Scottsdale Blog - Things to do in Scottsdale, Arizona » Mitchell Tay

Celebrate Art Unlike Any Other

Mitchell Tay — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:16:12 +0000

Have you ever wondered what inspires artists to create the unique pieces of work that you admire?

Robin Branham

At the Celebration of Fine Art you are personally able to ask the artists yourself and learn about their works. Josh Kenzer and I visited the Celebration of Fine Art which is located up in Scottsdale at the southeast corner of Scottsdale Rd & Loop 101. Over 100 artists from around the country come to display their artwork in a 3 month long event. This unique event that is quite different from your typical art exhibit galleries. One great thing about this event is the vibe. I found that walking through the galleries was very pleasing and comfortable. This is definitely not an expo where artists stop you in your tracks to sell their works but rather serve as a ‘guide’ to answer any questions about their pieces. All of the artists are very friendly and approachable and want you to understand and appreciate their art as much as they do, which I found to be really great.

Mr. T - Created by Kyle & Tim

One artist by the name of Kyle, whose work is displayed in the lawn area, noticed our awe of one of his pieces – a big dinosaur made from motorcycle, bicycle, and car parts. It stands roughly eight feet tall and eight feet long. We were intrigued by his design and Kyle was more than happy to explain how it all came about. An interesting fact about this dinosaur – it took two years to find all the materials, and six weeks to build. And like every other pieces of art at the event, the big dinosaur is for sale. Price? Well, attend the event to find out!

Kevin Powers

Another great thing about Celebration of Fine Art is the wide range of art on display such as paintings from abstract to realistic, and sculptures from ceramic to metal, jewelry, to name just a few. There also is plenty of mixed media art to peruse through! I found some great pieces that I know would definitely look great in my new house. So be sure to check out Celebration of Fine Art! There’s still time to attend this fantastic event, which runs thru March 28.

It’s a Motorcycle. It’s a Bicycle. No, it’s a Segway!

Mitchell Tay — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 23:07:11 +0000

Have you ever seen those uniquely looking two-wheeled electric vehicles roaming around in the city?

The Segway was first introduced in 2001 as another means of transportation similar to a scooter. ContempoRide Segway offers a unique experience to ride the Segways.

If you’re looking to go around Old Town Scottsdale, ContempoRide Segway provides guided tours. You also have the option to rent a Segway to discover Scottsdale at your leisure!

If you have never been on a Segway before it’s quite a fun experience! It is balanced on two wheels by gyroscopic sensors, which will always maintain the vehicle (and you) upright. To move forward or backwards, simply you change your weight distribution by leaning in either directions. To turn, simply lean the handle left or right to change direction! They also go up to a speedy 12.5mph, which is actually reasonably fast when going on the sidewalks! When I first rode on a Segway I was a little nervous about crashing but take it from me it is fairly easy to use! With a quick 10-15 minute training to familiarize yourself with the Segway you should be good to navigate your way around town!

ContempoRide Segway offers a guided tour around the Old Town Scottsdale.

The tour lasts for around an hour gliding all throughout Old Town Scottsdale passing through the arts district, restaurants, and boutiques giving you a different adventure through Scottsdale. There is also another option to tour the Arizona Biltmore Estates.

You also have the option to rent a Segway that you can roam around with however long you wish.

Overall, this is an unique experience to ride a fun vehicle to explore Scottsdale and its surroundings!

Giant Book and Treasure Sale at the Heard Museum!

Mitchell Tay — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:46:16 +0000

The Heard Museum is hosting their 14th Annual Guild Library Book sale at the end of the month on January 30-31. If you’re looking for a good bargain on more than 30,000 books or even other fine items such as katsina dolls or American Indian and vintage jewelry, this is one event that you you don’t want to miss out!

Saturday, January 30th: 9:30am – 5:00pm
Sunday, January 31th: 9:30pm – 4:00pm
Members also have the opportunity to shop early for books on Friday, January 29 from 1:00 – 5:00pm.

All sale proceeds benefit special projects of the museum’s Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives.

For more information on this event, click here.

Cafe Carumba: Spirited Southwest Grill

Mitchell Tay — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:42:48 +0000

Scottsdale has a wide selection of restaurants ranging from American to Western style dishes making where to eat sometimes a difficult decision. If you’re in downtown Scottsdale and unsure on where eat let me make a recommendation for you, check out Cafe Carumba.

Pork Gordita

For those of you that love Mexican food you might be asking, “What a minute, that doesn’t look like a gordita!” Cafe Carumba has a unique food palate that’s primarily Southwestern infused with a bit of Mexican style cooking. What you see above is an open faced gordita loaded with beans, pork, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and fresh cheese with a side of sweet potato fries. The ingredients were very fresh and juicy. The gordita tortilla was fluffy, a great base to all the fixings on top. I’m a pretty big eater and this definitely hit the spot. It wasn’t too little or too much.

My colleague, Kelly, had the Chicken Chili Club Sliders.

Chicken Chile Club Sliders

This is their most popular dish on their $5.99 lunch menu. The Chicken Chile Club Sliders has two very generous portion sliders that has chicken, bacon, green chile, pepper jack cheese, and tomatoes. Kelly kindly let me sample a piece of one of her sliders and I have to say it was quite good. The chicken was very juicy with the tasty crisp bacon that’s smothered with the pepper jack cheese and green chiles. Another thing I really enjoyed was the chips and salsa which is complimentary. The chips were warm and lightly salted. The salsa is more of a garlicky style that’s not too spicy but not really mild, a great appetizer.

Their $5.99 lunch menu is a great deal. You can check out their menu here. They plan to add to their delightful selection seasonally so be sure to check that out. If you find that nothing on the lunch menu strikes your taste buds at that moment they have a fairly good amount of dishes to choose from their regular menu. Best of all, Cafe Carumba is in the heart of downtown Scottsdale and very easy to find.

Celebrate the 28th Annual Orme Dam

Mitchell Tay — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:57:01 +0000

This particularly special celebration for the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation prevented the federal government from building the Orme Dam back in the 1970s. This dam would have been built roughly 25 miles northeast of Phoenix on the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation. If the dam was built, more than half of the reservation would have been flooded along with other historical sites. It took a long 10 years of struggle, protest, and pleading to the government before finally canceling the project. Because of this the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation celebrates its annual Orme Dam Victory Days.

It takes place this weekend November 20 – 22, 2009 at the Fort McDowell Casino.
Activities include a parade, rodeo, performances and more.

Please check website for full schedule of events at http://www.ftmcdowell.org

Come celebrate with the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Orme Dam Victory Days!

The Bigger and Better Scottsdale Fashion Square

Mitchell Tay — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:03:23 +0000

For those who love shopping Scottsdale Fashion Square is the mall just for that. The mall recently added a new 100,000 square foot extension to the already ginormous mall, now totalling 1.9 million square feet of retail space. If you’re not aware, Fashion Square is the the largest mall in the southwest so make sure to wear your comfortable shoes handy if shopping for awhile. In the newly expanded wing you’ll find the widely-known Barney’s New York anchored at the end of the mall, with other popular stores such as, Forever 21, H&M, Banana Republic, and J. Crew adjacent to it. While the majority of the major stores have already opened there are still a handful of stores waiting to make their debut. And if you love to eat be sure to check out the two restaurants that opened up in the expansion: Modern Ssteak and Marcella’s Italian Kitchen.

Modern Steak is not your typical steakhouse ambiance. It’s light and youthful with very elegant decor, yet still intimate. My colleague, Melissa, raved about the short rib sandwich and peanut butter cup dessert which she said tasted like “deliciousness.” Modern Steak also has a convenient walk-up window for a quick bite on the run called Modern Burger. It has a fairly simple menu with very reasonable prices. Marcella’s Italian Kitchen is also a moderately priced restaurant that’s not too casual or too fancy. My other colleague, Sara, really enjoyed the restaurant’s lunch specials.

A couple other items to make note of is the new underground parking and valet parking options for convenient access to the mall.

Regardless if you’re just visiting Scottsdale or a local, make sure you have enough hours set aside if you love to shop.

My Visit to the Heard Museum

Mitchell Tay — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:09:35 +0000

As an Arizona native it was sad for me to say that I’ve never been to the Heard Museum. It’s almost as bad as saying that you live in Arizona but have never been to the Grand Canyon. The Heard Museum is all about the Native American culture and covers everything from history to contemporary art. It is a fairly large museum with permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary exhibits (make sure you grab a map). Their signature exhibit is Home: Native People in the Southwest. A guided tour is offered for this exhibit, which lasts around an hour, that shows the history and culture of the Native American people. I definitely recommend going through this exhibit with a docent as they are very knowledgeable and go through an eight month training program to become fully educated about the Native American culture. The rest of the museum you’re free to roam around the museum. Another exhibit I recommend you definitely check out is Remembering Our Indian School Days: The Boarding School Experience. This is a very moving exhibit that chronicles the controversial experience of Native American children being placed in boarding schools to educate and assimilate them. There are many other exhibits at the Heard including paintings and sculptures. Additionally there are childrens’ activities, which of course always makes learning fun. There’s even a gift shop which you can purchase pieces of art from the creators themselves!

The Heard Museum also hosts many unique events at their site such as the Spanish Market, 52nd Annual Indian Fair and Market, and Native + You.

Overall, my experience at the Heard of Native American culture and experiencing the many beautiful pieces of art was enjoyable. I could have easily spent a half day there and am glad I finally made a trip to the Heard Museum. =)

Wine Spectator’s Restaurant Wine List Awards

Mitchell Tay — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:42:08 +0000

In the recent August 2009 Wine Spectator, they recognized these Scottsdale restaurants for having a fine wine selection. If you’re a casual wine drinker or even a “wine-o” be sure to check out these restaurants. Also, let us know how well they struck your taste palette.

Best of Award of Excellence

Bourbon Steak
The Fairmont Scottsdale
480-513-6002
Sommelier: Aaron Patrick
Wine Strengths:
Caolifornia, France
Wine Selection: 530

The Capital Grille
480-348-1700
Wine Director: Courtney Penhall
Wine Strengths: California
Wine Selection: 545

Cowboy Ciao
480-WINE-111
Wine Director: Peter Kasperski
Wine Strengths: California, France, Australia, Italy
Wine Selection: 3,200

Il Terrazzo
The Phoenician Resort
480-423-2530
Wine Director: Sean Marron
Wine Strengths: California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Italy, Span
Wine Selection: 2,500

Kazimierz World Wine Bar
480-WINE-004
Wine Director: Peter Kasperski
Wine Strengths: California, France, Australia, Italy
Wine Selection: 3,200

Mosaic
480-563-9600
Wine Director: Matt Rinn
Wine Strengths: California, France, Spain, Italy
Wine Selection: 825

Award of Excellence

Ahnala Mesquite Grille
Radisson Fort McDowell Resort
480-789-5505

Alto Restorante E Bar
Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa
480-444-1234

Bloom
480-922-5666

BLT Steak
Camelbackk Inn
480-905-7979

Deseo
The Westin Kierland Resort, Spa & Villas
480-624-1030

Donovan’s Steak & Chop Steak
602-955-3666

Eddie V’s Edgewater Grille
480-538-8468

Elements
Sanctuary on Camelback
480-607-2300

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse
& Wine Bar at DC Ranch
480-538-8000

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse
& Wine Bar at DC Ranch
Scottsdale Hilton Resort & Villas
480-596-8265

Fogo de Chao
480-609-8866

The Grill Seafood and Chops
The Fairmont Scottsdale
480-585-4848

Lon’s at the Hermosa
The Hermosa Inn
602-955-7878

Mastro’s City Hall Steakhouse
480-941-4700

Mastro’s Steakhouse
480-941-4700

The Melting Pot
480-607-1799

Morton’s, The Steakhouse
480-951-4440

Noca
602-956-6622

Olive & Ivy
480-751-2200

Prado
InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa
480-627-3004

Ruth’s Chris Steak House
480-991-5988

T. Cook’s
Royal Palms Resort & Spa
602-808-0766

Talavera
Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North
480-513-5039

Tarbell’s
602-955-8100

Tee up at McCormick Ranch Golf Club

Mitchell Tay — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:03:01 +0000

McCormick Ranch Golf Club

If you’re looking for a challenging but enjoyable golf course consider the McCormick Ranch Golf Club conveniently located on Scottsdale Rd and McCormick Parkway. The Palm and Pine course each offer championship tees totaling more than 7,000 yards. But whether you’re a novice, amateur, or professional these courses are very playable for any skill level.

Josh, Josh (not a typo), Lauren, and myself made it out to the Pine course on a lovely but warm morning. You’ll notice the names of these courses are not random as the Pine course is filled with Pine trees and the Palm course has many Palm trees (go figure!). McCormick Ranch Golf Club has a large practice area for putting and pitching as well as a nice driving range which I unfortunately didn’t have time to check out since I arrived without any practice time. Basing my judgment off the score card the Pine course seemed to be slightly easier to play. Playing the Pine course’s many holes were relatively forgiving on the fairways if you had a bad tee shot and decent size greens. I did find the GPS distance reader from the hole on each of the golf carts to be helpful. Just drive the golf cart near where your ball is and the device will inform you how many yards away you are from the green. There were also five water holes which made the course more exciting and challenging. I would have to say my favorite hole on the Pine course is #15. This 470 yard hole has two areas in which you need to clear over the water. However, the green, though slightly padded by the rough, is almost completely surrounded by water so be cautious. Overall, this course definitely gave me a challenge but I’m definitely looking forward to playing the Palm course another day.

McCormick Ranch Golf Club also offers a restaurant and lounge in the clubhouse and a convenient hot dog stand for a mid- or post-game snack. Additionally the clubhouse can accommodate private parties of any size with a banquet room and large outdoor pavilion.

From now until Sept. 10, McCormick Ranch Golf Club is offering 18 holes for $34 before 11:00am and only $29 after 2:00pm. That’s a deal for such a great course.

The Captial Grille Master Wine Tasting

Mitchell Tay — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:56:46 +0000

The Master Wine Tasting event at The Capital Grille is going on now until August 23. Try 11 insider wines during your lunch for $10 or dinner for $25.

These hand selected wines from South Africa and Napa Valley come highly rated from Robert Parker and Wine Spectator. Swirl, Sip, Savor as many as you’d like!

Wines From Napa Valley

Beringer Sauvignon Blanc

Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay

Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Beringer Third Century Syrah

Beringer Third Century Pinot Noir

Wines From South Africa

Raats Original Chenin Blanc

Thelema Chardonnay

Mulderbosch Rosé

Rustenberg John X Merriman

Brampton Shiraz

Kanonkop Kadette