Harkins Camelview 5 to be Replaced by Luxury Cinema in 2015

For 40 years, the Harkins Camelview 5 at Scottsdale Fashion Square mall has been the best place in town to catch an independent or limited-release film.

Located in a small building which is detached from the main mall, the Camelview 5 has dutifully served its clientele of indie moviegoers since 1973. The building's exterior is distinguished by several large metal "mushrooms" adorned with neon lights, which are a local landmark all of their own.

Nearby in the main section of Fashion Square Mall, Harkins Theaters also operates a 7 screen theater showing the latest new releases. For a long time, this proved to be a good setup. However, Harkins has recently announced plans to combine the two theaters into a new 14-screen theater under one roof.

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What is the Largest Casino in Arizona?

Did you know that Arizona is one of the leading states in the nation when it comes to Indian gaming?

It's true - Arizona is home to 22 different Native American tribes. While not all of them have casinos, many of them have found casino gaming provides a huge boost in revenues to their tribal members.

You may be wondering what is the largest casino in Arizona? Based on my own independent research, here's what I have found.

The Talking Stick Resort and Casino in Scottsdale, Arizona is the largest casino in Arizona. The 240,000 square foot facility opened in 2010 and is owned by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

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4 Historic Steam Locomotives in Arizona

Like many western states, Arizona has a long and storied history with railroads. The majority of the lines built in Arizona were privately run by mining and lumber companies. Many of the locomotives which ran these lines are now preserved in parks and museums around the state.

One website I found mentioned that there are 28 locomotives on display throughout Arizona. This is by no means a complete list, but here are four historic steam locomotives that I have run across in my travels around Arizona.

Southwest Lumber Mills Engine #12 - Flagstaff, AZ

 
At the Pioneer Museum in Flagstaff, Arizona, you can see this historic locomotive on display as you drive by on US 180 to or from the Grand Canyon. Engine #12 was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Pennsylvania in 1929. This standard gauge locomotive has a 2-6-6-0 configuration and was run by the Hammond Lumber Company in Oregon and California.

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Taliesin West Night Lights Tours

Summer is just around the corner, and that means it's about to get seriously hot. Fortunately, Taliesin West allows you to beat the heat with their Night Lights Tours.

These special tours allow you to experience the wonder of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West school in the cooler hours of the day after the sun has started to go down.

If you've never been before, the Taliesin West school is a pretty unique place to visit. You don't even have to be an architecture geek to enjoy Wright's cool designs and hear about his interesting life. There are just a lot of neat things to look at in general as they take you on a tour of the campus.

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Taliesin West Kicks Off 2012 Lecture Series

Each year, tens of thousands of visitors come to Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona to learn about the life of Frank Lloyd Wright - arguably the most famous American architect in history. Many of these visitors are surprised to learn that Taliesin West was originally founded as a school, and is still an active campus today!

While enrollment numbers are extremely small, Taliesin West is an active educational institution for students pursuing careers in architecture and design. Every winter, the school hosts a series of lectures featuring professional architects.

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Scottsdale International Auto Museum Now Open

UPDATE: The Scottsdale International Auto museum has closed permanently and is no longer in existence.

For years, the Penske Auto Museum in North Scottsdale has been the only game in town when it comes to car museums. The Penske Museum is great, but it's a lot like an appetizer: just enough to tide you over until the main course arrives. Well, the main course has finally arrived. It's called the Scottsdale International Auto Museum, and it's what car fans have been craving for all these years.

First opened in December 2010, the Scottsdale International Auto Museum has recently moved to its new location at 9119 E Indian Bend Road in the Scottsdale Pavilions Shopping Center.

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Method Art Gallery Debuts 'Through Each Others Eyes'

In a previous article about the Ro Ho En Japanese Friendship Garden, I mentioned that Phoenix and Himeji, Japan are International Sister Cities. Now, a new photographic exhibit at Method Art Gallery in Old Town Scottsdale brings these two cities together 'Through Each Others Eyes.'

The name refers to both the exhibit and the non-profit organization that put the exhibition together. The 'Through Each Others Eyes' features photos of Japan through the eyes of two Phoenix-area photographers and images of Arizona through the eyes of two Japanese photographers.

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Taliesin West Offers Free Presentations on Architecture

Every winter, Taliesin West hosts a series of lectures featuring prominent professionals in the architecture and design world. This year's series has just two presenters left! If you want to get your architecture fix, here are the details about the remaining lectures:

Diane Reicher Jacobs
Holly Street Studio Architects
Thursday, 04/21/2011 - 7:00PM

Diane Reicher Jacobs of Phoenix's Holly Street Studio Architects is the guest of honor at Thursday's lecture series at Taliesin West. Holly Street Studio is a Phoenix-based architecture firm whose recent projects include the new Exhibition Hall at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale, the Maryvale Pool House, and the Helen Drake Senior Center in Downtown Phoenix.

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Say It Ain't Snow!

On Sunday, I went to the Great Fair in Fountain Hills, Arizona. The previous night's rain had done more than leave everything a little soggy...it had also brought a lot of snow to the McDowell Mountains and other higher elevation areas!

Check out these photos I took along the Loop 101 Freeway headed towards Scottsdale. It's not every day that you see the McDowell Mountains covered in snow!

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Architect Jeffrey Kovel to Speak at Taliesin West

Taliesin West in North Scottsdale is more than just a hot spot for architectural tourism; it also continues to fulfill its original purpose as a private school for promising young architects. Each semester, the school schedules a series of lectures and presentations for the benefit of the students. Few people know that these lectures are also open to the public, and best of all they are completely free of charge! 

The Spring 2010 lecture series follows the theme "Roots for Radicals" and has featured a variety of local and national architects including John Kane, Mark Ryan, Rick Joy, Alan Maskin, Diane Cheatham, Dickson Despommier, and Jeffrey Inaba. The final presentation for the Spring 2010 lecture series will feature Jeffrey Kovel, a renowned architect and founder of SkyLab Architecture in Portland, Oregon.

Mr. Kovel will give a presentation on Thursday, April 15th, 2010 in the Pavilion Theater. The presentation starts at 7:30pm and guests are encouraged to arrive early as seating is limited. After the presentation, Mr. Kovel will be available to answer questions followed by a brief, informal reception.

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Exotic Car Spotting in Phoenix

If you think that the only places to catch a glimpse of exotic cars are exotic cities like Las Vegas, Miami, and Dubai, think again! It may surprise you to hear this, but the truth is that Phoenix is actually a great place to see exotic and rare cars on the streets. Here are a few gems I have spotted while driving around during the past year or so:

Here is a Ferrari F430 that I spotted on the Loop 101 freeway.
This car has a top speed of 196 miles per hour!

This Maserati Quattroporte was seen cruising down Camelback Road in Phoenix.
The average price of these high-performance luxury sedans is $110,000 to $140,000.

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Phoenix Car Show Calendar for January 2010

The New Year is upon us, and that means it's time to start polishing those wheels for car show season! January is prime time for car enthusiasts in Phoenix, because that is when the big collector car auctions come to town. Although the largest auction is in Scottsdale, this year's calendar has events spread throughout the Valley including some non-auction shows as well. Check out the list of Phoenix-area car shows below:

Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event
When: January 18th-24th
Where: WestWorld, Scottsdale, AZ
What: The "World's Greatest Collector Car Event" features special events, a lifestyle pavilion, and of course, thousands of beautiful and unique vehicles for sale in a no-reserve auction format.
Admission: $15-55 daily, $10 after 5pm, other discounts available
Website: www.barrett-jackson.com

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Microsoft Store Scottsdale Opening Day Photos

Yesterday was the grand opening of the new Microsoft Store in Scottsdale Fashion Square mall. I went down there to check it out and yes, it is alarmingly similar to the Apple Store. The real question though is whether Microsoft's retail store is strong enough to take a bite out of Apple's business.

Apple currently has six retail stores in the state of Arizona, with locations in Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and one in Tucson. The Scottsdale location opened earlier this year on Scottsdale Road just south of Kierland Blvd.

The non-traditional nature of the Apple store has been a smash hit for the Cupertino-based computer company. Products are displayed on tables instead of in boxes, shelves, and display cases. They are plugged in and turned on, ready to be used by customers. Employees are friendly and ready to demonstrate the products instead of hiding behind registers. To top it all off, the stores are bright and airy with elegant wood floors.

Walking into the Microsoft Store today was like entering a parallel universe. I saw the same open-air products, ready to be used. I saw the same wood flooring and bright lighting. I saw the same hip, friendly employees with lanyard nametags. There was even cool ambient music playing in the background.

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4 Free Art Events in the Phoenix Area

Are you looking for something interesting to do this fall, but don't want to spend a lot of money? Get your creative juices flowing at these fine Phoenix area art events! All events listed are free to attend so get out there and get inspired!

Grand Avenue Festival
When: Saturday, Sept 26th (all day)
Where: Grand Avenue between 7th Ave and 19th Ave., Phoenix
What: The concept of "adaptive reuse" has brought new life to this former warehouse district. Enjoy live music, art galleries, exhibits, performances, and historic guided tours for just $10 bucks.
More: Grand Ave Arts & Preservation

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Get the Picture with Phoenix Area Photo Blogs

One of the many neat things about living in Phoenix is that the natural beauty of the desert landscape provides endless opportunities for photographers.

Thanks to the popularity of photo blogs, you can see for yourself what almost every corner of the valley looks like. Check out some of these great Arizona photo blogs:

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Explore Taliesin West for Free with the Phoenix Culture Pass

You just cannot mention Scottsdale, Arizona without mentioning Frank Lloyd Wright. The Taliesin West school in Scottsdale is a masterpiece of his own design and a landmark attraction of the architecture community. The high cost of ticket prices has always kept me from checking it out for myself, but thanks to the new Culture Pass program I finally got my chance.

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Phoenix Weekend Event Calendar

If there's nothing on your calendar this weekend, I would strongly encourage you to make some plans and get out of the house. The weather's going to be great and as usual, there are plenty of interesting events going on in the greater Phoenix area!

Scottsdale Pavilions Car Show
When: Saturday 4:30pm to 10pm
There's no better way to get your weekend revved up than by checking out some of Arizona's hot rods and cool customs at the weekly Pavilions car show. Stop by the Loop 101 and Indian Bend Road in Scottsdale around sundown and check out the McDonald's parking lot for all the action.

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FBR Open Swings Into Scottsdale

What are three things that draw people to Arizona in the Winter? If you answered golf, golf, and more golf, you are correct.

This weekend the FBR Open (now renamed Waste Management Phoenix Open) swings into Scottsdale, Arizona in one of the biggest events of the entire PGA Tour. The annual event draws hundreds of thousands of people to Tournament Players Club to watch as the top professional golfers of the PGA duke it out for a $6 million dollar prize. Wait, hold on, that almost sounds like it might be a little bit exciting. I don't want to mislead anyone here.

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Collector Car Auctions Return to Scottsdale

Today marks the start of the 38th annual Barrett-Jackson collector car auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. The show will run from January 11th through January 18th with a full schedule of events lined up for the week.

Highlights of this year's show include the first ever Ford Thunderbird and a rare 1929 Ford Trimotor airplane. Celebrity cars from Evil Knievel, Jerry Seinfeld, Alan Jackson, and Eddie Van Halen will also be present.

Last year's top sale was the first production model of the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, which went for a million dollars. In 2008, over 1,100 cars were sold at Barrett-Jackson totaling approximately $88 million in sales. Over 1,600 unique automobiles are registered for this year's event.

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Photo Radar Leaves Scottsdale, Expands to Phoenix

If there's one thing that residents and visitors can agree on, it's that Phoenix is full of bad drivers. In fact, Phoenix has become infamous for its regular appearance on "Top 10" lists for things like red-light runners and stolen vehicles according to About.com. Speeding is also a huge problem that city and state officials have begun to take very seriously.

Scottsdale, Arizona was one of the first cities in the nation to adopt a high-tech solution in an attempt to put the brakes on speeders. In 2006, Scottsdale installed a controversial photo radar system on the Loop 101 Freeway.

Sensors embedded in the pavement trigger a roadside camera when drivers exceed the posted speed limit by a certain amount. A photo of the vehicle and a speeding ticket are then mailed to the vehicle owner, with the average fine costing approximately $181 dollars.

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