Tomorrow is one of DLT’s favorite times of the year: the 34^th Annual Scottsdale Culinary Festival – a celebration of all things food, food, and more food – will begin in Scottsdale. To help you gear up for this week of eating, here are the top five greatest things about the fest – beyond scarfing down all the gourmet hot dogs, desserts and entrees possible, of course.

Top 5 Things About the Fest

Celebrity Guests: It’s only fitting that the state’s biggest culinary event should draw some of the biggest stars.  This year, the Great Arizona Picnic will host two of the Travel Channel’s best, Andrew Zimmern and comfort food gladiator Adam Richman.  Shows are at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door.

Platinum VIP Experience: This year, the Scottsdale Culinary Festival has more to experience than ever before: celebrity guests, tasting events, art shows, concerts, after parties, and more!  With the Platinum Picnic VIP ticket – a $500 value for $300 and $250 on Saturday and Sunday – festival-goers will have it all at their fingertips.  For the first time, one ticket grants access to literally all that the Festival has to offer!

Burger Battle: From 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday April 19 at Scottsdale Stadium, sixteen of the Valley’s best chefs will meet in friendly competition to see which burger makes mincemeat of the others!  For $55, the burgers, and the deciding vote, can be yours!

Picnic After Party: Just because the sun goes down doesn’t mean festival-goers have to.  The excitement continues afterward at Clayton on the Park with DJ entertainment, dancing, and great drinks for only a $10 admission.

Epicurean Expo: Located on the Picnic grounds inside the beautiful Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, check out the latest kitchen gadgets, cookware, knives and cutting-edge appliances.  From 12 p.m. until 6 p.m., peruse delicious treats, olive oils and savory sauces all while watching renowned chefs teach you new tricks of the trade.  Admission is included with your Great Arizona Picnic ticket.

For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.

Watch Band of Skulls get after it at their Coachella performance this past weekend. The song, “Lies”, can be found on the most recent album from the British group, Sweet Sour, which was released earlier this year. We must warn you though, only listen to this song if you’re fully ready to rock out on a Monday because we know mopping up your face off the floor may be too intense before your morning coffee. Enjoy.

Friday the 13th is usually a day filled with the paranoid and superstitious being extra careful. The W Scottsdale wants you to forget all that and get your dance on. Tonight at 9 p.m. the W presents another installment of their Skam Artist DJ Series. Until 2 a.m. you can party with the hip and fashionable while listening to the beats of DJ Five, resident DJ at the legendary Tao Nightclub in Las Vegas. He brings his world class mixing skills for an amplified experience like no other. Tonight is for those over 21. So knock on wood, throw salt over your shoulder, or whatever it is to get your superstitions in order and come out and play at Shade Lounge at the W Scottsdale. For VIP table and cabana reservation information, call (602) 405-0099. Don’t forget your dancing shoes.

The Shade Lounge | 7277 East Camelback Road | Scottsdale, Arizona 85251

Friday, our favorite part of the week. Now that the work week is over, you might be asking yourselves what to do with the weekend. Well, we’re here to help. Let us begin the Weekend Concert Roundup.

Country Thunder is back! From April 12 to April 15, make your way to Florence, AZ for a weekend filled with country music and beer. Headlining acts include Dierks Bentley, Big & Rich, Blake Shelton and Alan Jackson.

Grunge music legend Eddie Vedder will be playing at Comerica Theatre tonight at 7:30 p.m. Though his music style has changed over the years, Vedder is guaranteed to put on one amazing show. Suzanne Vega, 90′s music star, will be at the MIM tonight, performing some of her classics like “Tom’s Diner.”

Classic rock band Kansas, responsible for “Dust in the Wind” and “Carry On My Wayward Son” will be in the Valley Saturday night. Playing at Ovations Live! at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, Kansas will go on at 8 p.m. Arizona’s version of a music fest, the McDowell Mountain Music Festival, will be happening this weekend, featuring over a dozen different acts and bands.

Calling all cool cats and jazz fans. The Arizona Jazz Festival starts this Saturday and will continue on through Sunday. Hosted at the Wigwam Golf Resort, you want to miss this fest.

via MTV

Time to celebrate spring fashion…Fall 2012 style (hey, admit it: we all love when new stuff rolls around). Fashion Group International, Arizona Chapter will have a Fall 2012 Trend Report in the Park from 6 to 8:45 p.m. April 26 at Biltmore Fashion Park and Saks Fifth Avenue. Join FGI from 6 to 7 p.m. for a pre-party at Saks featuring refreshments, networking, a chance to win raffle prizes and the latest in beauty trends in the Cosmetics department. Susan L. Berman, President & CEO of Fresh Start, will also be present to speak about the organization. Stick around as from 7:50 to 8:45 p.m. FGI will present the Fall 2012 Ready-to-Wear Trend Report and artist and designer Silvia Bours will speak about her gorgeous one-of-a-kind designs, trends and her success with Phoenix Fashion Week.

Cost is $40 for FGI Members and $50 for non-members. Seating will be provided for those who RSVP. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.

GIVE BACK: Help underprivileged women reinvent their look by bringing a gently-used, interview appropriate item from your closet to donate to the Fresh Start Self Esteem Room.

Saks Fifth Avenue | 2502 East Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ | 85016

TEXAZ Grill want’s everyone to help celebrate Texas’ 176th year of independence. Now we know we just celebrated our great state’s centennial, but let’s show our neighbors two doors down a little love.

From 2 to 5 p.m.  Saturday, April 21, all visitors of TEXAZ Grill will receive a cup of free Blue Bell ice cream. Tito’s Vodka will be in house too to hand out free swag and souvenirs. To keep the spirit alive, Gail Starr will be playing some Texas inspired ballads all afternoon.

If free ice cream isn’t enough to entice you to join the festivities, check out these awesome drink specials they’re offering as well.

• The Santa Anna Shake

Kahlua and Republic Tequila, Blue Bell ice cream, topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

• The Longhorn

Tito’s Vodka, Kahlua and cream with a splash of Dr. Pepper.

• Cowboy Coffee

Republic Tequila, Kahlua, Bailey’s, and Coffee.

TEXAZ | 6003 North 16th Street | Phoenix, Arizona 85016

You don’t have to be in New Orleans to enjoy some delicious home-cooked Cajun food. The sixth annual Great Cajun Cook-off and Food Fest will be happening this Sunday, April 15 at the Lath House Pavilion at Heritage and Science Park in downtown Phoenix.

This casual and family-oriented event is perfect for everyone. It will feature an amateur Cajun cook0ff and a Food Fest with food from the best Cajun and Southern Restaurants around town. Gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, BBQ, bread pudding, greens and much, much more will be the cuisine of the day.

Enjoy food and drink from Abita Beer, Beauregard Food Co., Circle H BBQ, Copper State Coffee, Flavors of Louisiana, Jamburritos, and New Orleans Sno Balls.

Did we mention crawfish will be served by the plate full? Don’t forget your bib and we’ll see you there.

Heritage Park | 115 North Sixth Street | Phoenix, Arizona 85004 

Image via azcentral

The Australian dance troop, Marrugeku, explores the past, present and future of indigenous cultures. This production inspired by the seasons of Western Australia’s Yawuru people, Buru, blends hip-hop, stilt dancing and storytelling with original songs and music reflecting life for young people in the community of Broome. Show times are 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Saturday, April 14th only! Tickets range from $29 – $39 dollars. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.

Chat with Marrugeku before the show, free for ticket holders at 7:00 p.m. in the Virginia Piper Theatre.

Also, enjoy OrigiNation: A Festival of Native Cultures, Saturday and Sunday from noon-4:00 p.m. at Scottsdale Civic Center Park. For more information aon the park, click here.

The economy has definitely seen better days. For many it has been difficult to very find work but Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group has come to the rescue. This Saturday, April 14 at 10 a.m.,  make your way over to the Esplanade Center on Camelback, next door to the Starbucks, where Del Frisco’s will host a job fair and to hire 150 personable, determined and professional individuals for positions in the front and back of house.

Del Frisco’s offers benefits rarely seen in the restaurant industry. It includes a compensation package, 401k retirement savings, full, medical, dental, and vision, domestic partner coverage and management eligibility upon hire (managers will receive additional benefits like long and short-term disability insurance and life insurance.) Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group owns and operates 31, soon to be 32, restaurants nationwide, perfect for those of you not particularly attached to the Valley.

Esplanade | 2415 E Camelback Road | Phoenix, AZ 85016

Vintage flea markets are a great reason to get away from the Valley. Driving to Pasadena to find a  perfectly aged armoire makes for a great road trip – but although the heat is rising, the price of gas right now just doesn’t make road trips as easy – or fun – as they used to be. Thankfully, someone got a clue and is bringing a vintage market here. At 10 a.m. May 5 at WestWorld, Valley antique/vintage/full-on junk obsessives will have a chance to do what they do best at Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market, a day of vintage treasure hunting with some good old fashioned giveaways, design inspiration and handmade vintage themed goods from a slew of vendors like Blue Eyed Owl, Chic Headbands, Strawberry Hedgehog, Winifred Street and many more. We don’t know about you, but we’re absolutely pining for a little more junk in our trunks, and we love that it won’t require a road trip!

Early bird admission is $8 for adults and lasts from 9 – 10 a.m. General admission is $4; children under 12 are free and admission is free after 3 p.m. A portion of ticket sales will benefit Young Life, a non-denominational Christian organization serving youth in Phoenix.

Tickets are on sale now for the Chick-fil-A Leadercast Central Phoenix, a one-day leadership event broadcast live from Atlanta, Georgia to Central Phoenix. The phenomenon, which last year boasted an attendance of 85,000 leaders from seventeen countries, will be hosted locally from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, May 4 at First Christian Church in Phoenix. Hosted local leadership enthusiast and Realtor Leslie Guiley, the event will feature many of the world’s top leaders, including Soledad O’Brien, Tim Tebow, Patrick Lencioni, best-selling author and president of The Table Group; John Maxwell, author of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership; Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts and many others.

“When I think of leadership I think of giving back to the community,” says host Leslie Guiley. “We want attendees to know that they can make a difference in the local community just by buying a ticket!”

For more information or to buy a ticket, click here.

Grand Canyon University will bring the Valley a taste of the 1920’s with The Boy Friend, on stage from Friday, April 13 to Sunday, April 22 at Ethington Theater at GCU. Hosted by the College of Fine Arts and Production, the Broadway hit is the story of Polly Brown, a schoolgirl in the Jazz Age living life on the French Riviera without a young man with whom to share her adventures.  The British Theatre Guide calls this “a…virtuous production…a ripping evening’s entertainment,” and just like us, we’re sure you’ll want to keep going back! Performances are scheduled as follows:

Friday, April 13: 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 14: 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 15: 2:00 p.m.
Friday, April 20: 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 2: 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 22: 2:00 p.m.

For more information, click here or call 602.639.8880 to purchase tickets.

Coachella is upon us and a summer of amazing festivals is sure to follow. If you haven’t got a road trip planned (or, let’s face it, a flight booked) for one of the dozens of epic musical gatherings around the country, the best thing to do is just listen to music in the comfort of your own home/car/office and that way, no one will judge you if you are loudly singing along to The Biebs or the five clones of him who flipped their hair on SNL this past weekend. Apparently boy bands are back? Only now they don’t dance, they just move around stage into various formations while clutching their chests in adolescent heartache. Really? That’s all beside the point. The point is, there is a new album from Icelandic band, Of Monsters and Men entitled My Head is an Animal that dropped last Tuesday and it’s infectious in its folky/poppy sound. Check out the single, “Little Talks” below and buy the full album for only 6.99 on iTunes. 

Four Peaks Brewery will celebrate fifteen years of their one-of-a-kind craft beer with Randomonium, a day-long gala April 21 at Tempe Beach Park featuring music, great food, carnival rides, fireworks and of course, booze. (mostly beer – duh – but for the rest of you, margaritas and sangria will be flowing generously).  Entertainment will include performances by The Airborne Toxic Event, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights and more – but the fun doesn’t stop there. Grub will be provided by fourteen of the best food purveyors around, such as Short Leash Hotdogs, Gourmet Fry Bread, Hey Joe, Jamburritos, Sweet Republic, Mojo Bowl, T-licious LLC Mobile Foodtruck and Tom’s BBQ.

But wait – we said carnival rides and fireworks. Since the celebration is for all ages, there will be giant slides, obstacle courses, corn hole, a zip line, snow, and when the sun goes down, fireworks.

Sponsored by Vitamin Water, Fry’s Food Stores and Alliance Beverage, VIP tickets are $125 and feature covered seating, ten beers and food; general admission tickets are $40 through April 21 and can be purchased at any Fry’s location. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness and the Melonhead Foundation.

The Melonhead Foundation provides support to children with cancer and their families. The foundation offers financial support and a resource center to families in Arizona. Melonhead recently started a Camp Wannahealyah to provide a positive natural healing experience for pediatric cancer patients and their families, free of charge.

For information, email FourPeaksEvents@gmail.com.

April is Testicular Cancer Awareness month. So, the Pussycat Lounge in Scottsdale has joined forces with the Feel My Balls (too the point, right?!) foundation and Valley matchmaker Joann Cohen to raise awareness and money for this very important cause. That’s why on April 9, the Pussycat Lounge will be home to Let’s Hear it For the Boys: Hook up with a hunk and rid testicular cancer.

Some of the Valley’s most beloved bartenders will be participating in a male auction to raise funds. All of the proceeds and contributions will go to the LIVESTRONG Foundation, which is the designated charity for all FeelMyBalls events. Joann Cohen, Valley Matchmaker, will be there to emcee and help you bid on your favorite bartender.

The main goal of FeelMyBalls is to bring increased awareness of testicular cancer to the masses. Men between the ages 20 and 39 are the most at risk and can be preventative by…Well as the name suggests…

Mark your calendars. Monday, April 9 at the Pussycat Lounge at 10:00 p.m.

The Pussycat Lounge | 4426 North Saddlebag Trail | Scottsdale, Arizona 85251

Easter is one of those laid back holidays we love. A day of jammin’ our face full of ham and chocolate, Easter Sunday in all its pastel-colored glory, is fun for all, especially the kiddos. Here’s a list of kid-friendly egg hunts, eats and more for Easter Sunday.  »READ MORE

Hello all you Weekend Warriors. It’s finally Friday and that means it’s time to loosen that tie or kick off those heels (or both, we don’t judge) and relax. If you want to get the most out of your free days, you’ve come to the right place. Check it all out in this week’s hometown low down: »READ MORE

As part of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts’ Discovery Series, the acclaimed Australian dance troupe Chunky Move will perform Connected on Friday and Saturday, April 6–7, at 8:00 p.m. This innovative new work features dancers tethered to undulating kinetic sculptures constructed from wood, re-cycled plastic, paper and steel that float above the stage. Tickets to Chunky Move are $29–$39 and include a pre-show talk and Q&A with Artistic Director Gideon Obarzanek on Saturday, April 7, at 6:30 p.m. in SMoCA Lounge. To purchase tickets, click here.

Sister’s still here until April 14th! Just a few shows left for the AriZoni Award-Winning Patti Hannon as the spontaneous, outrageous and quick-tempered Sister of Late Nite Catechism at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.

Ruling her classroom with an iron fist, Sister teaches her students – who happen to be the audience – everything she knows about sins and saints while doling out rewards and reprimands with lightning speed. Each Late Nite performance is unique and will appeal to people of all ages and faiths.

The final two performances of Late Nite Catechism are Friday, April 6 at 8:00 p.m. and Friday, April 13 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased by clicking here.

And, Sister’s still here for two final performances of Late Nite Catechism III: ‘Til Death Do Us Part! Again, outrageously funny, Patti Hannon offers up the latest dogma fresh off the Web, some hilarious lessons on love and marriage and her own outrageous version of The Newlywed Game. Each Late Nite performance is unique and will appeal to people of all ages and faiths.

The final two performances of Late Nite Catechism III: ‘Til Death Do Us Part are Saturday, April 7 at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 14 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased by clicking here.

Or shall we say meat?! Wingstock is the hottest festival of the Valley. From the website, “Wingstock brings together restaurants, live music, contests, beer and more!  Valley restaurants have the opportunity to showcase their best chicken wing recipes and compete for the title“Wingstock King of Wings”! The event is Saturday, April 7th from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm at Mesa Ampitheatre. Your $8 admission gets you 4 wing coupons or pony up $20 bucks for 20 wing coupons. See all tickets available pricing by clicking here. Participating wing-slingers include Teakwoods, Long Wongs, Native New Yorker and more. For full list of participants, click here.

You know we love our chicken wings around here. Check here for our 10 Ten Places for Wings Worth Eating to get your taste buds ready for the weekend!

Bring the kids in early, at 10:30 am, for an Egg Hunt with HENdrix!  Free for kids 10 and younger, with an adult paid admission.

Mesa Amphitheatre | 263 N. Center Street | Mesa, AZ 85201

For all of you fans of the hit show The Voice, you’re going to want to make your to the Scottsdale W hotel on April 6. Starting at 9 p.m. in the Living Room at the W, The Voice star Justin Hopkins will be performing some of his favorites.

Hopkins has performed with many A-list stars like working with greats such as Carol Bayer Sager, David Foster, Jesse Velenzuela, and Joe Firstman, who invited him to became a member of the Last Call of Carson Daly House band in 2007. Currently, Hopkins is working on a new record with Grammy winner Jesus “Chuy” Flores and Scott Fisher.

The event is for guests 21 years of age and older.  For more information or for VIP table reservations, contact (602) 405-0099

The Scottsdale W | 7277 East Camelback Road | Scottsdale, Arizona 85251 

Spring is in the air. The smell of flowers blooming and the perfect weather make for an ideal Easter celebration in April. Easter brunch is one of our favorite times of the year. There’s nothing like sitting around with friends and family, enjoying mimosas and eggs benedict. If you’re not exactly a culinary whiz, fear not because we are bringing you some of the Valley’s best Easter brunch options. Grab those colored eggs, it’s time for the Easter Brunch Roundup.

District American Kitchen & Wine Bar - From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. District American will serve a traditional brunch with a delicious menu and plenty of activities for the kids. The menu will feature a bottomless Bloody Mary bar and bottomless mimosas (yes please). The breakfast bar will include honey glazed ham, assorted pastries, oysters, seafood, sushi, and an omelet station.  320 N. 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004  More Easter Stuff Not To Be Missed: »READ MORE

It’s time to play ball! CityScape will celebrate D-backs Opening Day this Friday, April 6 and through the weekend as the team takes on the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field to kick off the MLB 2012 season.

All day Friday, CityScape will offer food, drinks and games while DJs Sean Watson and William Reed spin the weekend away Patriots Square. There will be activities for fans of all ages, including inflatables for kids, a D-backs wiffle ball field, speed pitch, a dunk tank with a Brian Wilson look-alike, kettle corn and other ballpark favorite snacks, prizes and giveaways for the most spirited fan and family activities including poster-making and face-painting.

Throughout the weekend, CityScape tenants will also offer specials for fans, including complimentary underground parking with your ticket stub and the following discounts:

Come dressed in your Diamondbacks gear to Copper Blues and receive $3 pints all day on local and domestic beer. There will be $3.50 Miller Lite and Coors Light 16oz aluminum pints at the Tilted Kilt, happy hour specials at The Arrogant Butcher, grilled brats and a beer garden on the patio and “Red Alert” sangria at Chloe’s Corner and two tacos and a beer for $8 at Vitamin T. Show your ticket stub at Yogurtini and receive 20% off your order, and if you need some fly duds for the weekend’s festivities, visit West of Soho for $5 off any purchase of $25 or more and take advantage of the $10, $20, $30 and $40 specials at Republic of Couture.

For more information, click here and here.

July 27 marks the opening date for the 2012 Olympic Games taking place in London. To get you in the spirit of these prestigious games, we highly recommend you read the new, tell-all memoir by international swimming start Amanda Beard. Called In the Water They Can’t See You Cry: A Memoir tells the story of coming of age in the Olympic spotlight, the demons battled along the way, a newfound happiness that is her greatest victory.

Over her years of competing against the world’s best, Amanda Beard has claimed two gold medals, four silver, and 1 bronze. Amanda recently came in second in the 200-meter breaststroke in the U.S. National Championships and is hoping to make the U.S. team again, to compete in her fifth Olympic games in London this summer.

Beard will be in Arizona promoting the book this month. On April 9, she will be in Tucson at the University of Arizona’s The Student Memorial Union bookstore at 4:00 p.m. She will also be in Tempe the following day, at Changing Hands Bookstore.

From the wire, Ashton Kutcher is set to play Steve Jobs in an upcoming independent film of the late Apple mastermind. At first thought, we’re wondering if this is a massive media “punk” as news sprouted April Fools Day. However, Variety claims this of the  movie starring the Two and Half Men man: ”The film will chronicle Steve Jobs from wayward hippie to co-founder of Apple, where he became one of the most revered creative entrepreneurs of our time.“ Sony Pictures is also rumored to be working on a big-budget Steve Jobs script – may we suggest the title “Steve Jobs, The Untold Story, Version 2.0.“ What do you think about the casting? Will Kutcher fall far from the Apple tree?

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Image via LATimes.com