This mural collab between artists Jake Early and Quinn Murphy on the south side of The Parsons Center for Health and Wellness isn’t just another pretty face. The brightly colored graphic is a tribute to family, an education in HIV awareness and even a resource. (A QR code offers information about services.) What’s not to “LOVE”? 1101 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, 602-307-5330,
Best New Mural
“Interdependent Nature” by Shepard Fairey
After conquering the worlds of art, fashion design and activism, Shepard Fairey has turned, naturally, to the East Valley, where his latest work adorns the west side of Mesa Arts Center. Titled “Interdependent Nature,” his first mural in Arizona features a collection of symbols and images that remind us of how we are all threaded together. 1 E. Main St., Mesa, 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com
Best Ironic Mural
Phil Collins Mural at Collins Off Colter
Even in 2025, music lovers cannot escape Phil Collins. Painted by local muralist Ryan Rodriguez on the Camelback-area apartment complex that bears the name of the “In The Air Tonight” singer, we can only assume it was the invisible touch of Collins himself that guided the artist’s brushstrokes. 1517 E. Colter St., Phoenix, collinsoffcolter.com
Best Party
Noche En Blanco
It’s a simple idea – dress in white, show up at Margaret T. Hance Park in Phoenix for a dinner party. And yet, Noche En Blanco is anything but. It’s a stunning annual display of fashion accompanied by over-the-top DIY tablescapes – and all for a very good cause, the non-profit Hance Park Conservancy, which is supporting the creation of a master plan for the park. hanceparkphx.org/noche-en-blanco
Best Old-Ass Strip Mall
Danelle Plaza
Most notably home to the beloved Yucca Tap Room, crumbling Danelle Plaza was the little strip mall that could – until it couldn’t. Artists kept developers at bay for years, but change is inevitable. The good news is that the City of Tempe has promised not to bulldoze the whole thing – a rarity in these parts. And Yucca Tap Room is safe for now. 3400 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, thedanelleproject.org
Best Attention Getter
The Transformers Statue at Rare Earth Gallery
Bumblebee from the Transformers movies began patrolling the intersection of Carefree Highway and Cave Creek Road last spring, placed there by Wayne Helfand of Cave Creek’s Rare Earth Gallery. Helfand recently acquired the lot to transform it into an art walk. For now, it serves as advertising for his mineral and jewelry store. 6401 E. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek, rareearthgallerycc.com
Best Arcadia-Inspired Gathering Space in the East Valley
George & Gather
Owner Amber Kovarik tells her guests that if La Grande Orange, Olive & Ivy and The Henry had a baby, it would look like George & Gather. The all-day restaurant, with its scratch kitchen, healthy fare and grab-and-go market, has the Arcadia vibe without the drive. 336 S. Washington St., Chandler, 480-470-5143, georgeandgather.com
Best Tribute to a Valley Legend
“AL” Patches on the Suns’ Jerseys
We can say without hyperbole that late Phoenix Suns play-by-play announcer Al McCoy was a legend, calling basketball games for 51 seasons. When he died in September 2024, the team paid tribute to the long-tenured broadcaster with an “AL” patch on its jerseys this season. SHAZAM!
Best Mall to People-Watch
Scottsdale Quarter
Grab some popcorn, because you’re bound to see some odd things at the high-end outdoor mall, including a wedding party braving the splash-pad quad (and the messy kids playing in it) to get the perfect picture, or a senior citizen with his young girlfriend proudly wearing a bowling shirt displaying her in a bikini. We saw it with our own eyes. 15279 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, 480-270-8123, scottsdalequarter.com
Best Place to Find a Basement
Agritopia
The ground was very hard, and the space was just about limitless – so few early home developers bothered to dig basements here in the Valley. That changed with Agritopia. Not every home in the Gilbert development has a basement – but many do. They don’t come cheap, but if you want to fulfill your East Coast basement fantasies, this is the place. Northwest corner of Higley and Ray roads, Gilbert, agritopia.com
Best Arena Name Change
PHX Arena
Earlier this year, the signage for the Phoenix Suns’ home arena came down as the team and Valley sustainability firm Footprint ended their naming rights partnership, with the Suns renaming the venue PHX Arena. We are fans of this temporary fix until another naming rights partner comes around. “TSMC Microchip Arena,” anyone? 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix, 602-379-7800,
phx-arena.com
Best Reason to Ban Laser Pointers
Aviation Safety
When you point a laser light at an airplane, it can blind the pilot. That’s why doing so is illegal under both state and federal law. However, this doesn’t deter Arizonans. The Federal Aviation Administration reported an average of 4.71 laser attacks per 100,000 state residents in 2024 – the fourth-highest rate nationally.
Best Book Curation
The Global Ambassador
The orange and white stripes adorning the cover of photography book Small Pleasures hint at sea breezes and beachy umbrellas. It’s the kind of tome you set on a coffee table for friends to admire. Or, if you’re Kelly Croteau of Los Angeles-based design firm Maison Plage, to position artfully throughout a Sam Fox hotel among other equally lovely and carefully selected books. 4360 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, 480-800-2211, globalambassadorhotel.com
Best Underrated Spring Training Field
Hohokam Stadium
Even as the baseball team it houses builds a regular-season home in Las Vegas, Hohokam Stadium continues to be a no-frills ballpark that allows A’s fans to concentrate on the game – unless you consider mountain views and the Cactus League’s largest scoreboard distractions. 1235 N. Center St., Mesa, 480-644-4452, athletics.com
Best Third Space
The Royale
In an era when doomscrolling on TikTok is starting to replace talking over coffee, true gathering spaces are becoming more elusive. Enter The Royale: a cluster of 1940s-era buildings at the southwest corner of Glenrosa Avenue and Sixth Drive that has recently been reimagined as a stylish, adaptive reuse project by Rocco Menaguale and Mark Howard (formerly of FEZ and Bliss ReBAR). Their goal? To honor the midcentury roots of the Melrose District while channeling the golden glow of 1980s Miami Beach and vintage Las Vegas. The result is a vibrant hub that now houses seven queer-owned businesses, including Cult Hair Salon & Spa, Window Coffee Bar, Stem Swag Design Lab and The Royale Kitchen + Cocktails. A mix of indoor and outdoor spaces sets the stage for drag brunches, comedy shows, floral workshops, storytelling nights and more. 635 W. Glenrosa Ave., Phoenix, 602-293-3373, royalephx.com
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