LOCAL PHOENIX METRO:

Click for tickets selling fast, a Vincent Van Gogh exhibit that will truly gobsmack you is almost here! Showing for 3 months in the Old Town Scottsdale area, this touring event is elevating the post-impressionist’s life with 500,000 cubic feet of projection and sound. A man who most of us equate with madness, this mesmeric experience will bring it all into digital perspective, safely distanced, of course. August 26-November 28, 2021 at 4301 N. Scottsdale Road. Price of admissions is $39.99.

Marston Exploration Theater – is Arizona State University’s School of Earth and Space Exploration’s best kept secret. This 7-story building is an active laboratory, housing so much more than a premiere “Definiti SkySkan Planetarium utilizing 4k projection systems to render the Earth and Space Science themes in 3D stereographic vision” theater. The first floor lobby and mezzanine is home to real-time displays with other museum quality objects and exhibits, that will make any space lover geek out.

Before COVID-19, shows were held Wednesday evenings, rotating through a few fascinating topics. BYOB your own 3D glasses or borrow a pair of theirs. Although Marston may be closed for the time being, stay abreast of public viewing dates so you can get your ticket as soon as the School reopens these jaw-dropping shows. Affordable for the family, although keep in mind that real little ones may have difficulty wearing 3D glasses, staying quiet and still in the small theater. There is a well-lit parking garage nearby, intersection of Terrace and Rural roads and on the Metro Light Rail route.

Connect for now on Virtual Night Sky Zoom presentations, every other Wednesday until the end of the year, free of charge.

Also conveniently located in Tempe near campus, the Bike Saviours co-operative is a welcoming haven for the two-wheeled crowd looking to repair-it-themselves at affordable rates, as well as have some socially responsible fun with numerous rides and events that take cruisers through art districts and other bike friendly areas in the metro. Shop manager, Nicole Muratore, is setting sights on a return to normal with programs planned throughout the year. While you browse their website, consider volunteering. Read their great reviews on Yelp and connect on Facebook or info@bikesaviours.com.

This Month at Bike Saviours

  • Basic Bike Maintenance classes, please schedule in advance and wear your mask.
  • Tour Downtown Mesa August 13th at 7 pm in a leisurely peddle to tour what Mesa has to offer. Bring your cycle on the Light Rail and plan to meet at the Chupacabra Tap Room, 14 N. Robson. Special drinks and treat for participants along the way.

SCENIC BYWAYS:

Catwalk, New Mexico

There is so much to love about the Land of Enchantment, the scenery just one. Find yourself in the Gila National Forest near the small communities of Cliff and Glenwood, you may catch a roadside artmart selling high quality wares. Textiles, jewelry, gallery-worthy paintings, delectable handmade soaps and lotions are just a few of the items we saw on a summer Saturday along NM highway 180 to the famous Catwalks. A quaint bed & breakfast makes this a great place to hub as you explore more of eastern New Mexico. Contact the artists above for more information.

FOR THOSE ON THE EAST COAST:

Long Blue Cat Brewing Company in picturesque Londonderry, New Hampshire, is serving up the cold ones with food fare to drool for in a worth the journey stop between Boston and Concord. Owners Jason and Shane, buddies since childhood, run an artistically conceptualized brew house where the creative passion comes through in tasty menu and drink combinations. Plenty of fresh non-alcoholic beverages available, as well. Live music, fun charity events, weekly trivia night and more, LBC is a place best shared with family and friends. Closed Monday and Tuesdays, check it all out on their social media.