You’ve seen their cookbooks in bookstores, you’ve read their articles and you may have even tried a hand at their culinary masterpieces in your own kitchen – but do you really know the secrets of your favorite chef? If your answer is no, wait no longer: the Arizona Biltmore Waldorf Astoria Resort will begin their second season of “Inside the Chef’s Studio” February 18. Continuing through the last weekend of April, chefs such as Joe Yonan, Food Editor at The Washington Post and author of Serve Yourself, and Christina Tosi, author of Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook will bring their gastronomic expertise to the Valley to teach participants how to create gourmet meals in one-of-a-kind weekend cooking classes combining demonstration and hands-on learning. Open to resort guests and non-guests alike, classes are $50 per person and include the author’s cookbook and lunch (the meal prepared during the class). Space is limited.

Get your chef’s hat dry-cleaned, your apron ironed and follow the jump for the class schedule:

»READ MORE

Yes, today is Arizona’s 100th birthday. Happy Birthday Arizona. Read more about how “The United States didn’t want Arizona” and more from AZ Central by clicking here.

Wondering this morning, do you love Arizona? Are you celebrating our state and how? Take our quiz or tell us how you feel about AZ, what you like, what you love, what you don’t like by commenting on this post.

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No time to plan an awesome work event? In celebration of their debut on Condé Nast Traveler Gold List and U.S. News & World Report’s Best U.S. Hotels Rankings for 2012, The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain has introduced a Last-Minute Meeting Package, a planner-friendly bundle for groups needing an easy, worry-free way to book their meetings between March 1 and April 8, 2012. With more than 44,000 square-feet of indoor and outdoor function space, the Package lets meeting organizers focus on creating program agendas and taking care of participants, rather than on researching pricing and rushed planning logistics. Not only does the Resort also have three ballrooms of 9,000, 5,000, and 2,100 sq. feet for businesses to work with, but the hotel also boasts numerous outdoor meeting spaces with lush lawns and dramatic desert surroundings. Additional gathering options are available at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, its restaurant and clubhouse and COPRA Golf Academy, home to a variety of group golf clinics and corporate outings.

The Package is $389 per attendee and includes the following: hotel service charge, deluxe accommodations, daily hot buffet breakfast, morning coffee break, hot buffet or plated luncheon and an afternoon refreshment break. Optional team building activities are also available to group guests and feature fun activities such as guacamole and chili cooking challenges, margarita mixology classes, evening glow golf, custom cowboy boot and Stetson hat fitting, wine-blending, group ranch adventures, evening stargazing and more.

For more information, call 520-572-3100 or click here.

The Saguaro’s hot new restaurant Distrito wants to celebrate its new home, and you’re invited!  From 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, February 11 the colorful eatery will have an “I Heart Arizona” party to rejoice about all things AZ, just in time for Valentine’s Day and our beloved state’s 100^th Birthday. From 5 to 7 p.m. there will be a special reception with live music from The Tony Martinez Band, a 1912 pop-up shop with “I Heart AZ” tees; an Arizona wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres made with local ingredients and a charity kissing booth with some well-loved locals. In addition, 3 Car Pile Up will present a special art show. Cost is $10 for the reception and free for party-goers after 7 p.m. After the reception, DJ Melo will be spinnin’ the night away. For more info, click here.

Just in time for spring shopping, local favorite Scottsdale Jean Company has relocated to The SHOPS at Gainey Village, giving shoppers 8,000 brand-new sq. ft of men’s and women’s designer jeans, tops and casual wear. Celebrating their Grand Opening this Thursday, February 9, the store will also feature the full line of Kiehl’s skin, hair and body care products, a full sunglass shop, a customer lounge area and a children’s playroom.  “It was time for a new home for Scottsdale Jean Company after more than six years at our current location,” says owner Steven Koeppel. “As a destination retail establishment, our customers seek us out for our unbeatable selection and unparalleled customer service, featuring experts trained in finding the right size and style for any body type.” The Company will also soon unveil a new website that will emulate the in-store shopping experience.

If designer duds aren’t enough reason to spend an entire day at the Village, perhaps the area’s assortment of chic new shops and contemporary eateries will be. Opening in the former Bloom space in January, local restauranteurs Jerry Tingle and Chef Brian Fierstein’s Cask 63 American Eatery & Wine Bar offers eclectic American cuisine, an excellent wine menu and relaxed outdoor seating – great for taking a break between shopping destinations such as furniture showroom Kreiss; handcrafted clothing, accessory and houseware boutique A Cool Breeze, and del Adora, the Valley’s go-to source for luxury linens and bedding. At their second location, del Adora allows clients to choose from a huge selection of luxury fabrics to customize their homes, also offering a sumptuous collection of bath accessories, towels, fragrance and skin care products.

Before the day is done, complete the experience with a stop at healthy-takeout masters My Fit Foods, which just opened its first Valley location. For more information, click here.

The SHOPS Gainey Village | 8787 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ |

Don’t have a Valentine? Don’t feel sad; there are plenty of ways to share your love this holiday. This Valentine’s Day, extend your affection with an E-listed dog, or dogs that are scheduled to be euthanized, at “Happy Valen’Tails,” an unparalleled adoption event from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. February 11 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. February 12 at Kiwanis Park in Tempe. Sponsored by Panacea Animal Wellness Sanctuary, Ronnie Lapenson, Animal Advocate and Event Organizer and P.A.W.S (Pound Animals Worth Saving FUR THE CAUSE, Mesa), dogs of all breeds, sizes and ages will be transported from shelters all over the state, with various rescue groups and pet foster parents participating. Dogs will be adoption-ready and excited for a new home, having been spayed/neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped. »READ MORE

Chef Charleen Badman and Pavle Milic of Valley favorite FnB will add three new food and wine hot spots to the Scottsdale dining scene this week. The trio of openings include Baratin Cafe – a small dining spot, AZ Wine Merchants – a boutique wine shop, and Bodega – a green grocer and market, converging at the palm tree-lined courtyard of the Kiva Center in Old Town Scottsdale.

Housed in a wonderful 50s-era building with mosiacs, high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows, the three venues will be much like FnB -  small, charming, light-filled and unique. Find Arizona Wine Merchants  to the left, Baratin in the middle and Bodega to the right, each with its own entrance but each accessible to the other from the inside.

Baratin opens today and Arizona Wine Merchants and Bodega are set to open tomorrow.

Baratin, AZ Wine Merchants and Bodega | 7125 E. Fifth Avenue, Suite 29 | Scottsdale, Arizona 85251

You hear the word “bitch” thrown around a lot these days. That girl in the SUV who cut you off with the cell phone attached to her ear? Bitch. That woman scoffing at her waiter because her salad has too much dressing? Bitch. That super cool chick who bakes cookies from scratch using organic ingredients and then sells them at your favorite local coffee shop or ships them to your door? Bitch. Yeah, you read that correctly. Cat Slye is The Cookie Bitch and she’s proud to peddle a name that has had negative connotations in the past. After all, isn’t it time for a new definition? For Slye (and Urban Dictionary), “a bitch is a confident, attractive woman that tells everything straight up. A successful woman. She works hard, she plays hard and she cares,” and we couldn’t agree more, especially after tasting one of her delicious creations. Read on to get the details about the biz from The Bitch herself… »READ MORE

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 

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.

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.

Send the U.S. Armed Forces a little more love than usual– it will soon be Valentine’s Day, after all, and they deserve it most of all. From now through February 14, the Chandler-based romance retailer Fascinations is collaborating with Packages From Home, a Phoenix non-profit that sends boxes of much-needed love (aka food and toiletries) to U.S. troops overseas. Purchase a box of Lindor truffles for just $5 at any Fascinations location or on their website as a gift or a gift add-on, and proceeds of the special Valentine’s chocolates will be donated to Packages from Home. Participating customers who give will then receive a $5.00 coupon towards their next purchase in store or online.

“We believe very strongly in showing support to our military personnel and the service they perform for our country, so we wanted to give something back,” stated Pat Jagos, Fascinations General Manager. “Valentine’s Day is one of our busiest shopping seasons of the year so it seemed the perfect time to launch a partnership to not only raise funds, but awareness for the great work PFH does.”

Packages from Home has sent over 130,000 boxes to U.S. troops since it was founded in 2004.  While PFH is based out of Phoenix, the organization sends packages to soldiers from all areas of the country and all branches of the service.

Visit any one of the following Fascinations locations to purchase a box of chocolates:

10242 N. 19th Ave. Suite 1-7, Phoenix, AZ 85021
16428 N. 32nd St. Suite 105-107, Phoenix, AZ 85032
14747 N. Northsight Blvd. Suite 107, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
2302 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85257
7337 E. Shea Blvd. Suite 120, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
5930 W. Greenway Rd. Suite 1, Glendale, AZ 85306
411 S. Mill Ave. Suite 101, Tempe, AZ 85281
838 W. Elliot Rd., Tempe, AZ 85284
8367 W. McDowell Rd., Tolleson, AZ 85353
3658 E. Speedway Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85716

20% discount online (www.funlove.com) or in-store with promo code: VDAY. Disclaimer: Expires 02/18/2012. Limit one per person. Not combinable with other offers or discounts. Some restrictions apply.

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

Well this is pretty crappy!

Kohler Academy, Scottsdale’s premier cosmetology and skin therapy school with an awesome student salon and spa, was recently forced by the powerhouse of housing fixtures, Kohler, yes the glamourous makers of toilets and plumbing fixtures, to change their name citing “trademark infringement,” aka we are the only ones who think we can use the name “Kohler.” The past Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce Small Business winner, Kohler Academy, decided to flush the KA moniker and change their name to Penrose Academy this month, rather than take on the big business bully. Academy owners Jill and Burt Kohler, obviously no relation to the aforementioned toileteria company, said, “As small business owners we were unwilling to participate in a legal battle that we feel we would ultimately win, yet would take time, money and our focus away from our goal of preparing students for a successful career in the Professional Beauty industry.” Kudos to the Kohlers for taking the high road while doing their business.

Penrose Academy will still offer awesome student services in their student salon and student spa. Sign up for their newsletter monthly featured services here for even better deals like 30% off all Menu pricing through January. Kohler Penrose Academy is also a retailer of Dermalogica, bareMinerals, CND and Bumble and bumble products, and now offering the new LiLash Purified Eyelash Serum.

Penrose Academy | 13402 N. Scottsdale Road, Ste. B160 | Scottsdale, AZ 85254 | 480.222.9540

Today Danny’s Family Car Wash will be washing cars for free from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to directly benefit the family of fallen Sheriff Deputy William Coleman. Deputy Coleman was a 20-year veteran of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

The car wash is free at the 3rd Avenue and Bell Road location and 100% of the donations will go to the Coleman family. For more than 10 years, Danny’s Family Car wash has offered free car washes to raise funds for the families of fallen officers.

If you cannot make the car wash, donations can be made at a memorial fund that has been established at Desert Schools Federal Credit Union, under the name of Deputy Coleman Memorial Fund, account # 6000123586.

Danny’s Family Car Wash | 315 W. Bell Road | Phoenix, AZ 85023 | 602-564-0000

Well this is pretty crappy!

Kohler Academy, Scottsdale’s premier cosmetology and skin therapy school with an awesome student salon and spa, was recently forced by the powerhouse of housing fixtures, Kohler, yes the glamourous makers of toilets and plumbing fixtures, to change their name citing “trademark infringement,” aka we are the only ones who think we can use the name “Kohler.” The past Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce Small Business winner, Kohler Academy, decided to flush the KA moniker and change their name to Penrose Academy this month, rather than take on the big business bully. Academy owners Jill and Burt Kohler, obviously no relation to the aforementioned toileteria company, said, “As small business owners we were unwilling to participate in a legal battle that we feel we would ultimately win, yet would take time, money and our focus away from our goal of preparing students for a successful career in the Professional Beauty industry.” Kudos to the Kohlers for taking the high road while doing their business.

Penrose Academy will still offer awesome student services in their student salon and student spa. Sign up for their newsletter monthly featured services here for even better deals like 30% off all Menu pricing through January. Kohler Penrose Academy is also a retailer of Dermalogica, bareMinerals, CND and Bumble and bumble products, and now offering the new LiLash Purified Eyelash Serum.

 Penrose Academy | 13402 N. Scottsdale Road, Ste. B160 | Scottsdale, AZ 85254 |  480.222.9540

Global Family Philanthropy’s Pop-Up Charity at Scottsdale Waterfront will continue this weekend’s appearance with special hours today Monday, January 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The charity, which was founded in 2009 by Paradise Valley resident Lori Goldberg to provide basic needs for impoverished children in Haiti, teamed up with Cardinals Safety Adrian Wilson, Youth Against Poverty founder Shawn Esmaili and Scottsdale Waterfront to sell brand new children’s, women’s and men’s athletic shoes from brands like Puma, Converse, Vans, Nike and Adidas at prices as low as $20 – the proceeds of which will benefit a medical clinic in Haiti. “In Haiti,” says Goldberg, “medical care is non-existent, except for the extremely wealthy. When we reach our goal of raising $100,000, we will break ground on a free health care facility that will interface with medical teams from the local hospital.”

Along with Esmaili, Adrian Wilson, who owns High Point Shoes at the Waterfront, donated over 2,500 pairs of shoes. He will appear at the pop-up from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, January 20 to sign free autographs with every purchase, which are tax deductible.

Miss our interview with Adrian Wilson? Click here.

Global Family Philanthropy Pop-Up Charity is between Sauce and High Point Shoes at Scottsdale Waterfront. Hours for next weekend are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. January 20 and 21, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. January 22.

High Point Shoes | 7135 E. Camelback Rd. Suite 175 | Scottsdale, AZ | 85251

Former Mayor of Tempe and activist Neil Guiliano will interview Hollywood Director Bryan Singer at the Chandler Center for the Arts, January 14. The event, which takes place at 7:00 p.m., will raise funds for the new Holocaust & Tolerance Museum currently being constructed in Chandler, of which both Guiliano and Singer are proponents.

“I am proud to support the museum’s success,” quotes Singer, who not only serves as an executive producer for House and Dirty Sexy Money but who directed several films relating to the Holocaust such as Apt Pupil and Valkyrie, as well as blockbusters such as The Usual Suspects, X-Men and X-2: X-Men United. “You don’t tell stories like Valkyrie or Apt Pupil without it impacting you in a very personal way. It’s critically important for us to honor Holocaust victims and survivors and the unimaginable experiences they endured. It is only by remembering that we can strive to prevent anything like that to happen again.”

Guiliano remarks that “it’s a special opportunity to be able to interview a huge talent like Bryan Singer, but even more important to be involved with a project like the Holocaust & Tolerance museum. Arizona doesn’t have anything like this museum, which will use the lessons of the Holocaust to ensure a world without hate.”

The Chandler Holocaust & Tolerance museum, which will educate the public about the importance of diversity and to combat prejudice at a community and global level, will be one of only five such museums in the country. The museum is a project of the East Valley Jewish Community Center.

To purchase tickets or for more information, click here.

Chandler Center for the Arts | 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler, AZ | 85225

Comment on this post your favorite Brian Singer movie and one lucky random reader will win 2 tickets to SATURDAY’S event! The winner will be selected and announced at 3 p.m. today! 

This year’s P.F. Changs Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon offers runners a new, scenic route. As usual, Tempe hosts the half marathon starting on Mill Avenue and Third Street. New to this year, the full marathon will start at CityScape, Washington Street and Central Avenue, in downtown Phoenix, with full marathoners and half-marathoners meeting up at the finish line in Tempe at Packard Drive between ASU’s Sun Devil and Sun Angel Stadiums. To see the new route click here. The marathon begins at 7:30 sharp Sunday, January 15. Festivities along the route include live bands and cheerleaders along every mile of the scenic city course, charity teams, finish line festival and headline concert featuring The B-52s. Love Shack baby! Yeah!

To kick off the festivities, CityScape is hosting a runners kick-off party tonight, Friday, January 13 with continuous live music including Fitz & The Tantrums starting at 5:00 p.m. For ticket info, click here.

Saturday, the kiddos will take to the track with the Arizona Kids Rock one mild fun run for kids ages K-6. Every child will win a t-shirt, goodie bag and medal for participating. For more information, click here.

Whether you are a Rock-n-Roller or a Rock-n-Watcher, Finish Line Festival at Packard Drive will host the following from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.:

8:30 am – 10:30 am: Opening Act – Shallow Water
10:45 am – 11:00 am: Awards Ceremony
11:00 am – 12:30 pm: The B-52s (headliner)
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: Closing Act – Shallow Water

Where not to drive this Sunday? Check the list of road closure info after the jump:

»READ MORE

Makeup mavens, fragrance fanatics, skincare enthusiasts and beauty addicts, mark your calendars. On January 13, Sephora, the gods of all things gorgeous, will open a new 5,400 square-foot, free-standing location at Scottsdale Quarter. Featuring hip lines such as Charlotte Ronson, Josie Maran, Sephora by OPI, TARINA TARANTINO, Algenist, Clarisonic and new fragrances from Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney, the new store will hold over 13,000 products from more than 200 brands. Wash your hair the night before, however, because you’ll want to get there early: the first 100 clients to show up at the grand opening will be able to dip into a stash of Sephora gift cards with mystery values worth up to $100.

Sephora Scottsdale Quarter | 15169 N Scottsdale Rd. | Scottsdale, AZ  85254     |    Photo via Sephora

Twin Peaks will open its first Arizona location in Scottsdale this month and is on the hunt for Twin Peaks Girls to join the company.

This Friday, January 6th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Twin Peaks will host an official casting call for Twin Peaks Girls at its new location in Scottsdale. Applicants will have the opportunity to have on-site interviews for the best job in town in town at Scottsdale’s hottest new sports restaurant, featuring prime perks like flexible scheduling for school, a fun work environment with amazing tips, corporate tanning and fitness packages, cool employee contests to win shopping sprees and vacations, the ability to wear a cute “lumber-jill” outfit to work everyday, plus a chance to star in the national 2013 Twin Peaks Calendar.

Located at 8787 E. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Twin Peaks Scottsdale will deliver what locals have yearned for in a sports restaurant: crave-able and high quality comfort food, an extensive selection of 29-degree draft beer served from two full-service bars, a lively patio, and the outgoing and beautiful Twin Peaks Girls. The bold hunting lodge atmosphere will be punctuated by 64 high-definition plasma televisions, making the location Scottsdale’s ultimate sports-watching venue.

“We’re tremendously excited to bring over a hundred more jobs to the Scottsdale economy,” said Twin Peaks CEO Randy DeWitt, who co-founded the concept in 2005 with Scott Gordon. “This is going to be a great location for us and we can’t wait to expand throughout Arizona.”

The daily responsibilities for Twin Peaks Girls include serving up homemade dishes and ice-cold beer while entertaining tables with lively conversation. Applicants should dress to impress for Friday’s casting call and bring their big, bubbly personalities. No experience is required. Positions for Twin Peaks Girls will be offered on the spot, with training beginning January 9th. An official opening date for Twin Peaks Scottsdale will be announced soon.

For more information on Twin Peaks, including locations and franchise information visit www.TwinPeaksRestaurant.com.

Twin Peaks Scottsdale | 8787 E. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. | Scottsdale, AZ

If your home and yard is looking like a scene from Hoarders, it’s time to clean up and turn that trash into cash. Clean up for your chance to win $10,000 from Glendale Iron & Metal. Drop off your scrap metal including soda cans, automotive parts, bicycles, lawn chairs, screen doors, roofing, etc. 12 times before the drawing on January 12 at 1:00 p.m. to be entered for the cash. To qualify for the pile of dough, you must bring in 12 piles of scrap and have a Glendale Iron & Metal loyalty card validated 12 times. And pick up a “Scratch and Win” ticket per visit for a one in 10 chance to win $1,000 on the spot! Drop your junk right up to the drawing time of 1:00 p.m. on January 12.

Glendale Iron & Metal | 6210 North 55th Avenue | Glendale, AZ 85301 | (623) 931-3701

Don’t panic. Pane Bianco on Central never closed or stopped serving the DLT favorite Caprese salad. It got bigger (now cheer!), with an expansion into the space next door where the original Lux used to brew. Pane Bianco, the sibling to Chris Bianco’s amazing Pizzeria Bianco, opened a new dining room this week, serving lunch and dinner with expanded menu offerings including handmade gnocchi, soup and even pizza. A report from AZ Central describe Bianco’s second Valley dining space as, “A hodgepodge of vintage tables and chairs with histories invite diners to linger.” If you’ve ever braved the wait at Pizzeria Bianco, this news greets our watering mouths with excitement. Additionally, our recent chat with a Bianco staffer indicated that the original Pane Bianco will continue to serve delicious, quick lunches as always by ordering at the counter.

New to Scottsdale, Distrito by Chef Jose Garces, opened at the newly renovated The Saguaro hotel in Old Town. Distrito offering the diverse tastes of Mexican street food, is the third eatery by Garces at the hotel joining Old Town Whiskey and Garces Trading Company. Finally, finally we can get our hands on their Arizona Taco Festival Award winning tacos! The indoor space housing The Margarita Bar with over 100 tequilas, opens to the outdoor patio kitchen where Chef and his team plan cook up Tender Belly Berkshire Pork Ribs, Snake River Farms Kurabuta Pork Shoulders, Harris Ranch Black Angus Briske and more in their 600-pound capacity smoker and a four-foot long rotisserie grill this spring.

Garces’ original Distrito restaurant in Philadelphia has been featured in Food & Wine, GQ, Glamour and Bon Appetit, which noted that “the menu is pitch perfect.”

Pane Bianco | 4404 N Central Avenue | Phoenix, AZ 85012 | 602-234-2100

Distrito at The Saguaro | 4000 Drinkwater Boulevard | Scottsdale, AZ | 480-970-4444

Pane Bianco image via AZ Central by Michael McNamara. Taco de Hamachi image provided by Distrito.

You can be a hero for the child of a single mom this holiday season by being a sponsor in the Holiday For Heroes program for the Helping Hands for Single Moms organization, a group that helps low income single moms earn a college degree and financial independence.

After registering, shop from their wishlist, then join Helping Hands Saturday, December 17 at 9:00 a.m. for the gift wrap event at ASU West campus in Glendale. You bring the un-wrapped gifts, they’ll bring the supplies and the mom!  Together, with that mom, you’ll wrap gifts for the children.

This warms our heart! 11-year old Nathaniel Ross of Mesa donated $600 worth of toys to Cardon Children’s Medical Center’s toy closet on his birthday, Wednesday. Nathaniel, a past patient at Cardon’s, and his family scored four carts full of toys through Black Friday sales and more to give to the patients at the center.

DLT salutes Nathaniel and his family for their rockstar-like donation.