It was a warm evening with many people and vendors for out for first Friday Phoenix art walk. The…read moreEye Lounge stayed open to catch the foot traffic. Eye Lounge is right next door to Made Art Boutique. Eye Lounge is a very small gallery featuring a half a dozen pieces of artwork. The artwork is provoking. an artist is usually on hand to greet you and talk about the artwork if you have questions, Street metered parking which parking which operates until 10pm. Police patrolled. The meters accept credit cards. There is also paid lot parking. Some free parking if you are lucky enough to find one.

Awesome experience today. We stopped in Made today to help support our favorite local artists and…read morewere lucky enough to get to check out Eye Lounge while there. It's not always open so it was a rare treat for us. It is a small space, but I love to see the different art. It's quiet and clean. Great shots. Can't wait to see what's next.

Since I work in the area, I decided to walk in is right across the street from the Hyatt Regency…read morehotel. They serve Matcha and other desserts inside as well as a lot of Latino culture art attached to a store and looks like they play music in there as well not for sure if they do live performances or not overall they were spacious a lot of great art Firm artist and the store where you could purchase items and or coffee drinks

We came across the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center while exploring the murals along…read moreRoosevelt Row, and it was welcoming location, full of artistic energy. Art talks were underway, and galleries and studio spaces offer interesting vantage on work in process.

Did a reading at this gallery last night and really loved the space. Great visual art on the walls,…read moreespecially the landscapes by Joshua Dean Wiley, they really grabbed me, The gallery had a really nice, open, and welcoming feel. They are also well set up to provide good and drinks. The staff seemed really friendly and stoked to host us. I gather the space is also available to rent for both public and private gatherings. I don't know the exact history of the ownership of the place but I hear it's a pretty good story. There were 40+/- people there last night, all seated, and the space felt full but not crowded. If you are down on Grand Ave. for sure go check out the art and if you are looking for a space for a small event or party I would for sure consider this place.

Great space. They always feature an eclectic variety of artists that feature many different media…read moretypes. Thanks for keeping our neighborhood a vibrant part of First Friday.

The Gallery @ City Hall is an art gallery inside of Phoenix City Hall. The exhibition right now is…read morea photo exhibit of historic buildings in the Phoenix Area. I loved all the history I read about the buildings, and I know all of them since I am a native of Phoenix! The docent told me that the next exhibit would be older works from the City's collection of Public Art. They have over 1000 pieces in the collection, which she said dates from 1915! Wow, I didn't even know we had a gallery there. I'm looking forward to the next exhibit that starts June 7th!

Wow - love making "accidental discoveries!" I was ordering out at Barrio Cafe & this shop is just…read moresouth of the restaurant, in the same building. Petra, the owner, told me lots about her store & so I'll try to share maybe a quarter of what I remember! She carries "all things Frida Kahlo-inspired" obviously - from artwork to masks to Christmas ornaments to throw pillows Y MAS. She also shares the space with famed local artist/muralist Lalo Cota, one of my absolute favorite. So this place is packed with fun, colorful, one-of-a-kind pieces. This is also a community space: they hold events like next week's heart event, making heart art & talking about heart health. Come check this "only in Phoenix" space for handicrafts/gifts for fam/friends or for yourself!

What a truly amazing place!! Hopping into Frida's Garden makes me feel like I am in the happiest…read moreplace on earth. Petra (owner) is SO friendly, and her colorful personality is echoed in the bright colors of the space. If you are a fan of famed Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, then you must visit. They have everything from art prints and canvases, to shirts, pens , masks, beanies and more. Plus, if you are familiar with famed Phoenix muralist, Lalo Cota, you will see a lot of his amazing work there as well. He shares this space and holds Tequila Tacos y Arte night there with Petra where you can come in and paint one of his famous prints. We came for this paint night event and we had such a great time. Fabulous crowd, and we vibed all night to some old school music, tequila drinks and tacos. If you are looking for a one of a kind gift inspired by art, you must check this place out. Or if you are looking for a fun night out with friends, family or a date night--Go to Tequila Tacos y Arte. Check their Instagram for more info. Highly recommend this place!! I'll be back for round two of paint night soon!!

The Marshall Butterfly Pavilion is a part of the Desert Botanical Garden visit. It is a double…read moredoor entry and exit tent with live butterflies. Today was extra special as staff were letting interested patrons release live butterflies. Of course, I stepped right up for my turn. Three live butterflies were carefully tucked in a small waxed envelope. Each person carefully tore the sides of the envelope. Many took flight on their own while some lingered in the open envelope unsure of what to do. I got to release 9 of them with one lingering butterfly. I placed it in front of a flower and it gently walked on it. Sweet! After many visits to this pavilion, it is my first time experiencing this. What a great time I had along with others.

Honestly, I wish it was bigger!…read more Every time we come to the Botanic Gardens, I have to go see the butterflies, and they NEVER disappoint! The pavilion is a small tent like structure filled with blooming plants and tons of different kinds of butterflies native to Arizona. They walking path goes in a loop, but has a offshoot leading to the exit. You can spend as much time inside as you want; the only rule is that you can't touch the butterflies. Luckily, THEY usually end up touching ME! ;) At one end is a small aquarium type display showing the lifecycle of a butterfly, and there are actual caterpillars and chrysalises of the different species to look at. If you're lucky, you may even get to see a butterfly emerge! There are feeding stations stashed among the plants throughout the pavilion, along with a small pond full of goldfish. The best part is, it is not oppressively humid like in most other butterfly exhibits. This one is just like a tent with airflow to and from the outside. As you leave, there is a person that checks to make sure you are butterfly free before you exit. Entry is included with admission to the garden, so get out of the hot Arizona sun for a few minutes, and admire the beauty inside! 51/2023

We attended a performance of the Phoenix Gay Men's Chorus at this location. It was our first time…read moreat this venue and we found it to be very comfortable and clean. The parking was easy as there is a garage nearby and the staff at Tempe Center for the Arts were happy to validate the parking voucher to waive the fee. The sound was great and we thought the seats were very comfortable. We would definitely return to Tempe Center for the Arts for future performances or events.

As the self-appointed king of events in Phoenix, I've been to pretty much every major event venue…read morein Phoenix and surrounding areas over the past 10 months. And it's safe to say that Tempe Center for the Arts is one of my favorites. First off, you can either park in the parking garage a few minutes away from the venue by foot or you can park in the gravel lot that is a minute or two farther away. If you park in the garage, they will validate your ticket. Guaranteed parking is always a big win in my book. I've been to the Tempe Center for the Arts (TCFTA) twice. Once for a concert and once for a play put on by the Arizona Theater Company. Both have been A+ experiences. First off, the venue is located right by Tempe Towne Lake which makes for a picturesque location. The venue itself is just as beautiful with stunning architecture, both inside and out. It's clean. It's comfortable. The ushers are friendly. There is plenty of seating to hang out outside before the show, during intermission, or after. You can also hang out on the patio where there's a fire pit and seating. On a certain day of the week that's escaping me, they do an open mic night out there. I haven't tried any of the concessions, but they have a bar and some snacks. There's complimentary water. The theater is pretty intimate which makes for a better experience. It's designed well. There are even often some art installations you can check out. Overall, you can't ask for much better than this when it comes to an event experience! I've become a season ticket holder of the Arizona Theater Company, so I can't wait to be back!

Very neat Indigenous and Latinx art space and shop. Everything is local. Come visit and support…read morelocal artists and artisans! They have events too where you get to share and experience the space by creating together.

Xico is a Latino & Indigenous Arts Organization located on 1st Ave & Roosevelt in the same building…read moreas Barcoa. Not going to lie- I had only ever been to the drinking side of the building before Friday when I was offered a brief guided tour of the gallery. Speaking with Esai (assistant ro the director of curatorial services and programs) about the gallery was a genuine delight. As a fully non-profit organization, Xico's primary goal is to support local artists by offering printmaking workshops, artist-lead classes, and a place to display their art. They also have a wide variety of other events and programs to support the community, like mobile art outreach and programs for impacted youth. Who would have guessed all this is hidden behind the bead curtain at the local Cantina? Next time you're passing by (or grabbing a drink at @barcoaphx), be sure to stop by and check out the Mercado @xicoinc