The Night Owl
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“The Night Owl” will cover restaurants, clubs, bars, celebrities, music and other miscellaneous events.
BY BRENT DIGGINS AND EFIA MOORE
Events around the Valley are coming in hot and heavy as the daytime temps are perfect and the nighttime’s are great for a dinner or drink inside. There is so much going on, and Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are right around the corner. To find all that happened, is happening, and will happen in the Valley, read on.
Bar Smith: As a Night Owl I’m open to a good time anywhere, but I still play favorites with clubs and bars sometimes. To make it on my favorite list, a nightlife hang out has to be unpretentious, diverse, and affordable. I love going to places where people are just hanging out being themselves, dressed up or dressed down, friendly and engaged. That’s why I love Bar Smith. It’s a place I like to stop in while I’m roaming around downtown Phoenix. Hip-hop downstairs and acid jazz and progressive house music upstairs; there is something to make everyone bob their heads and shake their hips. The upstairs outside patio has a charmingly urban feel, and the smaller, narrow size and shape of the bar makes you almost forget you’re in Phoenix, and not some other big city. The bartenders are quick and drinks feel like a steal for only $5 for wells and imports, and $4 for domestic beers. The menu is small but as flavorful and varied as the crowd; it features a Guinness burger, with black and tan onion rings on an English muffin with a side of Guinness gravy; The Verde Bowl, with pork chile verde and Oaxaca cheese; and Roasted Jerked Chicken with pears, Havarti cheese, and spiced flat bread. Although its neighbors are the legendary Skye Lounge and Club PHX, people would rather stop into the unassuming Bar Smith because it is just that unassuming. If you’re downtown and looking for that big city feel, check out www.barsmithphoenix.com.
Buy a Facebook Drink: When nightlife, Facebook, and Arizona businesses come together, it is a great thing. A new Facebook application, called BarTab, launched November 10th. What is it? The BarTab app provides a gift giving service through the sending of real drinks, and for only $1. Until now, users could only send each other virtual drink icons, but now you can send your friend the real thing, as the BarTab service allows users to turn a digital drink icon into a real drink redeemable by cell phone (electronic coupon). Upon visiting the designated establishment, you simply present a text message based mobile drink coupon (received upon purchase/gift) in exchange for a drink. Isn’t that awesome? And the best part is that it was developed by Arizona natives Nick Stewart and Matt Smith at the University of Arizona’s McGuire Entrepreneurship program. The Arizona company has already partnered with more than 100 bars to date and is rapidly growing its bar network nationwide. The launch of the new application follows a recent endorsement from Facebook where BarTab was selected from 600 competing companies to receive a $25,000 grant. Good for them. Support the local company and local boys by buying your friend a drink!
All About Art: With so many events taking place it seems as though Phoenix really hits its event stride around this time of year. Last week should have been dubbed ‘art week in the Valley’, as Scottsdale Fashion Week (PG. 40) was going on, and First Fridays was crispy and fall-like for the first time this year, bringing crowds out to enjoy the weather. In case you missed it, here is a quick review of some of the events that took place. Designers such as Stacie May, Desiato, Allison Leigh, Zang Toi, and co-William Rast (a la Justin Timber Lake) designer Daniel Guez all hosted runway events for Scottsdale Fashion Week. Canal, part restaurant, part runway, hosted its own show featuring Misty Dawn swimwear and held the official after parties for fashion show revelers. In Phoenix, people enjoyed the warm weather and many art events at November’s First Friday. Still and live art was on display, galleries threw their doors open, and performers took center stage on the streets of Phoenix. Keep reading the Night Owl to find more events that will get you out, about, and enjoying the cool weather.
Props to Kai: Big shout out to a local Valley restaurant, Kai, as it was again awarded the only 2009 AAA Five Diamond Award in Phoenix/Scottsdale and also received the coveted Mobil Four Star Award. More than 15,000 OpenTable.com diners voted Kai “Best Food,” “Best Service” and “Best Overall” restaurant in a recent poll, and the just released 2009 Zagat guide to top eateries nationwide named Kai “Best Restaurant in the Valley.” Under the direction of Executive Chef Michael O’Dowd and Chef de Cuisine Jack Strong, along with Consulting Chef and James Beard Award-winner Janos Wilder, Kai has coined its own “Native American Cuisine with Global Accents.” This place is fancy and is worth it for any excuse you can make. Reservations are strongly encouraged and the dress code discourages denim and prohibits shorts and hats. For reservations, call (602) 385-5726. For additional resort information, visit www.wildhorsepassresort.com or call 602-225-0100.
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