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

Each month, Do the KIND Thing challenges residents of a certain city to go out and do one act of kindness – with the promise that if enough people sign up to do so at this website, the KIND organization will pay forward their benevolence by giving back to a group of people in need.

This April, if enough Phoenix residents pledge to send a note of thanks to any educator they know (a mentor, a teacher, or even a wise friend) – KIND will deliver text books to hundreds of local children battling serious illnesses at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. The delivery is aimed at bringing the gift of learning to these children who are not well enough to attend school with their peers.

For more information or to participate, click here.

This concept sounds a little crazy, but it might actually be genius. For fathers not planning to have any more children and who’d like a little time off to watch the Master’s this week, vasectomies are the newest way to grab some free time. At least, that’s what we’ve heard; in March, a Houston father of four decided March Madness was the perfect time to have the procedure. Now come April, the brilliance of his decision has caught on, even here in the Valley.

During the Master’s Golf Tournament, local urologists, Dr. Al Borhan and Dr. Mark Hong of Affiliated Urologists will host “The Vasters,” encouraging Valley men to get a vasectomy and enjoy a three-t0-four day recovery vacation, while enjoying the return of Tiger Woods.

Each patient will also receive two free golf balls and a chance to win free rounds of golf at two Valley golf courses. Procedures much be scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday or Friday to participate. To schedule your appointment, click here.

The weather is warming up, but are you ready to show some skin? If you’re like us, you may need a little help. Liposonix, a revolutionary procedure from Susan Van Dyke, M.D. of Van Dyke Laser & Skin in Scottsdale. With ten years of developmental research, the FDA-approved, non-surgical, non-invasive procedure uses high-intensity focused ultrasound energy (HIFU) to permanently destroy fat cells, giving patients the ultimate convenience of one treatment, in one hour, becoming one size smaller. When the ultrasound is targeted on problem areas, it will permanently eradicate fat around the waistline without surgery or harm to the outer skin layer. The fat is removed through the body’s natural healing process. In approximately 8 to 12 weeks, the fat becomes completely metabolized, leaving you with a thinner, more contoured waistline without having to go under the knife.

For more information, click here.

Today only, if you’re disturbed about the rampant use of “pink slime” like us, you are invited to swap ground beef bought from other retailers at Fresh & Easy’s “Pink Slime Swap Meat” Wednesday, March 28^th. Fresh & Easy never has, and never will, use the ammonia-treated filler known as “pink slime” in its ground beef. Hooray! Fresh & Easy grinds all of its own meat, using only fresh, never frozen beef – it’s that simple. All of Fresh & Easy’s products are made with the highest quality ingredients, and contain no artificial colors or flavors, high fructose corn syrup or added trans fats.

Bring fresh or frozen ground beef from another retailer to any Fresh & Easy and exchange it for a package of fresh&easy (80/20) ground beef* – no questions asked. In addition, Fresh & Easy is encouraging customers to take to Facebook and Twitter to share their experiences using the hashtag #SwapMeat.

As other retailers scramble to remove pink slime from their shelves – one USDA scientist claimed that 70% of all ground beef sold in stores contains pink slime – Fresh & Easy is reminding customers they can always get fresh quality products they can trust. For Fresh & Easy locations, click here.

Gilbert’s The Spot restaurant will the be the spot (you better believe pun intended) on Saturday, March 31. The Spot want’s to say thank you to the residents of Gilbert for being fans of the upbeat restaurant by inviting you to the Pedal Party. On the 31st, guests are encouraged to bike to the restaurant to enjoy live entertainment from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. and will be offering 5 favorite entrees for just $5 from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The first 100 Pedal Party guests will also receive a rollback gift of $5 off a future visit and the day keeps getting better. The Spot will also be presenting its new beer and wine menu, offering canned craft beers and selections of wines by the glass or by the bottle, to enjoy.

The Spot | 1493 South Higley Road | Gilbert, Arizona 85296

Upward Projects, a group of locally-focused restaurateurs headed by Craig & Kris DeMarco and Lauren & Wyatt Bailey, will open a brand new restaurant concept in the North Central Phoenix neighborhood in the Fall of 2012. The location, a historic Al Beadle building located on the southwest corner of Central Avenue and West Oregon Avenue, will encompass 3,000 square feet of space that originally housed the iconic First Federal Savings & Loan Bank.  Architecture and design will be a joint effort executed by Shepley Bulfinch and Upward Projects, with a priority placed on preserving the original architecture and keeping the structural integrity in-tact.

»READ MORE

If the grass always looks greener younger and smoother on the other side, here is why. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) has recently reported that during 2011, 9.2 million cosmetic procedures net more than $10 billion dollars in the United States. The Society, which has been taking statistics since 1997, says the overall number of cosmetic procedures has increased a whopping 197% since the tracking of the statistics first began. The most frequently performed surgical procedure was lipoplasty (liposuction) and the most popular nonsurgical procedure was injections of Botulinum Toxin Type A (including Botox and Dysport). These statistics align with Arizona’s state statistics, and Valley plastic surgeons like Shapiro Plastic Surgery say demand for plastic surgery procedures is on the steady incline thanks to a competitive job market, aging population and more men going under the knife.

If the recession hit you a little harder than that and you’ve got your own frown lines you want smoothed, DeRosa Medical in Scottsdale has got your back…and your forehead, cheek bones and stretch marks. From 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 3, the nationally-recognized experts in women’s health will have a Dysport Happy Hour featuring a buy fifty units of the frown-line-reducing injection and get fifty units free deal. In addition, while those who sign up by March 31 will also get a $50 rebate, the event will not just benefit you and your the look: all proceeds will go to DeRosa’s medical mission trip to Guatemala in the summer of 2012. Space is limited. For more information, click here. To RSVP, call 480.619.4097.

McDowell Mountain Medical Center | 9377 East Bell Road, Ste 361, Scottsdale, AZ | 85260

While many entered into Chef Eddie Matney’s “Cooking with Eddie” contest, only a handful were the lucky winners, and this April, each winner will get to cook with Eddie every Tuesday evening at Eddie’s House. The first winner, Ken Brissa, will cook 5:00 p.m. to close April 3.

“I’m a cooking junkie so for me, cooking with Eddie is like playing guitar with Bruce Springsteen,” Brissa explains. “I can’t wait to learn from him and integrate some of his ideas into my own family kitchen. Who knows, maybe I can share a trick or two with him!” Brissa, a Valley resident since 2006, is currently the Regional Director for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Mountain Pacific Region where he leads the Executive Directors that lead JDRF’s efforts in Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Washington and Hawaii. Because of his extensive cross functional experience, Ken has been selected to participate in a number of nonprofit, corporate, industry and community projects and boards. In honor of his involvement with JDRF, 10% of the proceeds from any guest who comes April 3 to specifically taste Ken’s four-course meal will go to the cause. Guests will be able to order these items a lá carte as well as items from the regular menu.

For more information or to book a reservation at Eddie’s House, call 480.946.1622 or click here.

Eddie’s House | 7042 East Indian School Road, Scottsdale, AZ | 85251

Sorry government, but we HATE tax season. Not necessarily the act of paying, but the act of filing is certainly something that makes our stress meters skyrocket. This year, though, we’re feeling less frustrated about tax season…in fact, we may even have a reason to celebrate. Thanks to Shauna Wekherlien, CPA MTAX – AKA the Tax Goddess – tax season just got a whole lot more relaxing.

Recently having been featured on CNN Money and USA Today, Shauna and her team can do it all, from focusing on filing, bookkeeping and payroll services for small businesses to helping individuals do it right. This year, in addition to doing Tax Relax 2012, the sword-loving, martial-arts guru and of course, super-knowledgeable Shauna will offer in-house massages and pampering for clients from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. April 13 and April 16, the day personal taxes are due…which we think is the most awesome idea ever and the best (and only) way we could ever relax before paying the piper.

Tax Goddess Business Services P.C. | 5743 East Thomas Road, Suite 6 |  Scottsdale, AZ 85251 | 602-357-3275

Join Chuck Drago, stadium voice of the Arizona Diamondbacks, for “Toast for the Tails” from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. March 22 at Villa Siena in Gilbert to benefit Panacea Animal Wellness Sanctuary. The event will be a wine tasting to raise funds for the building of a permanent sanctuary that will include a medical clinic, food bank and a temporary shelter for animals at risk for unnecessary euthanasia. The tasting will feature a variety of six wines: three reds, and three whites, produced by award-winning Coronado Vineyards in Willcox, Arizona. There will also be hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction with exciting prizes like a trip to the Arizona Cardinals Kids Camp (up to 100 kids, one hour with Big Red and an Arizona Cardinal player), or an evening with the Arizona Diamondbacks – dinner for four, tour of the stadium, names on the JumboTron and seats in the announcer box with Chuck Drago during a game. Cost to attend is $65 per person or $120 for couples. To purchase tickets or for more information, click here.

Villa Siena | 890 West Elliot Road, Gilbert, AZ | 85233

So this week we’ve been bringing you some of the best events around town to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day today. Well, if you still haven’t decided how celebrate like an Irishman tonight, check out this last minute idea.

True Food Kitchen at the Scottsdale Quarter and Biltmore Fashion Park are offering 50% off select green items. From 3:00-6:00 pm both locations will be offering the deal. How do you get it? Easy, just head to their Facebook page and print off a voucher. The coupon must be presented at either location to receive the discount. A list of some of those featured items after the jump: »READ MORE

For the 12th year in a row, Phoenix based Discount Cab will be continuing its Free Ride Back program. Costing the company $77,500 in free rides per year, the program is designed to keep drunken drivers off the road and out of those dreaded pink undies, courtesy of Sheriff Joe.

To make Free Ride Back that much easier, Discount has just launched its new iPhone app and newly redesigned reloadable gift cards. All of this comes just in time for tomorrow’s green-hued antics aka St. Patrick’s Day, and the remaining Spring Training season.

To take advantage of the Free Ride Back program, simply call 602-200-2000 in Phoenix, or 520-200-2000 in Tucson, and specify if you want a ride and a “Free Ride Back” to your car the next morning. Discount Cab gives you a code, which you give to the driver the next morning for the ride back to your car. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, for one day only, Discount Cab’s new iPhone app can be used not just to get a cab, but to get a Free Ride Back as well.

So make your way to the app store before making your way to the beer garden tomorrow.

If you are one of the many that waited in line to get the latest edition i-pad here’s a little cheat sheet for the 20 best apps read to go for you, courtesy of C/Net.

• Amazon Kindle
• Barefoot World Atlas
• Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy
• Tweetbot for iPad
• Flight Control Rocket
• Solar Walk
»READ MORE

We’ve already announced the opening of Italian house Mia Francesca at DC Ranch, but apparently, there is more new life breathing into the primarily-residential North Scottsdale neighborhood. Anticipating a summer 2012 opening, Market Street Kitchen – a new restaurant concept created by Paul Keeler of Keeler Hospitality Group – will provide a provincial-yet-sophisticated menu featuring locally-sourced ingredients. The eatery will feature a selection of appetizers, steaks, chops, pork, lamb and chicken, grilled on a natural wood broiler  and rotisserie; fresh coastal seafood, pastas, risottos, hearty soups, salads, burgers, sliders and sandwiches on house-made baguettes. The horseshoe-shaped bar will offer vintage cocktails, local craft beers and an extensive wine list – not to mention a charcuterie and fromage station with terrines, cured meats, salamis and artisanal cheeses. The ambiance will be accentuated by an open display kitchen, wrap-around indoor dining, a board/wine room and a large alfresco patio to take in gorgeous views of the neighboring McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

»READ MORE

Nose Job King of Miami Dr. Michael Salzhauer of Bal Harbour Plastic Surgery Associates wants to make over your schnozzle for free, but only after you’ve earned it. Recently, Dr. Schnoz commissioned Jewish punk rock band The Groggers to write a love ballad for nose jobs called “Jewcan Sam (A Nose Job Love Song).” In exchange, the band’s lead singer received a nose job. How does this apply to your sniffer, you ask? With the doc’s new contest, of course. Contestants interested in getting a nose job must make an original video about needing the procedure to The Groggers’ jingle and put it on YouTube for the world to see. Bravado is rewarded, so don’t be shy: the contestant who gets the most views will win a free Rhinoplasty from Dr. Salzhauer, free airfare to Miami and lodging.

“I wanted to create something no other plastic surgeon has done before. Rhinoplasty is my favorite and most desired procedure. I found a way to incorporate my work into a fun and creative way to attract more patients,” Dr. Salzhauer explains.

Contestants must be between the ages of 15-65; patients under 18 years of age require parental consent. All videos must be submitted by June 15, 2012. Winners are legally required to meet the medical, aesthetic and psychological criteria.

For more information, email Kathryn@cwrpartners.com or click here.

What is this Arizona?! A new report from the popular hook-up infidelity site AshleyMadison.com, ranks Arizona as #3 for membership of cheating spouses and unfaithful significant others. Website founder Noel Biderman recently told the Phoenix Business Journal that, “Phoenix’s transplant nature could have something to do with its high membership rate on the infidelity site.” What else could it be? What’s driving us Phoenicians to cheat and perhaps ultimately divorce?

Keith Berkshire, Cerfitified Specialist in Family Law at the Rose Law Group said, ”Given Arizona’s historically high divorce rate, it doesn’t surprise me that Phoenix is listed as having the third highest rate of cheating spouses in the county.” He continued,”When you add to that the significant downturn in the Arizona economy in the last few years, and the resulting financial stress that occurs from that downturn, it isn’t shocking that many people are tempted to cheat on their spouse or partner.”

Alright Arizonans. If you’re so stressed that you are thinking of straying, try a few of these stress relieving tips from Dr. Michael Yasinski of Yasinski Psychiatry, a boutique practice in the privacy of your own home:

1.  Get 10-15 minutes of sunshine each day.
2. Exercise. 20-30 minutes of cardio 3 times per week and hopefully some weight trainin which gives you an immediate endorphin “high.” And, long-term changes in brain chemicals involved in depression change for the positive with exercise over time.
3. Get out of the house at least once a day. Not necessarily with friends all the time (or a hookup from AshleyMadison.com), get out by yourself or with others. Just get out of the house to cheer up!
4. Find a purpose outside of the home life. Volunteer or get a job.
5. Lower your carb and sugar intake. Carbs can have a negative effect that lasts on chemicals involved in depression.
6. Limit the booze. Alcohol is a depressant, which could further your depressed state and lead to destructive behaviors.

Need some specific advise on family law or mental health care? Email Keith Berkshire of Rose Law Group at kberkshire@roselawgroup.com and Dr. Michael Yasinski at yasinskiaz@gmail.com to make an in-home appointment with the doctor.

This unfortunate TED speaker, Colin Robertson, sadly fell subject to a case of the “Monday’s” recently when his MAC attacked (and sadly, killed) his TED speech. Watch the video for a little chuckle. Happy Monday DLT.

Truck Farm Phoenix, the Valley’s own mobile community farm, stretched its legs –ahem, wheels – Tuesday and showed the Valley a look at the stuff of which it is made. Began in New York in 2009 by documentary filmmaker Ian Cheney of Wicked Delicate, a Truck Farm (literally, a garden cultivated in the bed of a truck) presents the community with a look at urban agriculture, creating a way for kids and adults to easily learn how sustainable vegetation can not only grow but actually thrive in the city, desert or just about anywhere. On Tuesday, Natalie Morris of Community Food Connections accomplished just such an enterprise, bringing Truck Farm Phoenix to BASIS School in north Peoria. While the event first focused on the 6th grade biology class as they learned about nutrition this week, children of all ages soon dashed to the truck in hoards, gathering around the truck bed, feeling the plants, asking questions  about the composted soil, desert gardening or about growing their own gardens at home.

Natalie Morris teaching the kids how to garden

“We wanted to educate kids about where food comes from,” said 6^th grade BASIS biology teacher Kristine Low. “We also wanted to educate them about nutritious foods and help to make them aware of how to make a garden at home.”

As fascinated fingers picked some of the organic vegetation and remarked on the difference between the taste of plants grown with chemicals and the taste of plants cultivated without, Morris explained the process of farming, from where to find seeds that grow in a desert climate (Truck Farm Phoenix’s are from Native Seeds/SEARCH and Seed Savers Exchange, two organizations that assist the renewal of native crops and the fortifying of U.S. soils, climate and well-being), to how to properly tend a garden to even the fact that one can discover so much already growing in their own backyards. Needless to say, the adults as well as the children were enthralled by the concept, already devising their own urban farming ideas. Job well done? Well, though the truck can’t answer for us, we won’t be surprised if we see little gardens popping up everywhere from now on. For more information, click here.

We want one. At our home.But for now, the Beverly Hills location of Sprinkles Cupcakes is the only locale with the new 24 hour Sprinkles Cupcake ATM. Or rather, the ACM, the automatic cupcake machine. Dispensing love, one cake at a time, the machine is just outside the door, offering up their cakes from the machine and we assume, helping move along the daily mile-long line outside the Beverly Hills cupcakery. Click here to see the ACM in action.

Renowned Scottsdale Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Daniel Shapiro is now performing the latest way to look younger without surgery. Ulthera, now offered at Shapiro Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, allows clients to get a facelift without going under the knife – and in about an hour. Ulthera is an FDA-cleared ultrasound treatment that helps lift and tighten facial skin and kick-starts the production of collagen to revitalize the face instantly; it staves off signs of aging in the long term, as well. The procedure is also the first non-invasive face and neck treatment with a specific indication for eyebrow lift.

Results can be noticed after just one treatment, though the more definitive results are seen over the following two to three months as tired collagen is replaced by stronger collagen that regenerates itself. Even though the technique requires no surgery, Dr. Shapiro understands the importance of having a medical professional attend to all types of remedial procedure; he brings the Ulthera treatment to his practice for patients to have a qualified professional delivering their desired results.

For more information, click here or schedule a consultation appointment at 480-451-1700.

It’s no secret that we love anything from Ted Baker, and while we’re not as sure about baseball, we rejoice that Ted Baker loves spring training. Where does the city-chic retailer and America’s favorite pastime come together, you ask? At the Scottsdale location of the store, to be exact, where Ted Baker will celebrate Spring Training this month with a giveaway. Between now and April 4, baseball fans and shoppers alike can enter to win a $500 Ted Baker Shopping Spree by showing any ticket stub from a 2012 Spring Training game. The winner will be chosen the week of April 9th.

Apparently fashion month can’t all be about the hoopla of who’s wearing what, where and with whom – there are some serious scandals strutting off the catwalks too –or should we say, behind the catwalks. In an interesting, and rather unfashionable twist, the king of street-cool sportswear Alexander Wang is being struck with a $50 million labor lawsuit. According to the New York Post, Wang is being sued by around thirty of his workers who have been “forced to work 16 hours a day  or longer — without overtime — in a suffocating, windowless, 200-square-foot room” – a “Broadway sweatshop,” as it’s titled by the Daily News. Allegedly, one of his employees even claims he was hospitalized after fainting and told that he would be fired if he didn’t follow rules (fashionista.com). While the Wang empire is denying everything, we can’t help but shake our heads and admit that perhaps the dark side of the fashion industry is striking again.

Eating with your health in mind sounds like it should be a piece of cake (carrot cake), but let’s face it, most of the time we just want something quick, easy, affordable and filling. In today’s demanding world, while many of us are trying to lose weight, eat healthier and get back in shape, there’s never any time left to create healthy, smart meals that are also filling, tasty and perfect for our specific diets. However, this is where new Gainey Village store My Fit Foods comes in. Already having over twenty locations in other states, My Fit Foods offers fresh, healthy, pre-packaged, pre-proportioned foods that accommodate your fitness lifestyle, whether it’s gym time every morning or a brisk walk every night. The meals and snacks at My Fit Foods are designed to give customers the vitamins, protein, carbohydrates and heart healthy fats that they actually need for an energetic, fit routine. In addition, according to their website, almost 90% of their meals are gluten-free. Now if easy, healthy meals that don’t taste like cardboard aren’t a reason to start consuming the best for your body (and getting back to the gym), we’re not sure what is.

My Fit Foods | 8977 North Scottsdale Road, Suite 500, Scottsdale, AZ | 85253

What to do when the last inning stretches at Scottsdale Stadium? Take me out after the ballgame to Distrito’s patio for cheap eats and drinks during Spring Training in Scottsdale, even a free Carnitas taco with your ticket stub. Featuring $5 March Happy Hour and $3 Beers, every day through March from 3:00 – 7:00 pm. And bring the entire lawn-loving gang in for The Sweet Spot Margarita Bowl, serves 6, for $30. Happy hour on Distrito’s patio is a happy hour home run!

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