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December 5th, 2007
Apart from the red, runny nose, we're actually enjoying our first cold in over two years. On-demand glasses of orange juice, back rubs, the scent of eucalyptus in every room and long, hot baths. While we moaned about our aches and pains, lover was in the kitchen preparing a veggie chili from scratch, and little Bella kept watch of "her sick patient" with her doctor's briefcase and stethoscope nearby. We definitely needed the pampering and TLC. Even the Nyquil-induced delusions have some benefit, like waking at 3 a.m. feeling inspired to get Phoenix Picks written on time. We’ve channeled our old beatnik ways and are flowing in our stream of consciousness. So please forgive us if this week’s tangents are run-ons and total nonsense. We’re in it, we’re feeling it, and we’re in touch with our creative side. So, enjoy the ride and hope the OTC cocktail doesn’t wear off before we get to the end. Enjoy! |
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| Phoenix Picks: | |||
| 1 | Karma Karma Chameleon As much as we love this city, we must admit that there are certain things that Phoenix just can’t provide. Fresh air. Have you seen our brown cloud? Fresh fish? Keeping heading west! A fresh-scented breeze in the summertime? Not so much. But fresh fashion? No problem! When it comes to dressing Phoenix’s fly guys and gals, Culture Fresh believes in putting homegrown talent front and center. At this “upbeat street boutique,” you’ll find that nearly all of their fabulous clothing, art, shoes, and accessories are produced by local designers. Establish instant street cred with Arizona-grown lines like Phoenician, Lola and Lola, Strength from Struggle, and Black Eyed Saint. See what kind of threads they have to offer at Culture Fresh's upcoming “Pumps and Purses” art show on December 12th. |
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| 2 | Our Aim Is True We love to eat. More accurately, we love to eat anything, anywhere, anytime. Whether it's an entire row of Oreos or our most secret and shameful snack, apples and cheese with peanut butter (go ahead, gag, it's ok), we heart food. Sadly, we also like to look somewhat slender, and that just doesn't seem to work with our "Life is a buffet, old chum" lifestyle. When we realized our upcoming nuptials were only four months away, we panicked. We were faced with two choices: starbucks and cigarettes (aka the Olsen diet), or actually eating healthfully. Problem is, we're not the biggest fans of eating healthy, because, to us, healthy means three meals of bean sprouts, tofu and life without ice cream. This explains why we were so blown away when we went to True Food Kitchen in Phoenix. Using the concept of eating nutritious, beneficial food and combining it with the novel idea that food should taste good, the geniuses at TFK have whipped up dishes so delish that we didn't even realize we'd eaten something with actual vitamins and fiber. Now we can eat and still fit into our wedding dress! True Food Kitchen |
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| 3 | Dropping the Bomb The biggest curse of motherhood is the inescapable falling Sure, we’re still struggling to lose those last five pounds from our pregnancy, but other than that we’re still fabulous. On a good day, when we make it out of the house with a little bit of blush and lip gloss, the checkout boys at Safeway remind us we’re still hot by throwing a wink or two our way. So we swung by Mom Bomb to give our current wardrobe a pick-me-up boost, which it definitely needed. Our glamorous self was in seventh heaven, finding things that shimmered and shaped our womanly curves. Mom Bomb has carved a great niche for mothers looking to put the sparkle back in the closet in a classy, subtle manner. Mom Bomb Boutique |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Food for the Soul Desperate for those last-minute gifts? Don't compromise your desire to help those in need by giving in to holiday pressures and picking up something cheesy at the mall; instead, give a gift that keeps on giving. Send the person on your list who has everything (and doesn't need another nut chopper) a gift from the heart, such as Mercy Corps’ Emergency Food Kit. At only $18 a pop, you can show your goodwill by providing food to those facing extreme hardships. |
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| 2 | Solid as a Rock Nick Tortajada: This v-neck wearing, hairy-chested, New Jersey-born rock climber deserves your love! Why? Because we said so! And, because his Phoenix-based clothing line for rock climbers is sexy for the boys and the girls. There are plenty of tank tops and comfy sweats that make us feel saucy as we press our hips against the climbing wall and reach up high, even with our sweaty palms. |
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| 3 | That’s a Wrap Sometimes we long to move somewhere cold. A place We’ve had Yokoo’s wonderful creations bookmarked since summer, and now that it’s finally cool enough to wear a scarf without looking like a complete looney, we’re tempted. We hope to get one before these 60-degree days disappear! |
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| 4 | You, Dearie, Are an Artist In a former life we worked for a Big Brother-type employer that sent us to India. Once the culture shock wore off, we realized we had a zillion amazing photos... that lived online in a boring, one-dimensional virtual album. |
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| Cocktail of the Week: | |||
What better way to bring in the holiday season than with a Peppermint Patty Martini! It appears the gang from Eddie V’s Restaurants (the Roaring Fork, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood and Wildfish Seafood Grill) have been concocting a new kind of holiday cheer by offering “12 Cocktails for Christmas” until Dec. 31. We’re thinking the Peppermint Patty is a great drink to toss down if you’re planning on standing under the mistletoe! Peppermint Patty Martini: Godiva Dark Mix one part Godiva, one part Rumple Minze and one part Baileys with a splash of cream and a splash of simple syrup. It’s most festive served up in a chilled martini glass. The final touch? Garnish with a candy cane. |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | If We Took a Holiday Spend an evening getting pampered with the besties! Did we mention you can also get your Xmas shopping done and do good at the same time? The gals at Always Busy Women really know how to make the most of your limited free time, so show your support by bringing an unwrapped gift for Toys for Tots. What: Holiday Boutique by Always Busy Women |
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| 2 | Scenes from a Childhood One of our favorite (and controversial) photographers, Betsy Schneider, is famous for haunting pictures, not to mention infamous for lovely but nude portraits of her children. “Scenes” is a photo series Schneider began in 1998, when she had her first child. Her images remind us of days when childhood was far less complicated and far more innocent. What: "Betsy Schneider: Scenes" Artist Reception |
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| 3 | Pageant Queens From watching Tom Cruise leap and shriek on Oprah's couch to snapping at Matt Lauer for being glib, we've eaten up his breakdown with a giant spoon. For dessert, we're having a big bowl of "A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant." No clue how they're getting away with it, but this dark comedy pokes fun at Hollywood's famous Hubbard-lovers. What: “A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's |
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| 4 | Jungle Love Every Christmas, the parental unit dragged us to see Phoenix Zoo's ZooLights. Totally cool at age 3 and totally lame at age 13, we've come full-circle. Whether taking our Bella for the first time and watching her face light up in joy, or going for a date and cuddling up to our man, ZooLights is the perfect holiday activity. What: ZooLights |
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Want to give everyone you know a great gift—without spending any money? Sign them up for www.PhoenixPicks.com! It's free, and you'll seem very hip when you tell them it's from you. |
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