As Valley homeowners continue to struggle with a historically bad real estate market, one local industry is rolling in the green. Green paint, that is. Yes, companies such as Turf Painter are busier than ever as more and more Valley residents save money by letting their water-gulping grass lawns go brown. However, as anyone who’s ever lived in an HOA- monitored neighborhood can tell, the fines for not maintaining a green yard can dwarf any savings from turning off the sprinklers. Which is where these grass painting services come in. For about $200, they can paint your yard with a vegetable-based dye, which lasts for three months or so.

No word on whether they will also paint your green pool a nice shade of blue.

[NY Times]

In case you missed it, ASU announced it’s mildly-anticipated uniform redesign today. Created by those branding gurus at Nike, the new-look unis replaced the Sun Devils long-time mascot, Sparky, with a stylized pitchfork. Plus, ASU’s various teams will now sport a rotating collection of mix-and-match tops and pants that will help sell more crap “springboard us to a new level of branding,” says ASU athletic director, Lisa Love.

Sounds great and all, but where’s Sparky? You know the longtime mascot, best known for his pushups prowess and for reportedly being modeled after Walt Disney. And we’re not the only one’s asking. According to ABC 15, “Sparky” became a trending topic on Twitter at 2:30 pm today.

It seems crazy considering we’ve already tasted triple-digit-temps here in the Valley, but it’s not too late to hit the ski slopes this season. Perched above Flagstaff, Arizona Snowbowl already planned on reopening for one final hurrah this April 8 – 10. And now this latest Spring storm is expected to plaster the mountain with nearly a foot of fresh powder!

So it should be quite the snowy shindig atop the San Francisco Peaks this weekend, with live music planned for the deck of the main lodge, and all-day tix priced at $25 (and only $20 if you buy them online on Snowbowl’s somewhat-clunky website).

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Surprise, surprise. It looks like that plan to build an indoor ski resort here in the Valley of the Sun is slowly melting away. Named “Freeze Zone,” this proposed theme park was to be built atop an old city dump in South Phoenix, with a design based on similar indoor snow parks already operating in Japan and Dubai (pictured), where you can actually ski and snowboard year-round, even in the middle of the Arabian Desert.

However, it now looks like this massive ski resort will just join the long list of AZ theme parks are still moldering on the drawing boards, including an $800M Rock and Roll-themed park planned in Eloy, AZ, and the Mesa Waveyard project that was supposed to open this summer. In fact, AZ Central reports that the developers behind this latest entertainment park, “have not responded to repeated phone calls seeking comment.” We’re no experts, but that’s probably not a good sign for the Valley breaking its streak as the largest metropolitan area without a major theme park.

So for anyone who’s ever wanted to build a museum or amusement park on top of a former EPA toxic waste site in one of the poorest parts of the city, they are taking numbers at city hall.

Read more about this exciting investment opportunity after the jump.

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Taking the stage tonight at First Fridays, The Surfside IV is a local band with a distinctively retro sound (and look). Specializing in uptempo, 60s-style ‘instro surf’, this Phoenix-based foursome also rocks a throwback look and stage presence. That is, matching black suits, skinny ties, maroon fezzes and ridiculous white sunglasses.

Catch the wave tonight at The Lost Leaf in Downtown Phoenix.

914 N. 5th St., 602-258-0014

Downtown Phoenix's new Province restaurant features bold Latin flavors such as shrimp and grits with Manchego cheese

Are you counting down the days until opening day at Chase Field? Do the D’backs have a chance to rebound from back-to-back awful seasons? If we knew the answer to that last one, we’d be in Vegas right now. But one thing we do know, there are some great new pre- and post-game drinking and drinking options in Downtown Phoenix. After all, just because you’re going to a baseball game doesn’t mean you have to settle for greasy nachos and (crappy) $12 beers. Hit up one of these sleek new hotspots featuring some serious culinary chops.

Tucked into the first-floor of the soaring new Westin Phoenix Downtown, Province restaurant is a stylish new spin-off of the Chicago original. Featuring a bold (and surprisingly affordable) menu of Modern Latin dishes, Province is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner up until 10 pm. Click here to see the full menu, including the killer-sounding shrimp and grits with Manchego cheese and a ‘BBQ’d Ten Hour Braised’ lamb with roasted eggplant, chorizo and cornbread.

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First it was a ‘pop-up’ shopping experience, and then it was a ‘pop-up’ restaurant. Now there’s a delicious-sounding ‘pop-up’ charity event coming to Downtown Phoenix to support the relief efforts in Japan. Hosted this Wednesday, March 30, from 6 – 9pm inside the Madison Event Center, drop in to donate to Red Cross and enjoy amazing food from local restaurants such a Hana Japanese Eatery, Barrio Cafe, and (the delicious) Citizen Public House.

Wanna help? Well if you’re a local business, click here and fill out the form, and someone will be in touch immediately.

Meanwhile, individuals can best help by simply showing up and give the suggested donation of $20 at the door (or more if you’d like). All funds raised will go directly to the Grand Canyon Red Cross.

Just when you want to give AZ’s Legislature a little credit for finally easing the statewide ban on fireworks, comes this sparkler shocker. Yes, ‘the man’ has decided these kiddy-party staples are just be too dangerous for us average schmoes, and is working to ban them completely except for a brief window around both the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve. (Meanwhile, AZ politicians have immunity from arrest so they could presumably set off cherry bombs in the state capital if they so choose.)

Oh, and AZ would go back to banning outright anything remotely fun, such as M-80s and bottlerockets. In short, if this new law passes the only acceptable fireworks would be “fountains and wheels that shoot off sparklers and toy smoke devices,” the AZ Daily Star reports.

To which we say, they can have our fireworks when they take them out of our cold, three-fingered hands!

Quick, can you name this 12-year-old dribbling sensation appearing on Late Show with Johnny Carson? (Who’s Johnny Carson?, says anyone under the age 25.) Yes, that’s University of Arizona basketball coach, Sean Miller, rocking worlds tightest pair of pants. Expecting a flood, coach? Watch Miller’s latest amazing feat this Thursday as he tries to lead the underdog Arizona Wildcats over those damned Duke Blue Devils.

Ugh. Another tough (triple overtime loss) for the Suns. Quick question, does anyone really ‘love’ LA?

But nothing can take the air out of Steve Nash’s pink scooter tires, it seems. Yes, aside from being the face of the city’s most popular sports team, Steve Nash is everywhere these days. Locally, he’s best known as the spokesman for APS’ renewable energy program. In fact, one of the TV ads featuring Nash bouncing basketballs off the heads of clueless energy customers is probably playing on TV as you read this.

However, that’s just the tip of the growing Steve Nash empire.

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On behalf of nerds everywhere, we’d like wish William Shatner a happy 80th birthday. Yes, the man who gave us such memorable characters such as Captain Kirk, TJ Hooker and, um, the Priceline Negotiator, is still living large all these years later. But don’t take out word for it, check out this hilarious list of “80 Reasons Why William Shatner is Awesome.” Hint: anyone else out there been immortalized with a custom ketchup bottle?

Seems a bit trivial in light of the ongoing tragedies in Japan, but yet another earthquake struck near Sedona. Measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale, the minor trembler hit just after noon on Friday in an rural area 22 miles east of the city. (An area not too far from northern AZ’s renowned wine-growing regions.) Which is extra creepy because an 3.5 magnitude earthquake hit here, in almost the exact same same spot, two months ago.

Of course, earthquakes are more common in AZ that you’d think, with a magnitude 2.2 earthquake shaking along the AZ-Nevada border at around 8:30 this morning. Fortunately, it appears no casino chips or penny slots were harmed.

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

The long-feared “Big One” is coming to Southern California sooner rather than later. That’s the grim news found in a report published by scientists at ASU and UC Irvine, which found the section of the San Andreas fault running underneath Greater LA averages a major earthquake every 88 years, meaning it’s well overdue for another devastating trembler.

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This Saturday is Fan Appreciation Day at Turf Paradise, the landmark horse racing track located in the northwest Valley. Held as part of this underrated gem’s year-long 55th anniversary celebration, patrons will have a chance to win a cool $5,000 in cash just for showing up. Not to mention, $2 draft beer and $2 hamburgers and hot dogs, as well as family-friendly fun (seriously), including bounce houses, pony rides and face painters in the family picnic grove. And just between us, we’ve got a good feeling about a certain three-year-old filly named …

Get ready to boo, Sandra Bullock fans. Yes, the celebrity we all love to hate, Jesse James, is crash-landing into the Valley this weekend. It seems the infamous Reality TV star/ex-Hollywood househusband, who was last seen skulking out of the spotlight after he was busted cheating on America’s Sweetheart with a variety of tattooed freakjobs, has a new gig. Yes, James has joined Scottsdale-based Potts Racing and will be driving in this weekend’s big race at Firebird International Raceway.

According to the press release, James says, “I’m at a point in life where all I want to do is race. … I am thankful Potts Racing has given me the opportunity to be part of their team.”

We say racing should be left to the true professionals unqualified hacks, like our editor or local food blogger, Eric Eats Out (who will be taking the same 4×4 bad boys that James is going to drive for a spin tomorrow morning. Pray for them.)

Image via Us Weekly

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So who’s ready to drink? In case you didn’t find something to tickle your fancy in our earlier St. Paddy’s Day party guide, here are two more quick-hit can’t-misses. Celebrate Chicago-style in the heart of North Scottsdale at West Addison’s St. Patrick’s Day Block Party. Housed inside Market Street in DC Ranch (who knew there were still places open up there) watch all the March Madness inside, or spill out onto the outdoor plaza filled with festive green fountains, live music and traditional Irish foods.

Meanwhile, over in Tempe, Robbie Fox’s Public House started pouring Guinness out of 6 beer trucks at 6 am this morning. Meanwhile, AZ rockers The Brazen Heads and The Celtic Cowboys take the stage starting at 6 pm. Oh, and the bar is located on Mill Avenue at 6th Street. We’re sensing a theme here.

Good luck and be safe out there everybody.

Don’t wanna star in Sheriff Joe’s stupid new Reality TV show? Get your drunk ass self home safely (and freely) with Valley-based Discount Cab, who is offering patrons a “Free Ride Back” St. Patrick’s Day. Don’t be like one of the 18,000 Arizona drivers cited for DUIs last year, and simply order up a cab while you’re out and about this evening/tomorrow morning. Then call again in the morning, and they’ll send over one of these (surprisingly clean, not smell) green machines to drive you back to your car the next day free of charge, no questions asked.

For 90 years, Rock Springs Café has been a welcoming watering hole for travelers along Old Black Canyon Road (now the I-17 highway). Perched atop a rocky plateau some 40 miles north of the Valley, Rock Springs started as a general store for gold miners seeking their fortune in the nearby Bradshaw Mountains. Today, however, Rock Springs Café is known throughout the West for its awesome house-made pies, ranging from traditional favs such as banana cream and rhubarb crumb, to more exotic offerings such as Jack Daniels pecan and Tennessee lemon.

And this Thursday, March 17, the Rock Springs Cafe will be rolling out the kegs for its annual Saint Patty’s Day festivities, hosted on a scenic outdoor party pavilion overlooking the restaurant’s namesake creek. Can’t make it up on a weekday? Well, you’re in luck pardner, cause Rock Springs is also home to a mouth-watering monthly BBQ, featuring live country-western music and one traditional Western delicacy that you won’t find on too many menus.

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Scary news for the golf cart loving residents of Sun City and the gated communities of North Scottsdale. (Heck, we’ve even seen ‘em creeping around Old Town). And no, we’re not talking about the trainwreck that was the “Sunset Daze” TV show.

A new report claims that the souped-up golf carts that are so popular for running errands around the neighborhood are crazy-dangerous. »READ MORE

We kid, we kid. But seriously, get ready for some mutton-fueled madness at the Arizona Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace. And yes, we know that those giant grilled animal limbs are technically turkey legs, but if you can’t suspend your disbelief a little, this wacky fest is not for you. Located in the middle of nowhere (aka Apache Junction), get Medieval with falconry exhibitions and thrice daily jousting tournaments, or spiff up your castle with handcrafted goods from the sprawling marketplace. Or just kick up your knee-high boots and quaff some ales, honey mead or Dukes of Daiquiri. (Saturdays and Sundays, through April 3, 520-463-2700)

It’s a couple of completely unqualified local writers trying to kill themselves at Firebird Raceway

Yes, we’ve got something a little different for you today. A few weeks back, we learned about a crazy-cool experience now being offered to Valley motorsports fanatics. Named Arrive and Drive, this adrenaline-fueled adventure lets casual racing fans get behind the wheel of a SuperLite Racing Series truck. AKA the same high-flying, 800-horsepower 4X4′s the pros will be flooring around the track at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler as part of next weekend’s Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series.

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Here at DLT HQ, we receive all sorts of press releases promoting all sorts of outlandish things: “How Toxic Daughters In-Law Destroy Marriages” rolled in just this afternoon. However, compare anything to our beloved In-N-Out and you’ve got our attention. To wit, this new fried chicken chain flocking into town later this year. “For those new to the Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers phenomenon, think In-N-Out meets chicken fingers. The menu is exclusive to chicken finger combos (one of which is a sandwich), in addition to Texas Toast, crinkle cut fries, cole slaw prepared daily and the famous Cane’s sauce (a secret recipe known only to the partners and a select few in the company).”

Sounds good, we guess. But good luck getting our friends down in Tucson to ever give up their steak fingers.

See when/where this bird’s landing after the jump.

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America’s fav soulless, cookie-cutter corporate coffee shop, Starbucks is turning 40 tomorrow. And aside from rolling out a wine bottle-sized new cup, they are celebrating with freebies! Yes, drop by Tuesday through Saturday from 2 – 5 pm, and get a free sample of the Bucks’ new 200-calorie Petites baked goods with the purchase of any regular-priced drink.

Then dump said drink in the trash and get yourself some coffee from a local mom-and-pop shop, such as Urban Beans, Hava Java, Royal Coffee Bar, Cave Creek Coffee Company, Lola Coffee Bar, Mama Java’s, LUX, Cartel Coffee Labs, Sola Coffee Bar, 32 Shea …

If South Florida is considered the unofficial sixth borough of New York City, then the Valley of the Sun has always been a magnet for Midwesterners. From Chicagoans to Columbusians (or is it Columbi?), Greater Phoenix is awash with formerly-frozen transplants from our nation’s breadbasket. Even better, they’ve brought their Italian beef sandwiches and frozen custards with ’em.

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Today, the astronauts aboard the about-to-retire Discovery Space Shuttle were woken up with a special message recorded by William Shatner. Click here to watch the Star Trek-tastic results for yourself, as NASA wraps up its penultimate Shuttle trip. Of course, the final mission will be led by Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ husband, Mark Kelly.

Image via