This information is from the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau.

What’s New in Greater Phoenix?

July 2010

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS

MONTH’S EDITION

• Greater Phoenix offers a multitude of summer packages to choose from including resorts and attractions. Enjoy the Valley’s award-winning resorts, restaurants and chefs

• Queissence and The Farm at South Mountain were once again voted into The Arizona Republic’s “2010 Best” list, sweeping four awards: the Critics’ Picks for “Best Extreme Locavore” and “Best Romantic Restaurant” and the Reader’s Choices for Best Patio Dining, and “Best Local Treasure.”

RESORT NEWS

The Arizona Biltmore is staging a summer-long “Hollywood & Wine” festival that will be a blockbuster hit. They’re planning non-stop fun, Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend, with celebrity bands and winemakers, Hollywood behind-the-scenes shows, blockbuster dive-in movies, theater productions and a special spotlight on culinary creativity. Action!

The Westin Kids Club offers parents the night off with their FREE Kid’s Pajama Party program with the Fun Team at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa! While Mom and Dad get a night out at deseo, kids ages 4-12 can come to Westin Kids Club dressed in their favorite cozy pajamas and slippers to eat their own dinner, play games, enjoy movies and more!  On Friday and Saturday nights, all children participating in the Kid’s Pajama party enjoy Kierland Kampfires, where they get to roast their very own Arizona S’mores!

This summer, Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs and Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resorts are offering a full family friendly line-up of resort activities to enjoy fun in the sun –all at no additional cost to parents! Poolside activities are a must! Visit The Falls Water Village at Tapatio Cliffs for trendy tattoos, Wii games, an underwater fish safari, a live DJ every Friday night through August 13, karaoke and Dive-In movies every Saturday or try a wacky waterslide race, family tennis clinics, hole-in-one contests and Friday night Dive-In Movies at Hole-in-the-Wall River Ranch at Squaw Peak.

At Royal Palms Resort and Spa this summer, the longer the stay, the better the value. The resort’s “Stay and Play” package gives value-added reward based on length of stay. Among other things, resort credits can be used for luxurious treatments at the Alvadora Spa, ranked 25th on Conde Nast Traveler’s 2010 Top Spas list, or at the resort’s T. Cook’s restaurant and lounge, recently ranked one of the country’s Top 10 Most Romantic Restaurants by gayot.com.

Westin Kierland Resort & Spa is currently undergoing property enhancements to boost the overall guest experience.  This enhancement project will provide an additional 21,000 square feet to the Resort existing meeting space, which will provide a total of 204,000 feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.  The Resort enhancements include a new ballroom above the Resort’s existing Herberger Ballroom and a new outdoor terrace overlooking the lake and Kierland Golf Course, as well as renovation of all guest rooms and corridors.

Celebrate summer and stay and play Nickelodeon style with a fun-filled getaway package for the whole family at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. Kids and parents can play like Nickelodeon stars at the Valley’s only resort to offer the Nickelodeon experience! With appearances by SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, the hotel provides the ultimate Nickelodeon entertainment.

InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa continues to showcase its Summer ROQ Concert Series.Enjoylive music from the Valley’s most popular cover bands at the resort’s brand new poolside restaurant ROQ (pronounced rock), an Outdoor American Bistro. All guests are invited to explore the expansive “ROQtails” drink menu as the ROQ transforms into a pulsating evening hotspot. In addition, Montelucia will feature live entertainment every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings as well as Sunday afternoons.  The sultry sounds of the Spanish guitar will fill Cortijo Plaza every Wednesday and Thursday while a DJ spins the top hits from yesterday and today at ROQ every Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.  The Montelucia has a full schedule of activities designed to entertain guests of all ages as well as enticing spa and weekend packages encouraging guests to explore, dream, discover and recover this summer at the Valley’s newest luxury resort destination.

At Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain one of the hottest tickets being sold this summer is for the “Mind, Body, Spirit Boot Camp.” Taking place the weekends of August 20 and October 1, this program seeks to alleviate the worries and stress of the over-burdened and over-booked business woman/full-time mother. Each weekend retreat includes luxury accommodations, sessions with Dena Patton, two-hour sessions with the celebrity speaker, a 60-minute spa treatment at the Sanctuary Spa, wellness classes including Tai Chi and Yoga also time to enjoy Sanctuary’s pool and resort amenities.

This summer you’ll notice something refreshingly different at Arizona’s legendary Wigwam Golf Resort & Spaas the resort’s new owner, sports legend Jerry Colangelo, puts the focus back on family with non-stop family entertainment and rates starting at just $79. Activities include weekly animal encounters hosted by the renowned Wildlife World Zoo, the Sports Mania program that focuses on fitness and fun, and interactive poolside. In addition, all summer long guests of the Wigwam will be provided a “Family Value Pack” that includes special deals and discounts at neighboring Phoenix attractions.

Discovered by The Boulders Resort but created by nature, Promise Rock in the Sonoran Desert foothills is a uniquely beautiful site premiering this spring for couples entering life’s most important union—marriage.  The eternal strength and grace of the 12-million-year-old boulders provide a rock solid foundation while a stunning waterfall signifies the abundance of love and intensity of emotion the bond of marriage evokes. The lush green manicured meadow is a unique “desert bouquet” and can accommodate up to 250 people for a wedding ceremony.  Wedding guests will get a true bird’s eye view of the glorious desert, including a peek of the emerald green fairways of The Boulders pristine golf course.

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch is proud to announce that its tennis partner, iTUSA, International Tennis USA, headquartered at the resort, has just signed an agreement with the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation and its regional affiliates to support their players and coaches with iTUSA’s advanced instructional and video technology, a player development system and approach. Developed by Rafael “Rafa” Font de Mora, former Spanish professional tennis player, established coach on the WTA tour and iTUSA founder, Executive Director and Conductor of the Tennis Academy at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa, it will now be used to assist all Spanish tennis players, including many of the top ranked men’s players, Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams to improve their game and rankings.

Kimpton’s FireSky Resort & Spa, Arizona’s first and only Green Seal certified hotel, is one destination that makes it easy to be good to the earth and true to your budget while you pursue a little upscale R-n-R. In fact, many of the resort’s summer packages are available for less than $100 per night. Suffice to say, you can put that vacation or staycation back on your to-do list.

Stay two nights at Fiesta Resort Conference Center in Tempe and discover the SEA LIFE experience! You and your explorers will receive a complimentary hot breakfast buffet daily, along with 4 tickets (2 Adult/2 Child) to the new SEA LIFE Arizona aquarium at the Arizona Mills Mall. Roundtrip transportation is included. This offer is good until September 12, 2010.

ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

A new exhibit focusing on French master Paul Cézanne, an artist celebrated worldwide for his Post-Impressionist masterpieces marks its debut this July at the Phoenix Art Museum. The exhibit, Cézanne and American Modernism, is the first exhibition to examine Cezanne’s influence on American artists working between 1900 and 1930 by bringing together 16 of the French master’s paintings and works on papers with more than 80 works by 33 American artists, including Marsden Hartley, Maurice Prendergast, Arshile Gorky, Alfred Stieglitz and Man Ray.

Take advantage of NU (Native + You) at the Heard Museum during July’s Third Friday. Guests can enjoy a cash bar, a sampling of services from Aji Spa at Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and hear a musical collaboration by BPM Cadenza. On Friday, August 20 or Friday, September 17, guests can once again enjoy a cash bar, pick up a special treasure at the Heard Museum Shop and dine at The Café until 8 p.m. Admission for each day is FREE!!! In addition, don’t forget Target Free Sizzlin’ Summer Saturdays at the Heard Museum.From exciting music and dance performances to an extravaganza of hands-on activities, artist demonstrations and free goody bags, Sizzlin’ Summer Saturdays gives kids and families a cool and creative way to spend July Saturdays.

The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) has collected more than 10,000 musical instruments from every country in the world, and over 3,000 are on exhibit at a time. The museum is committed to preserving, protecting, and sharing this collection with future generations. Recently the Musical Instrument Museum was honored with the National Music Council’s 29th American Eagle Awardat the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City’s Times Square for creating an innovative learning environment where people can experience cultural expressions from around the globe and on June 4, 2010, the MIM became the proud recipient of The 2010 Museum Association of Arizona’s Best Interpretation of a Theme Award for making the rich diversity of the world’s music and musical instruments accessible to all.

The amazing variety of dolls on display in the exhibit More Than Child’s Play: American Indian Dolls at theHeard Museum North Scottsdale at the Summit at Scottsdale reflects the immense variety of Native people from Arctic Canada to northern Mexico. Each piece is a small window to understanding a tradition or people. Dolls allow us to engage our imagination in some child’s play, as intended by the doll’s maker. Visitors will experience how girls learn parenting skills through play – how to care for a baby, carry an infant or clothe a child. These dolls also showcase regalia for special events. Dolls reflect the value Native people place on children; they are central to the family and community.

Guests of Hotel Valley Ho can now enjoy free entry at SMoCA, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art! One hotel room key gets two adults in for free, through August 31, 2010. For those who can’t make it to the museum, the hotel is featuring artwork in its lobby, which is changed periodically.

Arizona Territorial Adventures a Valley desert jeep tour operator is taking guests to the “dark side” again this summer with High Moon jeep tours that showcase the beauty of the Sonoran desert west of Phoenix in a new and spectacular way. Guided by the light of a full or nearly full moon, ATA passengers will have a front-row seat to a sensory experience that begins with the desert’s unusual shapes, shadows and scents, and continues with the coolness of the night air and an opportunity to view nocturnal wildlife west of Lake Pleasant.

GOLF

Kierland Golf Club and Brittlebush Bar & Grill at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa are offering golfers two special packages to get golfers out on the course and enjoy a great lunch! The Foursome Golf & Lunch offers golf for four people and lunch at Brittlebush Bar & Grill! Or, those needing their clubs re-gripped can opt for the Grips & Lunch special and have up to 14 clubs re-gripped while enjoying Brittlebush’s Gastro Pub menu and concept

Guests of the Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa should take advantage of the only Phoenix resort with access to five golf courses, unlimited golf for two people, overnight Adobe Fairway accommodations and breakfast for two at the AAA-rated Arizona Kitchen. Home to 54 holes of championship golf, including two courses designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and guests of the Wigwam can also enjoy golf at the Arizona Biltmore Country Club in Phoenix.

Kids and Teens are invited to spend the summer at Kierland Golf Club at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spawith 4-day Jr. Golf Summer Camps. As part of Kierland Golf Club’s Summer Camp, Jr. Golfers receive two hours of golf instruction and are taught golf etiquette, rules and history of the game all while playing games, winning prizes and enjoying on-course play. Once the lessons are over for the morning, it’s time for some water FUN as Jr. Golfers receive one hour of supervised swimming at the Resort’s adventure Water Park, featuring a lazy river and water slide!

Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North and Troon North Golf Club are teaming up to offer theTee for Two summer golf package through September 12, providing dad the chance to share his love of the links with those that matter most. The package includes a one-night stay for two at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, breakfast for two in Crescent Moon or through In-Casita Dining, one hour of personalized instruction for dad and his son/daughter at Troon North Golf Club, unlimited golf for the day at Troon North Golf Club for dad and his son or daughter, and Callaway rental clubs for dad and his son or daughter for day-use.

Troon North Golf Club – along with 60 other participating Troon Golf facilities throughout the United States – is taking steps to make the game more accessible to junior golfers and their families with the new Troon Family Golf program. Through the Troon Family Golf program, juniors play for free at Troon North after 3 p.m. when playing with a paying adult. Each junior also receives complimentary Callaway® rental clubs to use during their round.

The Sonoran Desert Golf Trail, featuring six noted public golf courses located in close proximity to each other in the scenic Lower Verde Valley area, is offering a great golfing opportunity! Three-day summer packages start as low as $252.00 through August, based on double occupancy and including hotel, green fees, cart and taxes, per person. Sonoran Desert Golf Trail packages can be customized to fit any travel dates and budget. Hotels include Comfort Inn, Courtyard Scottsdale at Mayo Clinic, Holiday Inn Hotel and Resort, Inn at Eagle Mountain, Radisson Fort McDowell, The Club at Fountain Hills, or any number of private condo and home rentals. Packages can also be quoted to include Phoenix and Scottsdale golf courses.

SPA

The Centre for Well-Being at The Phoenician celebrates summer with the return of its seasonal spa program, featuring a trio of unique services for the mind, body and spirit. The spa’s popular “Buy One Get One Half Off” program complements these summer specials. Individuals can purchase a 50-minute service featured in the 2010 menu, and receive 50 percent off a second 50-minute treatment of equal or lesser value; or, spa-goers can opt to purchase an 80-minute option.

With this deal from the Alvadora Spa at Royal Palms, Phoenicians have no excuse for not pampering themselves in order to survive the summer heat. Spa guests can play all day long indoors with the SOS (Save on Summer) Pamper Passes any Sunday through Thursday, now through the end of September 16, 2010. The Pamper Passes allow guests to select three treatments from the Pamper Pass menu, which includes a massage, body scrub, facial, manicure or pedicure. With the Premium Pamper Pass, spa goers combine three treatments in 30-minute formats, and the Platinum Pamper Pass provides three treatments in 60-minute versions.

Escape the heat this summer with refreshing treatments and a cool deal at Revive Spa of JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort. From now through Sept. 30, experience one 50- or 80-minute treatment at Revive Spa and receive half off a second treatment for you or a friend or use 50 percent off on a different day. Before or after treatments, Revive Spa-goers will enjoy complimentary access to indoor relaxation rooms, secluded patios, outdoor celestial showers, sauna, steam room and whirlpool. Revive Spa guests are also invited to use the spacious, fully equipped indoor fitness club and relax at the inviting Sanctuary swimming pool lined with rows of towering palms.

Indulge in one of the Valley’s most decadent spa experiences this summer at The Red Door Spa located at theWigwam Golf Resort & Spa. This June-August, enjoy a $99, 50-minute Swedish Massage or Essential Facial, $65 Warm Cream Mani/Pedi Combo and 20 percent off all hair services. Offers are available with select technicians and cannot be combined with any other offer or discount.

VH Spa for Vitality + Health at Hotel Valley Ho is offering spa goers a unique, customized treatment for each person. The Summer Tropics Spa Sampler package offers the choice of two of five mini-treatments including Papaya-Enzyme Facial, Coconut Lemongrass Foot Scrub, Passion Fruit Citrus Back Massage, Mango Head. Hands.Feet Massage or Hawaiian Plumeria Manicure at a discounted rate.

DINING

Guests have learned about Johnnie Walker Scotch from the regions of Scotland atthe Resort’s Saturday Night Scotch Tastings and will now be taken all over the world for a taste of Whiskeys.  The new Five at FiveWhiskeys of the World at the Rim Lobby Lounge at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa will have guests experiencing Kentucky Bourbon to Scottish Pure Malts, and enjoying a unique opportunity to experience a whiskeys fit for a king or slow filtered through thick layers of Maple Charcoal. Perfect for beginning to experienced whiskey drinkers!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! T. Cook’s summer Creamsicle Martiniwill make anyone feel like a kid again! Served ice cold, straight up, it’s a yummy combination of orange Grey Goose, Grand Marnier, milk, cream and simple syrup.  The Creamsicle Martini is at T. Cook’s at Royal Palms Resort and Spa, and 50% off during happy hour, Sunday through Friday from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Visit The Wrigley Mansion for a new summer dinner menu! There are multiple scrumptious choices that are sure to please your taste buds such as a grilled pear & peach salad, fish du jour, Colorado lamb chops, andGrass Fed Filet Mignon!

Nellie Cashman’s Monday Club Café at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa offers a casual dining for breakfast and lunch. From June 10- September 26^th, guests will experience their new Nellie’s at Night– Chef de Cuisine Jason Christie is offering two buffets, one for adults and one for kids! Teens and adults buffet includes Artisan Pizzas, Lasagna, Salad Bar and more, while the kids will enjoy a buffet of favorites like Mac n’ Cheese, Chicken Nuggets and Cheese Pizza! Yum!

As a tribute to its original owner, Lon’s at The Hermosa has expanded and renamed its bar, The Last Drop. Creative libations and inspired small plates created by Lon’s Chef Jeremy Pacheco can be enjoyed in the rough-hewn bar. The Last Drop reflects Lon Megargee’s famous painting of a cowboy giving his horse his last drop of water. Lon Megargee’s presence is felt throughout the popular Lon’s restaurant and bar that was once his home and studio. The Last Drop Bar is celebrating summer with happy hour all night long starting at 4 p.m. Lon’s drink chefs provide specially priced cocktails like the Megargee Mojito and wines by the glass from theWine Spectator award-winning wine cellar.

The Big Pour is returning to the Scottsdale Waterfront and SouthBridge this October 14-16. The Big Pour is a global exploration of beer with more than 65 breweries and over 200 varieties from around the world! Each day of the event focuses on a different theme. Thursday there will be a showcase of “green” breweries and their sustainable practices, Friday is corporate happy hour and a major concert headliner will be present on Saturday. Be sure to come enjoy entertainment, VIP seminars such as Beer 101: How to Taste Beer, and, of course, beer!

Fox Restaurant Concepts is offering an array of summer deals on appetizers, cocktails and wine. Check out the sizzling offers at North, Bloom, Olive & Ivy, Blanco, The Greene House, Modern Steak, and Culinary Dropout! With various steals at the different restaurants, such as 50% off selected appetizers, $4 well drinks, selected $2 starters, and a $1.95 paper bag special, you’re sure to find something to satisfy your appetite and your budget! Stop in through September 30!

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa is proud to introduce its new Seasonal Banquet Menus. These menus have been designed to showcase the very best of our southwest cuisine and provide the most unique and distinctive food and beverage choices for all meetings and events. Updated quarterly, these new menu selections provide banquet enhancements featuring regional items from artisan farmers, fishermen and cheese makers. The summer menu is available through September 30.

Sip & Savor this summer at Fairmont Scottsdale with many tasty choices! Be sure to check out Chef Daniel Patino’s three-course menu featuring the season’s freshest produce and flavors on the prix-fixe menu for $39 per person at Bourbon Steak. If you are looking for Mexican, venture on over to the patio under the stars at La Hacienda by Richard Sandoval for their traditional suckling pig roast and buffet of modern Mexican cuisine Friday evenings. Or get your seafood craving fix Thursday through Saturday evenings at The Grill at the TPC Scottsdaleand enjoy a meal of fresh Lobster tail, prepared grilled, boiled or classic thermidor style with yummy side options and Tarragon vanilla ice cream with grilled summer peaches or chocolate éclairs. As if the delicious food choices weren’t enough, you can even enjoy muddled-to-order Bacardi Superior mojitos at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess South Pool or at Stone Rose Lounge all summer long. Enjoy all of these delectable deals before Labor Day!

What’s more American than made-from-scratch apple pies or blueberry or strawberry rhubarb? The Honey Moon Sweets Bakery & Dessert Bar is offering their delicious summer fruit gourmet pies. The signature pies are made from scratch every morning by bakers/owners, Tim & Joan O’Connor, using Grandma Bertha’s ultra-flakey piecrust recipe. Enjoy discounted prices and tempt your taste buds all summer long.

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