Breast Cancer Awareness Month is coming to a close today. We know we’ve been eating and drinking pink as much as possible this past month in an effort to raise money and awareness for hardworking charities such as Susan G. Komen of Phoenix. Last Thursday, Wildflower Bread Company presented a check for more than $16,000 to Susan G. Komen’s Phoenix affiliate. The money raised as part of the “Wildflower Cares” month donated $1 from each signature Wildflower Cupcake for the Cure. Wildflower gave even more dough to Share Our Strength with $6,800 with monies raised from the sale of Jalepeno Chedder Bread or a slice of Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch Pie and presented Communities in Schools of Arizona with $4,800 from additional sales from the Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch Pie. Congratulation to Wildflower’s efforts and for making it so delicious to give back.

Pets are like family and we love them being involved with most everything we do, but when it comes to celebrating Halloween, the Arizona Humane Society recommends keeping our four-legged friends safely at home.

Check out their full list of Halloween pet tips here and check out some highlights below:

»READ MORE

On the clock today is Michael Monti, owner of the historic Tempe landmark Monti’s La Casa Vieja restaurant and a candidate to become the next mayor of Tempe in March 2012. We get the lowdown on his favorite Monti’s memories, his favorite things to do in the Valley, and find out what he’d bring to the City of Tempe as mayor.

So here’s how it works. We fire off questions, Michael answers and bam, we post them on the interwebs for the world to see. Let’s begin.

DLT: What is your favorite Monti’s restaurant memory?
Michael Monti: When I was a kid, before VCRs, having a big family dinner in the Zane Grey room and dragging in the TV with rabbit ears from my dad’s office to watch a network broadcast rerun of a Pink Panther movie together. For a kid growing up in the restaurant industry that’s a special treat. »READ MORE

Alright, due to the sensitive nature of many of these creepy videos, we are only going to post the most classic of Halloween videos and let you find the rest….if you dare (muhuhahahaha). Here’s Michael Jackson in the quintessential Halloween jam, Thriller.

But check out also for real thrills:
Bollywood “Thriller”
Skrillex “First of the Year”
Fever Ray “When I Grow Up”
and Kanye West “Monster“

Scottsdale’s Musical Instrument Museum is looking to bring an authentic Day of the Dead experience to the Valley with their “Día de los Muertos: A Celebration of Life through Music” November 5-6. The museum has paired with the Consulate General of Mexico in Phoenix for the festivities this year and will be featuring a variety of events and performances throughout the weekend. »READ MORE

Coca-Cola has gone white to call attention to the polar bear and its arctic habitat. The iconic red-canned cola has partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to protect the bear’s ice cold home in the Arctic, investing nearly $10 million dollars in the conservation project over the next ten years. Text your $1 donation to ArcticHome.com and Coca-Cola will match your money. See “Cappy” the bear, one of six handmade statues around the country, in the food court at Scottsdale Fashion Square through the end of the year.

As chosen by you, here are the most popular stories OF ALL TIME (aka last week). Just in case you missed it.

Next on the clock is one of our all-time favorite local news anchors, Tara Hitchcock. Fresh from her departure from her morning gig at Ch. 3, she’s hosting the “8th Annual Best Buddies Spirit of Friendship Awards Prom Night” this Friday, October 28th. We chat with the bright-eyed beauty on her senior prom and what’s on the horizon for her.

So here’s how it works. We fire off questions, Tara answers and bam, we post them on the interwebs for the world to see. Let’s begin.

DLT: How long have you been involved with Best Buddies?
Tara Hitchcock: I’ve been involved with Best Buddies for about 8 years now!

»READ MORE

As chosen by you, here’s the most popular stories of all time AKA last week just in case you missed it.

Are you a food fanatic? An avid cook? Or maybe you’re just a Farmer’s Market junkie. And hey, we can’t say that we blame you. Fruits and vegetables always seemed to just taste more wholesome when purchased directly from the grower. You’re in luck. The Valley hosts some great Farmers’ Markets where you can pick up your favorite fall foods, fresh and delicious. Just the way they should be. Below you’ll find a quick schedule of this fall’s Farmers’ Markets.

The New! Avondale Farmers’ Market
Begins November 5
Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Friendship Park by the lake
12325 W. McDowell Rd.

»READ MORE

Halloween weekend has arrived, the slutty sexy outfits and couples costumes are ready to wear, and all that’s left is finding someplace to party.  There are plenty of frightful activities around town, and even around the Southwest if you’re down for a last-minute getaway.

Be sure to check out our recent articles for local parties, Valley haunted houses and Cave Creek getting wicked. If you’re feeling adventurous this weekend, there’s still time to get away to Vegas or Southern California for their plethora of frights and fiestas. And staying in? Spook up your eve with one of these tasty spooktails from this week’s cocktail roundup.

Have a safe and fun Halloween weekend!

Have we mentioned we are all about festivals these days? It’s clearly an obsession that needs to be addressed, but how about after we attend the Spooky Blues Mini Music Fest benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project this Saturday night. As if a costume contest wasn’t reason enough to head over, the list of local and blues bands playing the 2-10 pm event is quite long  (Hans Olson, Scotty Spenner, Paris James, Sal and The Stray Hounds, Americana Blues Review and Juke Joint just to name a few) and there will be food, drinks and prizes awarded for the winner of the aforementioned costume contest and for the best pumpkin carver. General admission tickets are just $15 in advance ($30 for VIP) at the Thunderbird Roadhouse.

Kickoff el weekend at El Chorro’s new Happy Hour, available daily from 4:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. Specials include half-priced house wines and beer as well as daily martini and margarita specials. We’ve huge fans of the lovely patio for Sunday brunch and for their famous sticky buns, but what a fabulous way to finish the day with a cocktail and a Grilled Street Taco or Pommes Frito, Parmesan crusted potato puffs with truffle ranch sauce for just $5. More menu options to choose from. For a map and directions to the lodge, click here. 

What’s Halloweekend without a spooky cocktail or two? Here’s rundown of our favorite spooktail recipes for the weekend:

DEVIL’S KISS
Available through November 2 at Culinary Dropout and Modern Steak

Ingredients:
.5 oz. lemon juice
1.5 oz. strawberry simple syrup
• 1 T. Monin strawberry syrup
• 2 T. simple syrup
.75 oz. Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey
1 oz. Devil’s Cut Bourbon

Preparation:
Combine in a shaker with ice; shake and strain. Pour into a martini glass. Garnish with cinnamon lips or a drop a few Red Hots in the bottom of the glass.

»READ MORE

Slices are never fun on the links, but you won’t mind slicing into a juicy Morton’s steak after this golf tournament.

The annual Morton’s Golf Classic will be held Friday, November 4 at the TPC Scottsdale, with proceeds from the event benefitting the Phoenix-based non-profit, Ryan House. The event begins with a catered breakfast before the 8:00 a.m. shotgun, followed by a day of putts and pars at one of Scottsdale’s finest courses.

Tickets to the PGA Tour’s Official Steakhouse event are $250 per player and include green fees, golf cart, breakfast, beverage tickets, awards reception and luncheon. Reservations will be accepted until November 2, and can be made by calling Morton’s The Steakhouse in Scottsdale at (480) 951-4440 or purchase tickets online here.

Image via World Golf

Only in Scottsdale…Teens and tweens are now hittin’ the club scene with the opening of “Club AT” Nightclub at AZ Air Time Trampoline Park. Drop your teen-aged tot, ages 12 and up, every Friday and Saturday night at Scottsdale’s newest late night hot spot. DJ Larry Love spins the hottest hits when the club starts thumpin’ at 9:00 p.m. each evening, with clubbers partaking in dodgeball, foam pits, dancing contests and jumping on the 5,000 square foot main tramp. The supervised nighttime play “for parents looking for a safe place for their kids and teens to hang out in the evening” starts at 9:00 p.m. and ends at midnight. $5 cover and $7 per hour to jump. Call (480) 427-2000 for more information.

AZ Air Time | 13802 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 145 | Scottsdale, AZ 85254

If you haven’t been to the many temporary pumpkin patches around town, chances are you’re going to get a misshapen little nugget and have to settle on a creepy gourd. If you’re lucky, The Great Pumpkin will grant you a perfectly plump orange ball of Halloween joy to grace your front door. With time ticking away, why not stray from carving (and skip the guts…ew) with this pumpkin painting idea! Also, way safer and easier for small children. We love this silver one from Wit & Whistle, but the possibilities are endless. Now if only a DIY costume was this easy…

We love the groovy, lounge-y vibe of the eclectic Pink Martini. Inspired by the music of romantic Old Hollywood, we have found Pink Martini perfect for swanky cocktail parties or whenever we’re in that retro-hip mood; pop in a Pink Martini CD, shake or stir a drink, dirty of course, and relax to the worldy chic vibe of the “little orchestra,” led by bandleader/pianist Thomas Lauderdale.

We were fortunate enough to chat with lead songstress, Storm Large, taking the stage, literally by storm, with Pink Martini. Coming soon to the Celebrity Theatre, presented by Celebrity and Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Storm replaces singer China Forbes, as Forbes recovers from throat surgery. The belting beauty tell us about life on the road, preparation for Pink Martini and the inspiration of music. »READ MORE

Us DLT girls just love glitter. So when we heard about GlitzyLips, we were a little beside ourselves with excitement. SUPER shiny lip and body sparkles that’ll last through a night at the club and beyond? Sign us up.

This isn’t your grandmother’s lipgloss, lipstick, or lipstain. In fact, it’s “infallible lipfoil.” Hear us out – We know it looks and feels great because we used ourselves as guinea pig.

Application goes like this: apply the primer, let it dry, press and peel your GlitzyLips color of shoes, and BOOM! You’re lips are ready to party.

GlitzyLips comes in eight different fabulous shades, and is tons of fun! You aren’t limited to just applying to your lips. You can add a little glitz to anywhere you please. GlitzyLips can be anything you want!

So whether you want to wear some Winemeova for that sexy vampire costume you’re wearing this weekend (it is Halloween, after all!) or you wanna shine every day, try it.

It begins with the book. And when we say ‘it,’ we mean the season. And with the ‘season’, we mean the holidays and the book of course, The Neiman Marcus Christmas Book, filled with the most luxurious and semi-gluttonous gifts for yourself your beloveds. It’s the 85th edition of the luxury departments store’s coveted catalogue of what-to-buy and what-to-wish for marks the shopping season for many. Flip through the fabulous and make your list with the NM Speedboat, the Assouline Custom Library or the Ferrari FF for that special Santa set to spoil you.

We just had a lovely interview with Ken Downing, Fashion Director and Senior Vice President of Neiman Marcus. He’s a glamourous, Gucci-donning ball of fiery, fashion-fueled energy and in just a quick few minutes, we are energized for fall fashion. So what trends have the man-about-fashion fluttering this season? Here’s a list of what in at NM and Downing’s quick tip for looking younger in an instant:

»READ MORE

Halloween is almost here, and what better way to stir up some spirit than a pumpkin facial for the weekend?

Revive Spa is now offering a revitalizing pumpkin facial that will utilize all of the vitamins in the fruit leaving you feel refreshed, and glowing throughout the rest of fall.

The 50-minute facial begins with a relaxing cleansing, followed by an exfoliation, a facial mask, massage and a deluxe custom moisturizer.

There is a special discounted rate of $99 until Oct. 31, so make reservations by calling  480-293-3700 or visit www.jwrevivespa.com asap.

Image via RealBeauty

Each week, find a luxe look for less with the “laid off and looking good” ladies of Pink Slip Style, making it a must to bring the runway to your everyday.

Kate Bosworth has been photographed wearing her favorite suede Isabel Marant boots time and time again. The pricey $600 boots appear to be her go-to shoes, and she pairs them with everything from casual looks to cocktail ensembles. They’re versatile and seasonless and we have to own them! We’ve been searching for a more wallet friendly version of the Marant boots for years and thankfully, have finally tracked down a decent knock-off that we think everyone will appreciate, for style and rock-bottom price of $34.95 at Old Navy!

Calling all men with impressive facial hair! The esteemed Mr. HB Hanratty and the American Mustache Institute-Arizona Chapter cordially invite you to the fundraising month of “Movember.”

To support men’s health the AMI AZ Chapter will shave their beards, mustaches, goatees, and the like on November 1, then re-grow them to raise money for cancer research. The ‘stache-less are invited to grow with them to help raise awareness of men’s health issues like prostate cancer.

In support of these brave men willing to bare all, HB Hanratty’s pub host the shaving party on November 1 from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. and $1 from every special drink purchased will be donated to help support Joey Wilhelm (pictured) Team AMIAZ.

Additional donations are always welcome, and can be made here.

As if you needed another excuse to channel your inner royal couple, the Arizona Polo Club is hosting the first annual Horses and Horsepower Polo Party with Barrett-Jackson and the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona. The festivities begin Saturday, November 5th at 11:00 a.m. with a champagne brunch at Olive + Ivy and continues at 1:00 p.m. on the Arizona Polo Field at Westworld in Scottsdale. Tickets are pretty cheap (just $10 for general admission), so you can channel extra funds into a fabulous outfit. Class it up with some our favorite looks for men and women after the jump. »READ MORE

SMoCA Lounge | Photo by Tim Lanterman

When the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art kicks off their busy season Friday night with the annual Fall Opening Celebration, guests will see red in the new, red hot communal gathering space, the Lounge.

The flex-use community spot, known as SMoCA Lounge, will provide the museum with more space for dining, drinking, and chatting with friends away from the art installations, as food and drink can’t be near the artwork in the galleries. The Lounge will be an educational area by day and a mix-use gathering hot spot by night, featuring engaged discussions and lectures that meld with cocktail socials, film screenings, science pubs, teen art gatherings, hands-on workshops, poetry readings and lots more. The museum has also extended hours (see more) for the season, allowing more time for guests to enjoy the new space. »READ MORE