Before you order that Brazilian Butt Lift off late night TV, check out Arizona’s first licensed SPX Fitness studio, The Body Lab, in its newest location. The Body Lab now open in North Scottsdale was created by international trainer Sebastien Lagree. The SPX Fitness regime is the workout of choice by Hollywood’s elite and professional athletes, combining pilates, cardio and strength training. Now with two locations, you’ve run out of reasons to skip that workout.

The Body Lab – Scottsdale Studio | 20511 North Hayden Road | Scottsdale, AZ 85255 

Australian company, Deus ex Machina designed this bad-a$$ bike that combines new technology with a retro aesthetic, probably causing heads to turn wherever it goes. Putting out 1200cc, the bike is based off a Harley Davidson Sportster 1200. Stripping away a lot of the Davidson’s aspects, engineers were able to add custom 18 and 19 inch wheel sets, a high performance exhaust, and a PM Super gas air filter, among much more. We’re adding this one to our wish list.

Image via Deus ex Machina 

Legendary 1970s supermodel Pat Cleveland will give a lively and intimate discussion titled “The Golden Heart of Giorgio di Sant’ Angelo” at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 1 at the Phoenix Art Museum. Not only will Cleveland bring the spirit of di Sant’ Angelo to life through personal accounts of studio fittings and runway experiences, but she will shed light on the fantasy of the designer’s imagination, explaining how the fabrics felt and moved and how di Sant’ Angelo pinned them to achieve particular results. Cleveland will also expound on her experience as a top model in an era in which young women were experiencing new roles and new freedoms, and how fashion reflected those changes. Included with general museum admission; seating is first-come, first-served.

Phoenix Art Museum | 1625 North Central Avenue |  Phoenix, AZ | 85004

If you didn’t make little purses out of jean pockets when you were a wee one, then you were probably a normal child playing with Barbies and/or race cars and not dreaming of a successful stint on Project Runway before the show ever existed. Well, now is your chance to get back some of those lost creative years by making your own phone case out of old jeans. It gives a whole new meaning to the term “butt dial.” Check out the step-by-step directions here on BLDG 25 and happy sewing (or gluing if we’re being realistic). 

Of course we’re looking forward to the match up between…we lie. We love the Super Bowl for the wacky Super Bowl food, the beer, Madonna’s halftime show this year and of course, for the following Super Bowl Commercials:

Jerry Seinfeld is so excited about the new Acura NSX that he will stop at nothing to acquire the very first one. Check out the extended version of Acura’s big game commercial. See what else Jerry would do for the first new NSX at www.acura.com. NSX projected debut in next three years.

Just in time for Arizona’s centennial celebration, the Phoenix Art Museum is hosting Frank Lloyd Wright: Organic Architecture for the 21st Century.

Taking place from now to the end of April, this exhibit commemorates the famous Arizonan architect and explores his tenets of organic architecture. Though Wright did most of his work primarily in the mid-century, his style and method resonates with today and holds a major part in Arizonan history.

The exhibition looks into many of Wright’s career accomplishments including Unity Temple in Illinois, Fallingwater in Pennsylvania, Johnson Wax Administration Building and Taliesin, both in Wisconsin and of course Taliesin West in Scottsdale. After the construction of the Taliesin West, Wright retired in the Valley and spent the remainder of his days designing dozens of residential and commercial structures.

Phx Art Museum | 1625 North Central Avenue | Phoenix, AZ 85004 

Image via Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

So remember when we covered all the fun stuff going down at this week’s 2012 Waste Management Phoenix Open? Well there’s more to be thrilled about. A few lucky “Fans” of the Coors Light Birds Nest Facebook page will get a chance to meet some of the headlining musical acts from the Open.

A few lucky fans will have the opportunity to go backstage at the after party to meet Will.i.am, The Goo Goo Dolls, Kelley James, and Slightly Stoopid. How can you win? Simple, by becoming a fan on the Birds Nest Facebook page. To save you some time click here.

Keep an eye out this week on the Birds Nest site for winners. Good luck!

Grand Canyon Universitywill host a spring edition of its successful Run to Fight Children’s Cancer benefiting Arizona’s Children’s Cancer Network. Getting ready to run for the cure Saturday, March 10 at 7:00 a.m., starting at the new Grand Canyon University Arena in Phoenix.

Last fall, the inaugural run raised over $30,000 for the Children’s Cancer Network and this spring’s run hopes to do the same. Participants in the 5K, 10K and Cancer Survivors’ Walk will receive an official race t-shirt and goodie bag, with the first 500 to register also receiving an aluminum water bottle. Cancer survivors participating will receive a special gift. Family-friendly activities will include jump houses, face painting, balloon animals, arts and crafts, a photo booth and appearances by mascots of Arizona’s professional sports teams.

To enter or to volunteer for the race, click here. Registration fees through March 2 are $20 for the 5K and $30 for the 10K. The Cancer Survivors’ Walk is free and family and friends of survivors are encouraged to participate.

The Cheesecake Factory, like other similar restaurants and many liquor companies, has jumped on the “skinny” bandwagon, touting healthier menus and dining options. We’ve seen it, you’ve seen it – low-cal, low-fat, skinny-licious – taking over menus and cocktails everywhere. And before you read on to what we thought of The Cheesecake Factory’s new Skinnylicious menu, understand this: There’s no skinnylicious cheesecake. Not a sliver. Not even one bite of the Original, Strawberry or Oreo Cheesecake from the cheesecake-licious bakery you are forced to ignore while walking to your table. But what you will find are skinny cocktails, appetizers, salads and entrees, nearly 50 items under 590 calories and six signature cocktails with 150 calories or less. Calorie-conscious, they may be. But taste-conscious, is a stretch.

Like I said, there’s been so many “skinny” menus popping up, I was willing to give one a try and TCF was willing to offer up their menu. As was my friend Adam Maielua, lead trainer at The Body Lab in Scottsdale which recently opened their second Valley location, who was willing to offer his time and tastebuds with me. Though there wasn’t anything on the menu that we absolutely loved, we agreed that overall, if a Weight Watchers diet or NutriSystem diet works for you, TCF is a viable option for eating out and keeping on track with your weighloss plan occasionally. Mostly, portions were cut to what we feel were more “normal” from their infamous platter-sized meals, so that helps save calories and fat right off the bat. Also, the Skinnylicious menu options are scaled and measured to the precise caloric content listed so you know the exact calories consumed, if you’re still into counting them. But overall, what was skinny, wasn’t necessarily “licious.” Here’s the skinny on what we tried:

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Local pasta sauce, herb and oil company Costantino’s Kitchen is bringing the authentic taste of Italy to your kitchen, just like Grandma used to make! We love it on spaghetti squash and can’t wait to try the Angie’s Meatballs recipe below. Find the sauce at a local farmer’s market here and hopefully soon to Chow Locally. 

Angie’s Meatballs

Yield: 12 Meatballs

1 jar Costantino’s Kitchen Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
4 oz ground beef
4 oz ground pork
1/4  cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2.5 tbsp minced onion
2 tbsp milk
1 egg
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Preparation:

Heat sauce over medium-high heat.

Combine beef, pork, breadcrumbs, cheese, onion, milk, egg, garlic and pepper. Shape into 12, 1-inch meatballs. Cook in skillet over medium heat until brown on all sides. Move to oven and cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes until cooked throughout. Serve over pasta with a generous portion of Costantino’s Kitchen Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce.

Natural-cheese purveyors Tillamook will kick off their third annual cross-country “Loaf Love Tour” from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, February 4 at the Phoenix Zoo. The event, which is dedicated to “bringing tasty cheese to the people,” will include a scavenger hunt, coupons, a chance to meet Tillamook Brand Ambassadors and mascot Loafy, and of course, samples of the company’s all-natural cheeses, which are made with hormone-free milk. But there early, cheese lovers: as another fun and tasty way to spread the “Loaf Love,” the first 100 fans to enter at 9 a.m.  sporting their brightest Tillamook orange will enjoy free admission; orange-clad fans arriving after first 100 tickets are gone will receive $1 off admission. For the discounts, participants must check-in at the Tillamook Baby Loaf bus located outside the Phoenix Zoo main gate.

For more info, click here.

Phoenix Zoo | 455 North Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, AZ | 85008

Be prepared for a great mood lifter with this new song from Chairlift. It just makes you want to dance carefree through a library just like the cast of Breakfast Club. Catchy, poppy and the perfect way to kick off your work week, here’s “I Belong in Your Arms”

Like Starbucks and fro-yo shops, Thai restaurants seem to be popping up on every corner, yet somehow, the quest for amazing, authentic Thai food is not as easy as driving down the street – those without a Thai-food-savvy GPS need guidance. As usual, however, we did the hard work for you, scarfing down warm peanut curry with beef in Scottsdale, spicy papaya salad in Phoenix, and even coconut pineapple rice at an eatery in Glendale just to bring you a list of ten local Thai favorites for both the newbie and the experienced to love. Check out our choices after the jump.

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There is now more of a price to pay for not going to the gym than a growing waistline. GymPact, a new website and iPhone app, tracks your gym attendance, rewards you for hitting the treadmill and punishes you for, well, not. Upon signing up, you establish the number of days per week you want to exercise and the monetary stakes you’re willing to pay weekly if you don’t (say, $5). You prove your commitment by checking into your gym with GymPact’s app, which calculates your GPS coordinates to confirm your whereabouts. Those who don’t stick to their weekly goals have their credit cards charged for the agreed-upon amount. Those who do, however, are rewarded with real cash, which is credited to their account and funded by the people who didn’t work out. If all this sounds a tad inflexible, fear not: members can change their pact at any time or freeze their membership when they go on vacation. Regardless, even if the prospect of paying for laziness strikes you as perverse, you have to admit that getting paid to work out sounds pretty nice.

As chosen by you, here are the most popular stories of all time aka LAST WEEK, just in case you missed them.

The sun is shining, birds are chirping and Phoenix is all abuzz with the Waste Management Phoenix Open rapidly approaching. So what does this mean for locals besides bad traffic? We’ll tell you. It means every little frat boy (young and old) and club hopping fist pumper will be emerging in daylight hours to drink excessively and set up a$$hole camp at the 16th hole. Gentlemen, don’t be these guys. You are better. You don’t wear argyle socks or graphic tees. Here are a few tips to dressing up that classic t-shirt and making people stop and stare….for the right reasons.

<—Sorry Ricky Fowler. You are clearly dressed like an undesirable.

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As chosen by you, here are the top stories of ALL TIME aka last week, just in case you missed them.

Nathan’s back, our resident womanizing snarkster, with some solid advice for the singletons this month. Check out this Rule of Nathan #48 and don’t miss his column next month for more of his musings.

Rule of Nathan #48: Never date or try to date a stripper. By never, I mean almost never, and by stripper I mean stripper you meet at the strip club. Strippers aren’t strippers outside of work any more than Hugh Laurie is a doctor, Nathan Fillion is a space cowboy, Nickelback are musicians or Lou Diamond Phillips is Richie Valens. OK, scratch that last one. LDP is totally La Bamba. So, you know, if you meet her because she sits next to you in your law school class, go for it.

In that vein, coffee shops are the new strip clubs and baristas are the new strippers. Bear with me on this one. When your barista smiled at you and she “was totally flirting, man,” remember she has a tip jar. Her job is to be nice to you and make you coffee. I get it. My dream woman would be nice to me and make me coffee too, but remember that’s the baristas job. »READ MORE

Our big mouth’s are back this week with another Mix Tape by DJ William F-ing Reed. These five songs of the week will get your big mouth smirking and your fist a pumpin’. Listen. Enjoy. Repeat.

Santigold – Big Mouth
Sleigh Bells – Comeback Kid
Miike Snow – Paddling Out
Apparat – Ash/Black Veil
Lower Dens – Brains

It’s that time of week again and what what a week it has been. Let’s take a look at what went down in the Valley.

Chinese New Year brought in the Year of the Dragon and there’s is plenty going on around town to celebrate. If you’re trying to get back into shape, why not jump for it? Speaking of getting in shape, yoga just got a little better with a Partner’s Yoga Retreat.

Do you think you’re as strong as a Spartan? Check out this year’s Spartan Race Challenge taking place in Chandler, February 11. According to The Rumorist, a little birdie told us a new concept is going to hit North Scottsdale, we can’t wait to find out what it is. We also sat down with Mesa born Mikey L’Heureux, photographer, graphic designer, and budding filmaker.

Shed pounds fast, by freezing fat. That’s right, freezing it. With the Super Bowl right around the corner, we took a look at how to make your homegating party a success. The Arts of the Bachelor is back, with Nathan bringing us another snarky post. We clapped and cheered for Act One this week. Act One, part of the ON Media Publications family, hosted 300 high school students to see Madama Butterfly.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Image via AllPosters

For Titanic fanatics, there is now a better way to mark the 100^th anniversary of the ship’s sinking than with Titanic 3D. If wearing those thick glasses for three hours isn’t your style, we’re thinking a destination cruise – of sorts – will be. Sound like a strange vacation, especially after the Costa Concordia disaster? We agree, but someone had to do it: For up to $14k, UK-based Miles Morgan Travel is marking the occasion with three Titanic-dedicated cruises in April. From serving food that was also served on the ship to opportunities for period dressing, the cruises will also have daily lectures surrounding the life and history of the Titanic and themed entertainment from the era. Both the 100^th Memorial Cruise – which departs from Southampton April 8 and already has a waitlist – and the Anniversary Cruise, which departs from New York April 10, will follow the doomed ship’s itinerary and give a memorial service at the exact time and location of the ship’s sinking. If it all sounds a little over-the-top, the Titanic Mini Cruise, which departs on April 3, is a 5-night voyage that will stop in both Liverpool and Belfast to commemorate the ship’s “engine room heroes” without the slightly-eerie and subzero mid-ocean memorial service.

For more info, click here.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day early with this weekend’s cocktail, the Amore Smooch. Courtesy of Sassi Italian Restaurant in Scottsdale, this lovely beverage is shaken into a martini glass, surrounded with ice and lightly adorned with fresh red rose petals. Head up to Sassi for a romantic evening or stay at home with your sweetheart and whip up something special….we believe this might be our most romantic recipe yet.

Ingredients:
1 oz of Godiva White liqueur
1 oz of Svedka Cherry Vodka
1 oz of Crème de Cacao

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in a martini shaker. Strain into a stemless martini glass (bottom of the glass filled with crushed ice and 2 fresh rose petals). Garnish with three Svedka Cherry infused cherries, half dipped in chocolate.

Sassi Italian Restaurant | 10455 East Pinnacle Peak Parkway | Scottsdale, AZ |85255

We just received anonymous pictures from a loyal reader of the Dallas-based restaurant Del Frisco’s renovating the space at the Esplanade where Houston’s bailed. Del Frisco’s is scraping the old interiors to the bone, just like you will be scraping a plate of their 24 oz Prime Porterhouse Steak with Cauliflower & Brie Au Gratin soon. No word on when they’ll be “frisking” Phoenix at the “Do Right & Fear No Man” steakhouse or why they call it that, but sounds exciting, right?!

Speaking of the Esplanade where the DLT office is, any takers for the McCormick & Schmick’s space yet? If you’ve got the inside Scoop, let us know by emailing editor@scoopfactory.com. Quality insider tips pay in virtual high-fives and your name as “Staff” on the byline.

We’re clapping furiously for the local foundation, Act One (part of the ON Media Publications family), for hosting 300 high school students January 25 for the Arizona Opera’s Community Night showing of Madama Butterfly. 300 kids sponsored by Act One joined over 2,000 high school students from Valley Title 1 schools, a Federal designation for underserved school populations, who would otherwise not be able to afford the student rate and travel expenses of such life-enriching events. ON Media’s publishers Russ and Linda ‘Mac’ Perlich started the Act One foundation to allow such students access to experiential arts learning. Foundation sponsorships underwrite the costs of school buses, performance tickets and distribution of study guides and other supplementary materials for pre- and post performance in-classroom instruction. The first year, Act One scheduled over 17 events for close to 7,000 K-12 students.

If you would like to participate or for more information, contact Colin Columna, Director of Act One at ccolumna@act1az.org.

Tired of driving downtown (or even farther) to find fresh, locally-grown and handcrafted products? Thankfully, for those of you on the Westside, the long weekend drives end this Sunday, when The Peoria Farmers’ Market will kick off at the newly renovated Osuna Park in Peoria. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. January 29 till June 24, the Market will feature local growers, organic produce, artisan bread, baked goods and other handcrafted food specialties from local establishments such as Circle Key Ranch, Seacat Gardens, Crooked Sky Farms, Dr. Hummus, The Tamale Store and more. Other local foods will include goat, lamb, eggs, cheese and honey, and throughout the season, shoppers can participate in cooking demonstrations by local chefs, gardening tips and canning lessons. Adjacent to the Farmers’ Market, the city will start The Peoria Sunday Arts in the Park this Sunday, as well. Scheduled to continue till June 24, Arts in the Park will feature local artists and craftsmen who will display a variety of one-of-a-kind goods.

In addition, the first 100 customers to stop by the Chipotle booth during the Peoria Farmers Market grand opening will receive a Chipotle Farmers’ Market Bag made from recycled billboards as well as a Buy-One-Get-One-FREE Burrito Card.

Osuna Park | 10510 N. 83rd Avenue | Peoria, AZ | 85345

Wake up and smell the salsa! At least, you’ll be able to on today, January 27, when Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill will offer a new brunch menu. Featuring sweet and spicy items like Huevos Divorciados and a Sweet Shrimp Omelet with Andouille Veracruz to classic breakfast staples like biscuits and gravy and stuffed French toast, the restaurant’s new menu fits nicely with their $4 weekend fun bar, where patrons can build their own breakfast cocktails.

For Valley Z’Tejas locations, click here.