November 2010 Phoenix Update from Greater Phoenix CVB

It is that time of month again for me to share the content I have from the Phoenix CVB as to all that is happening in Phoenix for November. Thanks Doug and Trish for sharing.

Media Contacts: Douglas MacKenzie
Director of Communications
(602) 452-6250
dmackenzie@visitphoenix.com

Trish Hendrickson
Communications Coordinator
(602) 452-6249
thendrickson@visitphoenix.com

What’s New in Greater Phoenix?
November 2010

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS MONTH’S EDITION

• The Westin Phoenix Downtown is set to open early 2011
• Celebrate the seasons with activities from several valley attractions
and resort packages
• Enjoy Thanksgiving dining specials

RESORT NEWS

The Westin Phoenix Downtown is set to open in February 2011. It will be the second Westin to open in Phoenix. Located just one block of the Phoenix Convention Center in the 26-story Freeport McMoRan building, the hotel will occupy nine floors with 242 rooms and offer all the amenities and services known by the Westin brand. Guests can look forward to a tranquil urban retreat with stunning city views.

The Arizona Biltmore is pouring its 21st season of Winemaker Dinners. They will be holding monthly epicurean events through May 2011 featuring the acclaimed wines of California, French and Italian winemakers. Adding an haute couture element will be fashion and jewelry shows by Saks Fifth Avenue. This month’s feature will be Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Sonoma with Pierre Newiek.

The celebrated 200-year-old English pastime of Afternoon Tea has been a cherished tradition at the Arizona Biltmore since its opening in 1929. Starting November 4th, the historic resort will launch its 81st season of Afternoon Tea with special themes during holidays. Afternoon Tea will be served from November 4, 2010 through May 8, 2011.

Fill this holiday season with shopping, rest and relaxation at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa.  Enjoy a $100 resort credit with the Fall Shopping and Holiday Package with rates starting from $259 a night and are available for holiday stays from November through December 28.

JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa is honoring Camp Patriot, a nonprofit organization for disabled U.S. military veterans, by donating $1 from every spa treatment, round of golf and dining experience occurring at the resort on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.The resort’s Revive Spa, Wildfire Golf Club, and its Tuscany,Meritage Steakhouseand Blue Sage restaurants will all be participating for the Veterans Day recognition. Relax with a spa treatment that incorporates indigenous flora, and indulge with varied dining experiences reflecting seasonal menus and help support Camp Patriot for providing life-changing adventures to disabled U.S. war veterans.

Find joy this holiday season at the InterContinental Montelucia Resort and Spa. Enjoy discount Home for the Holiday room rates; a concert by Elvis before Noon on Thanksgiving eve and a family-style traditional feast with European accents on Thanksgiving day and Black Friday sales of 30% off at Café Crave and Joya Spa. The resort will also be supporting the Sojourner Center with a special Giving Tree Program. The Giving Tree program benefits the Sojourner Center’s Circle of Hope 2010 Holiday Program, which provides the opportunity for families to celebrate the holidays safely.

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch has been chosen by the readers of Smart Meetings magazine as a winner of the 2010 Platinum Choice Award.  This is the fifth year that the resort has garnered this award. Smart Meetings asked its readers to recognize properties that went above and beyond in exceptional service, facilities, amenities, technology and overall meeting experience to make their event a success.  The Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa garnered votes for exceeding expectations and being outstanding in these categories within the region.

The acclaimed Storytelling & Song program, now in its fifth year, returns this winter at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa. The program will open with a ceremonial blessing on Nov 16. This unique program aims to share the ancient cultures of the Pima and Maricopa people with Resort and Restaurant guests. Due to cultural customs, the storytelling is only permitted in winter months. Storytelling & Song is one of many GeoGreen programs at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort, where guests are able to connect with the local Pima and Maricopa cultures.

Each Autumn, the historic Hermosa Inn kicks off its award-winning Artist-in-Residence Series, an innovative program that brings hotel guests and locals together with a favorite artist or author for an intimate evening or brunch of fine dining and conversation. Inspired by the inn’s artistic roots – it was originally the private residence of renowned cowboy artist Lon Megargee – the Series’ events are held in the boutique hotel’s highly acclaimed restaurant, LON’s. This season, four Artist-in-Residence Dinners and seven Artist Demonstration Brunches are scheduled from now through April.

Celebrate the seasons at the award-winning Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. Savor delicious dishes at their spectacular signature restaurants including La Hacienda and Michael Mina’s BOURBAN Steak and the chicStone Rose Lounge. Sip hand-crafted cocktails and socialize with good friends in style in a stunning resort setting. Enjoy complimentary valet parking when dining there and complimentary childcare (for ages 5-12) Friday and Saturday evenings with existing restaurant or spa reservations.

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa will offer, by the end of the year, 20 hypo-allergenic rooms, purifying the guest experience for travelers. Designed for all travelers but especially suited to guests with asthma, allergies and other respiratory sensitivities, the Respire by Hyatt Hypo-Allergenic Rooms, powered by PURE Solutions NA, are designed to eliminate up to 98 percent of airborne viruses and bacteria, as well as pollen and other irritants commonly found in indoor environments.

The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess offers a Christmas All Wrapped Up Family Vacation. Santa’s elves make holiday magic happen with the new All Wrapped Up vacation package, so all a family has to do is relax and enjoy their time together. This festive package includes cozy overnight accommodations with a $100 resort dining credit, a small Christmas tree to decorate in each room, a family stocking filled with Christmas treats, cookies for Santa at turn-down, a photo opportunity with Santa and admission to Kid’s Club for daily crafts and activities for up to three children. This offer is available Nov. 21st – Dec. 28th: Also, for families visiting during Hannukah, the Princess can be their home-away-from-home for eight special nights. The Family Traditions Package includes overnight accommodation with a welcome gift of traditional chocolate gelt giving bag and Dreidels, $100 resort dining credit, a nightly Menorah lighting ceremony and full-day admission to the National Geographic Explorers Camp for up to three children, with daily crafts and stories celebrating the Festival of Lights. Traditional Hannukah Latkes with apple sauce can also be ordered at LV Bistro during Hannukah week.  This offer is available December 2 – 9, 2010 and rates start at $339 per room, per night.

InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa, in partnership with the Arizona Humane Society, announces that proceeds from its monthly Yappy Hour will now benefit Arizona’s largest nonprofit animal-welfare and protection agency. Designed with the social and socially aware pet owner in mind, Yappy Hour is a wonderful way to reward pets with an evening out while giving back to the local pet community. Held the last Thursday of each month from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on the patio of Crave Café, the event costs $10 and includes a glass of wine, featured cheese tasting, Bentley’s Biscuit dog treats and plenty of ice cold water in “Barkarita” dog bowls. $5 of each event fee is given directly to the Arizona Humane Society who will also be on-hand with pictures showcasing adoptable pets and information on their programs and services available to the pet community.

ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

The CityScape Phoenix Friday Night Concert Series continues. Every Friday night, there is free entertainment on the plaza. The music starts at 5:00 p.m. and runs until 7:00 p.m.

It’s that time of year again when the wildlife at the Phoenix Zoo gives way to wild lights during ZooLights, the largest holiday light display in all of Arizona. More than 3.5 million lights will be glowing and 600 glimmering animal light sculptures, unique only to the Phoenix Zoo, will swing through trees, hide in bushes, hop across lawns, and sparkle in places where they’re least expected. ZooLights runs November 25 – January 9, 2011 nightly at the Phoenix Zoo. New this year: a 150 foot long polar slide for winter tubing without the snow; a life size, 3D lion and oryx displays; new sea-life displays on the Arizona Trail and exciting new Music in Motion light show and more. Plus, enjoy old time favorites such as Jengo, horse-drawn wagon rides, carousel and camel rides.

The Arizona Science Center presents All About Me in the Steele Foundation Gallery, the newest permanent gallery to open at Arizona Science Center, and focuses on the human body Explore how your body works and functions from the inside-out, learning just what makes you – you. Feature exhibit experiences include: walking through a giant “working” stomach and experiencing the digestion process from one end to the other; virtual heart surgery theater; feeling your heart muscles race in our all-new Wheelchair Racer exhibit; the new state-of-the-art Daniel Cracchiolo Demonstration Theatre and many more. Also on the calendar, are a Journey through Phoenix History exhibit and a member appreciation night to be held on Nov. 28.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport marked a major milestone in the construction of the PHX Sky Train™ Sunday, October 10 when the first planes taxied underneath the newly constructed Sky Train bridge. The bridge is more than 100 feet tall and large enough for a Boeing 747 to pass underneath. This is the first mass transit bridge in the world to be built over an active airport taxiway

Theater League presents Cirque Dreams. Expect world-renowned imagination, critically acclaimed theatrical innovation and breathtaking presentation. Urban acrobatics, dazzling choreography and brilliant illusions are ignited by special effects performed to a stylish original score of jazz, salsa, ballroom, pop and trendy beats from the streets. The show takes flight at Phoenix’s Orpheum Theater November 11-14.

The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) Music Theater is proud to present its First Annual Film Series. These fascinating films explore the wonder and diversity of world musical cultures as seen through the filmmakers’ lens. The Theater’s inaugural cinematic journeys will transport viewers from Bach to the Basque region, from Southeast Asia to Steinway’s New York piano workshop, and from the nomadic txalaparta xylophone to the ever-popular ukulele. Attendees even get a chance to meet and chat with some special guests along the way.

The Arizona Popular Culture Museum announced the start of their Holiday Toy Drive for two local children’s services groups, Ronald McDonald House of Phoenix and Phoenix Children’s Hospital. The AZPCM has launched a drive to deliver enough toys to these two organizations for every child under their care.

After nearly a year in the Valley, Rainbow Ryders, Inc. Hot Air Balloon Company opened a Phoenix office this August, demonstrating its commitment to the market and plans to increase its business operations in the area. Weather permitting, Rainbow Ryders offers sunrise flights every day of the year. The 28-year-old company has flown more than 120,000 passengers, and maintains the largest flying capacity and the highest insurance coverage in the U.S. for any hot air balloon company.

This year the Outlets at Anthem will light America’s tallest fresh cut Christmas tree to officially signal the start of the holiday season on Nov 20th. The white fir tops out at 110 feet and is decorated with 50,000 lights, more than 3,000 ornaments and bows and a 3-foot-tall star. Santa Claus will lead the countdown and flip the switch to light the tree, along with local celebrities and other special guests. Admission is free to the public and holiday themed events will be held for the entire family, throughout the evening.

Scottsdale Quarter formally dedicated its public gathering space, The Quad, earlier this month and announced nearly 30 new retail and restaurant tenants, including a flagship Nike location. The Quad is a park-like public gathering and entertainment space, and the home of Tres Cordilleras, three public art sculptures designed as functional park benches by artist Larry Kirkland. The region’s largest pop-jet water fountain is featured in the 28-acre shopping, dining and entertainment district. And while new restaurants and shops will continue to be announced throughout the season, the current opening line-up for fall/winter 2010-11 includes companies like Narcisse Champagne Lounge, TK’s Urban Tavern, lululemon athletica, Deegie’s Carma and more.

Under the umbrella of the Arizona Wine Experience is the Arizona Wine Challenge at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch.  Every Friday, a blind tasting with 6 different wines or 3 pairs will be featured. The cost is $15 per person and includes the fun, the tasting and the opportunity to learn about the wine growing regions of Arizona. To further enhance the Arizona Wine Experience, we also arrange Arizona Wine Tours.  Guests can take a day trip to visit the wine growing regions of the state.

GOLF

The Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa is holding the Valley of the Sun Phi Alpha Delta Charity Golf Tournament on Nov. 20.The proceeds from the tournament will be donated to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Phoenix, which provides help for the homeless and working poor; food and clothing for those in need; as well as shelter for the homeless; and medical care for families. The entry fee includes the tournament, lunch at the resort’s upscale Meritage Steakhouse, a raffle and awards ceremony.

The Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa is offering a great Arizona Golf Escape now through Dec. 31, 2010. The package includes room accommodations for two, daily breakfast for two, unlimited golf for two and roundtrip airport transfers. The Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa is the only Arizona resort with access to five golf courses and is home to the Southwest’s only 54 holes of championship golf.

The Fairmount Scottsdale Princess is partnering with the TPC Scottsdale to create Golf Fit, a luxurious, cutting-edge golf vacation designed to help golf travelers play their best while having fun and relaxing in one of Scottsdale’s most celebrated golf environments. To start, a Willow Stream Spa personal trainer works with the golfer to access his or her balance, agility and core strength to determine areas for improvement. The package also includes overnight accommodations, 30-minutes of golf instruction with a TPC Scottsdale teaching professional, followed by a round of golf, a special Golf Fit, lunch at The Grill and a 60-minute Golf Performance massage at Willow Stream Spa. The Golf Fit, package is available now through December 31.

SPA

Relax with Fall and Holiday-inspired Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes therapy at Agave, The Arizona Spa at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa. These fall and holiday inspired treatments will help spa-goers get ready for a night out or simply give their head, shoulders, knees and toes some tender-loving-care. The Agave Spa is proud to offer free monthly wellness clinics on the first Tuesday of each month. Guests will enjoy a variety of spa topics dedicated to improving their well-being and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

The Forbes Four-Star Centre for Well-Being at The Phoenician warms up to both fall and winter with the return of its seasonal spa program, featuring a trio of unique services that relax as well as rejuvenate.  Available now through January 6, 2011, each treatment serves as a complement to the resort’s published spa menu. On-the-Go Facial Glow — $59, cleanse, tone, exfoliate or mask, and hydrate the skin with this popular 25-minute service.  It is ideal for those who are trying to stretch time between their full-service facials, or who just need a quick refresher. Pep in Your Step — $99, revitalize and recharge with this 50-minute treatment, which begins with a massage of the back, neck and shoulders.  Next, indulge in a salt scrub of the feet, followed by a cooling peppermint lotion foot massaged. Stress Express — $99, this 50-minute journey is led by our intuitive meditation guide and focuses on freeing the body and the mind of tension and stress.

It’s pretty and pink and with good reason. When guests book a Pink Massage or Pink Pedicure at Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmount Scottsdale Princess, 5 percent of the proceeds will benefit the Phoenix Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure during the spa’s Power of Pink program running through December 31, 2010.  The special Power of Pink massage treatment room has been painted pink, with the official Susan G. Komen colors, and has pink blankets provided by Komen with a pink ribbon plaque with inspirational phrases to support breast cancer awareness.  There is also a dedication poster for guests to sign their name or the name of a loved one. The Pink Pedicure uses a pomegranate sugar scrub provided by the pink Whish body product line and toes can even be topped off with OPI’s special Pink of Hearts polish.

DINING

Valley favorite, Chef Justin Becketts opens his new restaurant Becketts Table in the Arcadia/ Biltmore area. Becketts Table offers seasonal American cooking, featuring homey classics made with inventive flourishes. Think creamy grits and andouille sausage with mustard jus, pork osso buco confit with butternut squash spätzle, chicken ‘n dumplings, green chile stew with cornbread and lobster n boursin enchiladas, all priced affordably (appetizers, $5-$8; entrees, $14-$19). Guests can expect a casual neighborhood restaurant where friends and families gather for a quick supper, a celebratory dinner or maybe just a couple of beers and a snack.

Brick Urban Kitchen in Phoenix is chic and worldly. While much of the old fast-casual chain’s brick interior remains, the mood lighting has been set to “sexy” and the kid-friendly menu replaced with exotic truffle flatbreads and appetizers such as stuffed artichokes. Chef Mercer Mohr’s menu integrates high-end culinary ingredients into everyday comfort foods: short ribs and sweet potatoes on pizza, burgers with pork belly or truffles, grilled cheese with brie and quince. Also look for steamed clams, foccacia sandwiches and fresh pastas like the spicy puttanesca with “angry tomatoes.” Wash it all down with one of Brick’s signature muddled fruit cocktails or stop in during happy hour.

This autumn, chef-restaurateur Aaron May will be offering his own rustic, but refined version of comidas corridas (“running food”, which is what fast food is called in Mexico) at Vitamin T, the colorful puesto that he and partner Quinn Goldsberry will open in Cityscape this November. Vitamin T is geared toward takeout, featuring an open kitchen, a salsa bar and a drink station. The front of the counter that separates customers from cooks is covered in lit from behind perforated metal.

A unique Cowboy cookout experience awaits you at Rawhide Western Town and Steakhouse at Wild Horse Pass! Imagine an awesome chuck-wagon cookout under the stars surrounded by the beauty of the Sonoran desert. Their legendary Sundown Cookouts are sure to please the entire family. Sundown Cookouts are available every Saturday night.

Two Arizona State University grad students open a hip hotdog stand with a flirtatious feel to it called Cutie’slocated on Mill Avenue. Decorated in hot pink, the eatery is aimed at college students and late-night snackers. The menu is straightforward: all-natural chicken, beef and turkey dogs, plus veggie wieners and brats. Unusual toppings like sun-dried tomato and feta are offered; dog lovers can choose a pre-designed weenie or customize their own from the topping list. Cutie’s is currently open on Friday and Saturday nights; daytime and weekday hours will be introduced in the coming weeks.

Chef Brian Cooper has been tapped as the chef de cuisine of the new signature restaurant under development at the Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa, as part of the $7 million rejuvenation underway at the legendary West Valley resort. Cooper will head the new farm-to-table dining concept replacing Red’s Steakhouse at the Wigwam, set to open in January. With local chef and James Beard Award winner Chris Bianco helping to define all resort menus, Cooper will work closely with Bianco in launching the new concept at the Wigwam’s signature restaurant which will focus on fresh local Arizona products and produce, and farm-to-table fare. No pre-packaged foods, no frozen desserts and partnerships with only the most reputable local growers and artisans will be at the center of the resort’s new overall approach to dining.

THANKSGIVING SPECIALS

Spend a relaxing Thanksgiving with family and friends and have someone else do the cooking with Turkeys to Go from Meritage Steakhouse at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. Turkeys to Go offer two traditional Thanksgiving dinner choices. Enjoy a whole roasted Tom turkey with house-made cranberry sauce and orange honey-glazed baked ham with a bourbon golden raisin sauce. The dinner serves 6 to 8 people and is $169 plus tax. The second offering includes roasted free-range sliced turkey with orange cranberry chutney; honey-glazed sliced ham with bourbon golden raisin sauce and serves 2 to 4 people for $99 plus tax. Both choices come with all the fixings including mash potatoes, greens, bread and dessert.  A portion of the proceeds from Turkeys to Go will be donated to Waste Not.

Nellie Cashman’s Monday Club Café at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa will offer a feast of holiday favorites for their annual Thanksgiving Buffet. In addition to the traditional turkey with all the trimmings, guests will enjoy an endless amount of starters including Crab & Corn Chowder, a selection of Artisan Cheeses with French Bread, Dried Fruits & Fruit Compotes and Roasted Nuts, and King Crab Legs and Poached Shrimp Cocktails.  Main courses at Nellie’s will include a Roasted Tom Turkey with Sage Gravy and Cranberry Apple Sauce, a Whole Roasted, Salt & Garlic-Crusted Prime Rib and a Pecan-Crusted Salmon with Chipotle Maple Glaze.  Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without the traditional Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie and Warm Apple Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream.  Cost for the Thanksgiving Buffet at Nellie Cashman’s is $45 for adults, $15 for kids six through 12 and kids ages 5 and under are free.  Prices include non-alcoholic beverages and unlimited a la carte children’s menu.

Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, announced today that the iconic resort is launching a new series of gourmet dinners that will bring together leading Hollywood figures and the region’s top chefs for not-to-be-missed evenings of world-class food, wine and conversation.  The first such dinner, branded Hollywood Bites, will take place in Sanctuary’s new event space, Praying Monk. The premiere event highlights Food Network celebrity Chef Beau MacMillan, who presents a fabulous dinner enhanced by conversation with the evening’s celebrity guests

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch invites guests to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with a special Thanksgiving Buffet in SWB, a southwest bistro. The menu features a variety of holiday favorites including omelets prepared-to-order, Eggs Benedict, assorted salads, King Crab Legs, gourmet pastas made-to-order, Herb-Roasted Carolina Turkey, Mustard-Glazed Virginia Ham and Prime Rib of Beef from the carving station, topped off with elaborate dessert selections: made-to-order Bananas Foster, Tiramisu, Pumpkin, Pecan and Apple Pies and an assortment of caramel, chocolate and everyone’s favorite, candied apples, plus much more.  There is even a special buffet just for the kids. An á la carte menu is available upon request for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

This season, take the hassle out of the holidays with the “Eat, Drink & Celebrate” promotion at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale.  Let the Resort take care of dinner during the busy mid-week bustle, or simply relax and unwind with specials in Onyx Bar & Lounge, including extended happy hour and complimentary festive “mocktails” for the entire family. “Eat, Drink & Celebrate” holiday specials include: 50 percent off second entree in Talavera and Crescent Moon; Extended Happy Hour pricing in Onyx Bar & Lounge; Complimentary specialty holiday non-alcoholic drink in Onyx for all visitors, featuring new “Aguas Frescas” from Crescent Moon restaurant

For more information on any of these events or updates, please contact
the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau Media Department.

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