Spring Break Is Here. Now Go Do Something.

On spring break? Need something to do? Stop by the Arizona Highways gift shop and pick up the Arizona Highways Camping Guide, featuring 100 of the best campgrounds in Arizona, or the Arizona Highways Hiking Guide, which includes 52 of the best day hikes in Arizona.

Hey, while you’re at it, pick up the latest issue of Arizona Highways magazine. In it, you’ll find our Best Restaurants for 2014, plus our Drive and Hike of the Month (oh, and be sure to visit our website for online extras, including recipes from our Best Restaurants!).

15.Quince Says Goodbye to Jerome and Opens Up Shop in Cottonwood

We have some good news and some bad news to report. OK, first, the bad news: 15.Quince in Jerome has officially left the building. The popular eatery is no longer serving up its tasty tacos and delicious margaritas out of its old Main Street location. 15.Quince lovers, fear not. Here’s the good news: 15.Quince has relocated to a bigger and better space in Cottonwood, just a few miles down the hill from Jerome. Fans of 15.Quince can expect the same amazing food, as well as a few additions to owner Vladimir Costa’s menu.

Talk about another great reason to stop in Cottonwood!

15.Quince is located at 747 S. Main Street in Cottonwood. For more information, call 928-634-7087.

We May Not Have April Showers, But We Have Some Good Eats… Presenting Our April Cover!

Celebrating Our Centennial: Get Cooking with 100 Recipes

Image courtesy of MMPR Marketing

In anticipation of our state’s 100th birthday, we’ll be posting Centennial-related posts so you’ll know what’s what as we approach February 14 — a.k.a THE BIG DAY.

For those of you who love to cook (and those of you planning on celebrating the Centennial with food), this cookbook is a must-have, plus it’s been designated an official Arizona Centennial Legacy Project by the Arizona Historical Advisory Commission.

Translation: This book is a big deal.

100 Years, 100 Chefs, 100 Recipes is a collection of recipes from chefs across the state…. We’re talking famous James Beard award winners, distinguished chefs and even mom and pop cooks — folks who have helped shaped the way people taste the Grand Canyon State.

The book was compiled by writers Nikki Buchanan (Arizona Highways, The Arizona Republic), Michele Laudig (The Arizona Republic, Edible Phoenix) and Dawson Fearnow (Scottsdale CVB, Phoenix New Times, The Arizona Republic, former editor-in-chief at Desert Living Today and Arizona Foothills Magazine). Arizona’s Historian, Marshall Trimble, will introduce each region of Arizona with a bit of history about the cities, economy, businesses, agriculture and gastronomical achievements of each area.

So, who made the cut? Let’s just say it’s a pretty impressive roster and here are just a few names:

Barrio Café
Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza

The Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge
Chef Amanda Stine

House of Tricks
Chef Kelly Eugene Fletcher

St. Francis Restaurant
Chef Aaron Chamberlin

L’Auberge Restaurant
Chef David Schmidt

Litchfield’s at Wigwam
Chef Matt McLinn

Cowboy Ciao
Chef Lester Gonzalez

Tarbell’s
Chef Mark Tarbell

Molly Butler Lodge
Chef Ruben Irigoyan

El Tovar
Chef Matt McTigue

Elote Café
Chef Jeff Smedstad

The book is available now, so order yours today.

Loco For Local… A Year In Review

Just one of many locally owned businesses in AZ

In case you haven’t noticed, we are loco for local here at Arizona Highways (you’ll see what I mean when our March 2012 issue hits stands), and it’s always great to read about the fantastic progress being made by our very own Local First Arizona.

The organization recently posted their year-in-review on their Website and I have to say, I was really impressed…. this group is working incredibly hard to promote local businesses throughout the state, while at the same time, making Arizona a destination — that’s good for me, for you and for future Arizonans.

BRAVO!

OK, so check it out:

The Buy Local movement has over 2,000 members across the state and that number continues to grow every day.

The movement has managed to “capture the attention of the Arizona media in a profound and meaningful way. The “Buy Local” movement has been featured:”

• Over 28 times on TV! Members AZ-TV and Channel 8 continue to graciously support us, as well as Channel 3 Phoenix, Channel 13 Tucson and Channel 15 Phoenix. Sonoran Living and Your Life A to Z have invited us back again and again to tell the local story! Thanks for all of the coverage and support and thanks to all of our members who helped us put the segments together!
• Over 22 times on the radio! We’ve been featured on the Steve Henry show, several times on Rosie on the House, The McMahon Group, All Things Considered, and more. Thanks to the support of KJZZ, KTAR and others who continue to champion local causes
• Articles in Arizona Highways, Phoenix New Times, Arizona Republic, Arcadia News, Desert Living Today, The Business Journal, East Valley Tribune, Arizona Daily Sun, The Camp Verde/Cottonwood Journal, Payson Roundup, Sierra Vista Herald, Williams News, The State Press, The College Times, The Downtown Devil, frontdoors, Raising Arizona Kids, Downtown Phoenix Journal, Your West Valley, Tucson Weekly, Inside Tucson Business, Tucson Citizen, Sonoran News, Phoenix Magazine, Green Living Magazine, Discover the Region and lots more!

• The Independents Week celebration in July brought over 9,200 visitors to our Golden Coupon page on the Local First website, and we got over 620 BUY LOCAL mentions on NPR radio in one week!
• This year’s Certified Local Fall Festival at the Duck and Decanter attracted over 6,000 people, 65+ vendors and 40+ volunteers. Thanks to the huge number of participants this year- it’s such a great day to celebrate Arizona!
• Local First launched our first Verde Valley Small Wonders map featuring retail and dining destinations in Jerome and Cottonwood.
• Local First helped to form a coalition called Devour Phoenix, a group of 25+ restaurateurs in and around the Phoenix area that have banded together to promote the city as a premier dining destination.
• The second annual Devoured Culinary Classic at the Phoenix Art Museum won best Southwestern Culinary Festival from the New York Times and received other amazing accolades across the country. The event sold out and local chefs reported they had an amazing experience. Next year’s Culinary Classic will be March 10th and 11th, and you can get your tickets now at www.devouredphoenix.com.
• Local First Arizona won a grant from the ACA to expand programs into rural communities across Arizona, and boy have we expanded!  Our team went to Cottonwood, Bisbee, Sonoita, Prescott and Kingman to share tools and resources to help strengthen the main streets in each of these communities.

Well done friends and keep up the good work!

And hey, don’t forget to tell us your favorite local hotspot!

Why Going Local First is Good

This weekend, come out to the Duck and Decanter in PHX and celebrate locally owned businesses at the 7th Annual Certified Local Fall Festival presented by Local First Arizona. This is a fantastic opportunity to support those local businesses (think Zia Records, Desert Song Yoga, Noble Beast Pet Boutique, Bookmans, Smeeks Candy Shop and a WHOLE lot more) that help boost the state’s economy.

Local First Arizona is the largest dues-paying alliance of independent businesses in the country, working to strengthen communities and local economies through supporting, maintaining and celebrating locally owned business throughout the state.

Now, you might think buying local costs more or maybe it doesn’t really impact our economy very much… Well, think again. We spoke with Kimber Lanning, the Founder and Executive Director of Local First Arizona, about this weekend’s event and why buying local is a very good thing.

Why should Arizonans care about purchasing local?
Dollars spent locally circulate up to three times more in the local economy. When someone chooses to buy locally, that local business owner in turn hires a local attorney, accountant, graphic designer, PR company and/or sign maker to help support their business. This keeps money re-circulating locally and helps creates jobs.

How did this festival get started?
Seven years ago, we decided we needed a “day to celebrate Arizona,” and so we called some of our members and the festival was born.

How can buying local make a difference within the community?
Buying locally keeps more dollars at home and creates more tax revenues for things like libraries, schools and fire departments. In addition, jobs and opportunities are created when local businesses thrive.

What are some local brands that people may already be familiar with?
Hickman’s Eggs, Harkins’ Theaters, Bashas’ and Food City, Shamrock Dairy products, China Mist Tea, Community Tire, are just a few you may have heard of.

What can folks expect from the festival?
Over 60 local vendors including Bookman’s, Frances, Practical Art, Kidstop Toys, Mountainside Fitness and more will be on hand; 15 of the best restaurants in town will be giving out free food samples, including Postino, Spinato’s, America’s Taco, Green, St Francis, and more; there will be live music, a beer and wine garden serving up Arizona wine and beer; and fun stuff for kids of all ages, including a craft booth, rock climbing wall and a bounce house.

Some people may think local costs more to buy… Is this true?
It’s definitely not always more expensive to buy locally. Harkins’ Theaters, for example, is the exact same price as their national competitor. Local tireshops, pharmacies, services of all kinds and, of course, things like Hickman’s Eggs are not more expensive. There are also lots of local second hand businesses like Bookman’s, Changing Hands, Buffalo Exchange and more.

Information:
Where: Duck and Decanter, 1651 E Camelback, Phoenix
When: Saturday, Nov 12
Time: 10am-4pm
Cost: FREE

 

>>Photo by Rick D’Elia of D’Elia Photographic © 2010