spins, kick flips and other professional tricks to becoming a Flowboarding ‘Icon.’ SHRED School includes 30-minute intensive class instruction and 1-hour open ride following class and a signature award given upon completion. SHRED School is offered every Saturday, Memorial Day – Labor Day.
With over 20 restaurants, retailers and entertainment venues, Westgate Entertainment District is the hub of activity for West Valley baseball fans looking to grab a bite, a few beers and sweet treats or enjoy live music and a little shopping before or after the game. A free trolley to Camelback Ranch, home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox, runs daily the entire Spring Training season and leaves every 40 minutes beginning at 11am. It runs during and after each game, including on double-header days. The trolley stop is located on Westgate Boulevard across from Yard House. All season long, fans are encouraged to show their ticket stub to take advantage of the many deals offered by 15 of exceptional Westgate tenants.
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| SPA |
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Take advantage of the Spa Happy Hour at the Arizona Biltmore Spa. Every Monday-Thursday from 2 p.m.-8 p.m., choose as many mini spa services as you like, such as the Aroma Bliss Body Scrub or the Moroccan Oil Express Blowout. Each service is 25 minutes each andprices start at $55.
If spa treatment is on your mind, a visit to the Arizona Grand Spa is sure to rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit. The SpaSense package includes a total of two 50 minute spa treatments and 50% off up to four additional spa treatments during stay while confirmed on package.
Guests visiting Greater Phoenix during the 2013 Spring Training season to catch their favorite team in the Arizona sunshine receive a special discount at Agave, the Arizona Spa at The Westin Kierland Resort. Before or after taking in a Cactus League baseball game, receive 20% off any 50-minute a la carte spa or salon service simply by presenting your ticket. Services must be booked in advance.
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess further elevated its status as one of Greater Phoenix’s premier properties with the debut of a new spa concept – “Well & Being at Willow Stream Spa”. Drawing on the Southwest’s indigenous roots and time-tested Asian influences, the new spa by Trilogy Spa Holdings is the first of its kind at a luxury resort in the United States, allowing visitors to choose from a bevy of a la carte spa services or develop a health and wellness program that factors in mental and physical well-being. Guests can enhance their health and wellness plans with the resort’s new Aerial Yoga, where yoga poses are done with the support of a suspended cloth sling to allow for greater stretch and more inversion. The facility also offers a wide range of fitness equipment and programs such as TRX Suspension Training, CrossFit, Crank Cycle and immersive Rip Surfer Classes, in addition to state-of-the art exercise technology and personal training sessions.
Joya Spa and Salon at the Montelucia Resort offers two new facials with the addition of Rhonda Allison Skin Care. 12 Flower Brightening Facial rejuvenates your skin using 12 flowers that work together to stimulate collagen activity, increase hydration and provide antioxidant support. The Desert Cactus Renewal Facial rebuilds and strengthens skin tissue with antioxidant-rich cherry enzymes that provide gentle exfoliation and protect against free radical damage. The cactus mud mask combines the natural healing and hydrating benefits of Aloe Vera and the Queen of Night Cactus.
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| DINING |
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Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort’s Executive Chef, Ken Arneson, invites Phoenicians to an intimate lunch held in his chef’s garden adjacent to Rico’s American Grill. At these lunches, guests will enjoy four courses featuring ingredients right from the garden and learn about gardening and sustainability from the chef. Garden lunches will be hosted on Wednesday, March 20 and Wednesday, March 27 at noon and costs $25 per person. Reservations are required.
Gertrude’s, the much-anticipated full-service restaurant at the Desert Botanical Garden, is officially open. Gertrude’s offers Garden members and the general public an ingredient-driven restaurant experience with top-quality food, libations and service. The menu will showcase local ingredients from artisans and farmers around Arizona and the Southwest, including vegetable and herbs from Gertrude’s plot located onsite at the Garden.
The Brittlebush Bar & Grill at Westin Kierland has a new menu that defines the balance between native Arizona favorites and the unique dishes of its gastropub roots. Gastropub is the British term for a public house, better known as a “pub,” which specializes in high-quality food, a step above the more basic “pub grub.” Chef Chris Masco has designed a few dishes with Scottish influences that connect the culinary experience to the Scottish heritage and traditions of Kierland Golf Club. The menu has been created with sustainability in mind by using local ingredients and flavors from across the state. Brittlebush is proud to showcase some of the best regional purveyors and delectable farm-to-table dishes with their foods.
Michael Mina’s BOURBON STEAK at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess presents seasonal classes and offerings designed specifically for wine lovers and food enthusiasts alike. Executive Chef Daniel Patino prepares a monthly five-course tasting menu which features the season’s freshest produce and highest quality ingredients, and master mixologist Chad Elsner leads an exciting and interactive libations course on the first Thursday of every month. Guests are also encouraged to join Bourbon Steak’s sommelier Nick Padua, for his Trio Tasting Tour on the last Tuesday of every month. Featuring one wine from three different producers/wineries within a specific country or region, Padua provides an overview on the history, speaks to the five “S’s” (sight, swirl, smell, sip, savor) and shares his recommendations for pairing each of the three wines. Wine lovers rejoice.
The new Ironwood American Kitchen is now open at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess and serves all-day fare in a warm and inviting atmosphere overlooking the resort’s South Pool. The menu features a variety of hearty, wood-fired specialties such as flatbread pizzas, sandwiches and oven roasted nachos, as well as mixing bowl salads and kitchen favorites including Chef’s famous Bechamel-drizzled potato chips. Other features include an exhibition kitchen for guests to interact one-on-one with Chef Sean Mayhew and his team, while bi-folding glass walls allow guests to enjoy the great Arizona weather indoors or out and patio seating with fire pit tables for an evening under the stars. Special dietary and children’s menus are also available.
On Sunday, March 31, 2013, families are invited to join in the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa’s “egg-ceptional” Easter Celebration featuring a brunch buffet in SWB. Guests won’t want to miss our “larger-than-life” Easter egg, home to a live bunny, or Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny as they “hop” throughout the resort… a delightful way to celebrate this glorious Spring holiday! SWB’s Easter Brunch will be served from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and costs $70.00 for adults, $35.00 for children ages 6-12 and is complimentary for children five and under. (Prices exclude tax and gratuity.) Alto ristorante e bar will be open 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., serving its regular menu. Gondola boat rides will be available from 6:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The charge is $10 per person, or complimentary if you are dining in Alto ristorante e bar.
Part daytime dining, part open-air market, LON’s patio will transform into an outdoor marketplace for LON’s Brunch & Bazaar, complete with produce from local farmers, such as Crow’s Dairy and McClendon Farms. Cooking demos of steaks, fish and side dishes on the grill will be presented by Executive Chef Jeremy Pacheco, with tastings for $5 each, and a variety of products used in the LON’s kitchen will also be for sale, including house-made granola, herbal truffles and Himalayan salt rocks. The cost is complimentary with price of brunch in addition to $5 tastings. Lon’s will also be holding an Areitta Wine event on Thursday, March 21st featuring a four-course wine-paired dinner starting at $99 per person. On Friday, March 29th at 6:30 p.m. Lon’s will be holding a four-course cocktail dinner featuring Wildman & Son’s Importers, best known for their Chartreuse, who have been bringing fine wine and liquors to the United States since 1934. Prices start at $69 per person. Lon’s will be serving a special three-course Easter Brunch all day Sunday, March 31st and prices start at $75 per person.
Monti’s on Mill Avenue is hosting perhaps its most memorable and enchanting culinary experience in its long history to benefit Foundation for Blind Children on April 11th, 2013 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Dining in the Dark will be a unique way to raise awareness for one of the Valley’s most important charities. As you enter the historical restaurant, you will be blindfolded and lead by Foundation for Blind Children clients to your seat. You will remain blindfolded throughout your dining experience. Tickets are limited for this extraordinary event that will serve 100 guests. Tickets are $65 and part of the proceeds will benefit Foundation for Blind Children.
TQLA is Mesa’s newest fusion dining experience that combines the elements of Southwest and Mexican cuisine. Fulfill your appetite with their intriguing complex flavors and combinations, and your social side with the upbeat environment. Let’s not forget to mention that if you are a tequila lover you might have just found your sanctuary. Offering 80 varieties of tequila on tap, “hyper-cooled” to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s a must to opt for a tequila flight or a handcrafted margarita. Or, lean on the suggestions of their “Master Mixologists” on hand to create your specialty cocktail.
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For more information on any of these events or updates, please contact the
Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau Media Relations Department.
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