Category Archives: Sports

Spring training in the Valley always a good time

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It’s pretty much a no-brainer, but if you live in the Valley, you have to attend a Cactus League spring training game some time soon. There are 15 Major League Baseball teams who swing it out here in the Valley, including Phoenix’s own Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale. I saw a game there last weekend, and got to see this gem of a shirtless guy sitting next to us the entire game.

Salt River Fields spring training

I’ve been to seven of the 11 ballparks here, and each one has its own unique charm. I actually highly recommend checking out the Goodyear Ballpark if you never have — it’s below-ground, which makes for a very unique baseball-viewing experience. For more info on all things spring training in Arizona, go here.

Arizona Diamondbacks alumni game a blast for longtime fans

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As someone who has rooted enthusiastically for the Arizona Diamondbacks since they formed in 1998 (and as someone who was privileged enough to throw out the first pitch at one of their games), I was beyond stoked to attend the first-ever Arizona Diamondbacks alumni game last night at Chase Field, after a heartbreaking loss to the San Francisco Giants.

There were so many great alumni present for the game, including Steve Finely, David Dellucci and, my personal favorite, Travis Lee.

travis lee baseball playerThe Diamondbacks greats, which also included Matt Mantei and Reggie Sanders, donned the new Sedona red uniforms and divided into red and white teams for a four-inning game. It was fitting that the game ended in a tie, and it was fun to see the players letting loose and having a ball on the field. The Arizona Diamondbacks helped solidify Phoenix as a bonafide baseball town with their 2001 World Series win, which was such an amazing moment I’ll never forget! About 30,000 people stayed to watch the legends play last night, and I can’t wait for the next alumni game.

Spring training in Scottsdale and Glendale a great way to start the season

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This past weekend, I took in a couple of spring training games, one of my favorite ways to spend the spring season. I made my way over to Glendale’s Camelback Ranch for the first time to see the Chicago White Sox play the Arizona Diamondbacks, as well as Scottsdale Stadium to see the San Francisco Giants play the Colorado Rockies.


Camelback Ranch was frustrating from the get-go, with no clear signage in the parking lots to keep track of your car or direct you to the correct stadium entrance. We started to follow the herd of people walking one direction only to be told by someone working there that the center field entrance was shorter—if only that was clear before we started walking. The walk to the gates was at least 10 minutes long, which seemed pretty ridiculous for a spring training stadium.

Once in, I really liked how clean everything looked and how friendly the people who worked there were. There wasn’t much striking about the stadium, but after the game, we saw one of the longest fireworks shows I’ve ever seen—they have them for some night games, so note that for next year. Also, be aware that even in you go to a Diamondbacks game, there will be far more White Sox fans there.

Saturday, before seeing the San Francisco Giants take on the Colorado Rockies, my boyfriend and I went to Carlsbad Tavern in south Scottsdale. Carlsbad is a Scottsdale landmark, in business since 1995 and still a favorite among both tourists and natives alike. I loved sitting on the patio, which has water surrounding the restaurant.


I also enjoyed the weekend Bloody Mary brunch, with $3.25 Bloody Mary’s at a build-your-own bar on Saturday’s and Sunday’s.

The food at Carlsbad is super-spicy, and I got a blue corn cheese enchilada meal with black beans and rice ($11.75). The cheese was sort of chewy, which was gross to me, but I loved the chili powder-dusted chips served with two different kinds of salsa. Overall, it was a great meal and a really fun spot to stop before seeing a spring training game in south Scottsdale.


Tickets for this season of Giants baseball were gobbled up quickly by the public, and I imagine they will only become scarcer in the future. We got lawn seats for this game, and I would never want to sit in the lawn for a game here again—it was filled with Old Town Scottsdale nightclub types—women wearing high heels and drunk loud guys. Considering most of the people I saw who appeared like this didn’t seem interested in the game at all, I wish they would have gone to bars instead.

If you do check out spring training and still have your ticket stubs, bring them over to Ted Baker at Scottsdale Fashion Square. Each ticket stub gets you an entry into a drawing for a $500 shopping spree, with the winner drawn April 9–something I’ll definitely be taking advantage of myself.

After the game, we headed to RA Sushi for some tasty happy hour cocktails and sushi (they have happy hour deals Monday-Saturday from 3-7 p.m.), then to Bungalow for more cocktails and then to Lee’s Cream Liqueur to try out some spiked desserts.


I got a Jack Daniels-chocolate concoction. Thankfully, the alcohol taste wasn’t too prevalent, and while Lee (yes, she was working behind the counter) said you can’t feel the effects of the alcohol from one scoop, you could from two. I only had one, and it was a tasty ice cream treat, regardless of the alcohol that was in it. About two-thirds of the offerings contained alcohol, with everything from rum and brandy to tequila and vodka. Scoops cost $3.75 for one, $5 for two and $7 for three, and I think the alcohol-ice cream idea is a great novelty!

The Duce in downtown Phoenix offers everything you could want

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Last night I discovered yet another spot in downtown Phoenix to point out to people who claim Phoenix is lame and has no culture: The Duce, on Central Avenue. It’s a shame it took me so long to get there, but I was stoked to attend a fundraiser for Arizona Senate candidate Don Bivens there last night.

The Duce is an ultra-eclectic joint that’s part store, part bar and restaurant and part work-out center. Yep, there’s a massive boxing ring surrounded by handmade cooking aprons overlooking the bar, with the venue taking space in a old spacious warehouse.

The energy at The Duce is interesting, with a decidedly retro vibe coming through both the vintage handmade cocktails and the fashionable finds throughout the store, including cruiser bicycles.

The cocktail menu is full of handcrafted drinks, ranging from dirty martinis to grapefruit mimosas.

You can enjoy your drinks on the patio, which also includes an organic produce stand, or in the bar, with simple long tables and some retro furniture filling it up.

Live music takes place on the makeshift stage, which doubles as the boxing ring. When I was there last night, lights were strung up to light up the platform, which was surrounded by old school punching bags and giant tires. When we first arrived to the mixer and sat down to drink, I noticed a trainer and his client doing shoulder presses. It was one of the quirkiest places I’ve experienced.

And that’s why The Duce is so charming. You can wander around and check out the unique finds throughout the space, you can enjoy good food and drinks (I heard the noodle kugel, $4 off the small American menu, was amazing), you can work out, or you can listen to live music. There’s also a Chicago soda fountain, and on top of everything else, The Duce hosts ice cream socials and birthday parties.

I’d definitely like to go back during the day some time for brunch, though their brunch menu is served all day long. I bet sitting on the patio in the sun would give a whole different feel to the place, and I can’t wait to go back.

Phoenix Coyotes a fun Phoenix team to support

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Listen up, people! We need more fans at Phoenix Coyotes games, and with inexpensive ticket prices and a great seat guaranteed, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be heading down to Jobing.com Arena to check out some professional hockey and support a cool sports team.

I went to a game for the first time since the team has been at Jobing.com Arena (I know, I’m horrible, I know), and it was a ton of fun! I was surprised to see that maybe only 20 percent of the stadium was full, and there was a good showing for the opposing team. I’ve never been in an arena setting that was so empty, and it made me sad, though the low attendance does make it easy for you to sit anywhere you want and have a great view.

We sat up high in the second level, which actually provides a cooler angle to watch the game from than if you’re viewing it from the lower level, because it’s easier to watch everything play out.

Besides the cool hockey action here in the desert, part of what made the game fun was the personal touch you get from the players through video interviews in-between plays. It was also fun to see opposing players in the penalty box be ribbed with colorful lights flashing on them, and a lucky fan gets to ride the Zamboni in-between periods. The organization definitely values the fans it has and rewards them with cool ways to get close to the players.

And how could you not like a team whose mascot is the closest thing to a cute dog that we have here in the state? I’ll definitely be going back to more Coyotes games, and I hope more people in the Valley give hockey a chance, as well.

Oakland A’s at Phoenix Municipal Stadium a fun spring training outing

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Now that the weather is absolutely freaking gorgeous, and because I really, really love baseball, I was so stoked to check out my first spring training game of the season yesterday. I know I’m a little late to the party, but I’m going to another one next week, so I thought two games at two different stadiums would give me a good taste of spring training this year.

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And, lucky me, one of my favorite former Arizona Diamondbacks players, Conor Jackson, is now playing for the Oakland A’s, who I got to see play at their spring training stadium in Phoenix. I’m pretty sure my cheering was the reason Jackson made it on base a couple times, so you’re welcome, Conor.

They crushed the Chicago White Sox in their bout, and the game was a blast to be at. I went with a group of about 20, and our seats right by left field were only $8 each. We were able to cheer for/heckle the White Sox pitchers warming up because we were so close, and that made the game really fun and interactive. The sucky thing about the stadium is that there are no lawn seats, but we had great reserved seats that were so inexpensive, I would probably never buy lawn seats there anyway.

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Next week I’m riding my bike to my nearby San Francisco Giants Scottsdale Stadium. It’s within walking distance of Old Town Scottsdale, so I’m excited for another fun day full of baseball and beautiful weather.

Waste Management Phoenix Open and Rickie Fowler a hole-in-one for golf fans, partiers

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I had the freaking best time this past weekend at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. It’s a PGA golf tournament, and I chose an awesome year for my first time out–my favorite pro golfer, Rickie Fowler, was playing. He was decked out in head-to-toe bright green glory on Saturday when I went, and the 22-year-old had one of the best days out of all the golfers in the tournament that day.

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I only got into playing golf around the past year and a half, and it was so amazing to be able to walk the course with professional golfers throughout the day. I basically just followed Fowler and his threesome, and I wasn’t alone–like Phil Mickelson, he had a huge following of fans who cheered for him along the way (including me!)

This was my first time watching a live golf competition at all, so I really had no idea what to expect. I thought I’d be stuck behind masses of people at one hole just trying to get a glimpse of people hitting. Instead, it was fairly easy to walk alongside whomever you were following and see all their shots. It was so much fun to be that close to such awesome players, and Fowler didn’t disappoint with his playing, finishing off the day tied for fifth place out of dozens of competitors.

Saturday was also “green day”, where athletes and fans were encouraged to don green fashions on the course. I was surprised to see so many ladies in high heels, but they weren’t really the ones walking, anyway. The fashions I saw were really cool, including brightly patterned golf pants and preppy argyle sweaters. The crowd was almost as fun to watch as the players!

If you’re not really a golf fan, the WMPO would still be a blast to attend. There are lots of food and drink areas and plenty of seats around the course so you can just take in the madness and party. This was also my first year checking out the Birds Nest, the after-party spot of the WMPO. Thursday night, I saw O.A.R., which jammed out Dave Matthews Band-style. I’m not really a huge fan of their music, but the members played enthusiastically and made for a fun show.

Back on the course, for fans of the actual sport, there are huge screens on the holes making it easy to keep track of standings and find your favorite players. It’s a great opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with professional athletes, and following around Fowler was almost as fun as actually playing. Hopefully he’ll be back next year, and I can’t wait to see what he wears!

Lucky Strike bowling lanes a major disappointment

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I’ve been putting off going to Lucky Strike bowling lanes in downtown Phoenix for awhile now. While I’m absolutely stoked downtown Phoenix now has a chic and trendy bowling alley for people to go to, I’ve also heard bad things from friends who have gone there–mostly about how expensive bowling there is. But when I got to go there for a holiday work party recently, I was glad I had an excuse to check it out without having to drop mad moolah.

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When I walked in, I immediately noticed the bar to my left. It was  a very long bar with a ton of stools as well as  a few tables. I almost liked the bar area more than the bowling area, because it was so roomy. The lanes, on the other hand, were pretty ridiculously crowded.

First off, there weren’t that many lanes. While there were also several pool tables in the building, the actual bowling area was pretty small, with only a dozen lanes. Each lane had some couches and additional stool seating behind the lanes, but to get by everyone at your lane, you really had to wiggle around them because the couches were so close to the balls. It was incredibly awkward and forces you to get super-close to the people you’re with.

Also, while there were some televisions broadcasting sports above the lanes, one of the screens simply scrolled through random pieces of art. I much rather would have watched music videos of the songs that were playing (which were not good, by the way–Jamiroquai, seriously?!). The whole art thing was sort of bizarre to me and actually made the place seem less hip.

The crowd there, surprisingly, was mostly suits who probably came straight from work. Maybe they too were there for their office holiday parties, and I was surprised the place was as busy as it was. While our lane waitress was super-friendly, service was really slow, and someone in our party said it almost would have made more sense just to walk to the bar ourselves for drinks.

Prices vary depending on times and days, but if you’re going to bowl Friday and Saturday nights after 6 p.m., it’ll cost a whopping $39.95 per lane per hour. That, to me, is ridiculous when so many other lanes have unlimited cosmic bowling (with good music and music videos) for only $20 a person. Don’t go to Lucky Strike–try here instead.

Goodyear Ballpark a sweet little find in the middle of nowhere

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This past weekend, I saw my last spring training game before my beloved Diamondbacks started their regular season and baseball got into full swing.

I went to the Goodyear Ballpark to check out the Cleveland Indians play the Cincinnati Reds. My whole mom’s side of the family is from Cleveland, but I now have one cousin who lives in Cinci…so I didn’t feel guilty about cheering for both teams throughout the game.

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Compared to other spring training ball parks I’ve been to in the Valley, the Goodyear one was pleasant but also sort of bizarro. Parking was excellent, ample and close to the stadium (forget that in Scottsdale), but there was really no one there. Throughout the ballpark, it seemed as though only the first five rows in each section had sold.

Lucky for me, I had a front row seat, and that meant my own personal waiter. In Goodyear, all the patrons in the first two rows get their own waiters, so no need to miss playing action while you’re up getting a pretzel–someone will bring it to you.

Something else I really liked about the ballpark was the abundance of giveaways and between-inning games that were played. I felt constantly entertained, so if you want to go to a spring training game but have to drag along someone who doesn’t enjoy the greatness of baseball, Goodyear has something for everyone.

This stadium also took me by surprise because the playing field was below ground level, something I’ve never seen before but thought was really cool. It was like we were sitting in a giant hole in the ground, and I liked it.

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The game tied 10-10, and it was a good way to end spring training season. Now, how about a World Series championship, D-Backs?

RnR not exactly relaxing before a spring training game, but it has potential

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Aah, lazy Sunday’s. I haven’t had one in awhile, and yesterday was the perfect springtime day.

After breakfast at U.S. Egg, I went to RnR for a couple cocktails before going to Scottsdale Stadium to watch the San Francisco Giants play the Milwaukee Brewers.

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RnR just opened Saturday, so there were definitely a ton of kinks. Let’s start with the good stuff first.

The drinks I had were wonderful, and the bartenders who served me seemed knowledgable and friendly. Mimosas were only $2.77 (odd price, I know), making it easy to sip steadily throughout brunch.

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When I went back for dinner that night, I had an amazing drink, the Stigmata Caprioska.

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Bartender Cori Woods, who was an excellent bartender, gave the recipe.

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Muddle any berries (she used blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries), plus sugar or triple sec (lime is also optional.) Then add berry vodka and a splash of berry liqueur. It was one of the best drinks I’ve ever had, and the fresh berries definitely made the difference. It’s a perfect dessert drink.

The spot, I think, is best described as a hipster sports bar, since there are a ton of gorgeous high-definition televisions throughout the place, but the staff is young and trendy, even donning brightly colored shoes.

It has sort of an industrial feel to it, with exposed floors, steel accents and bare bones bathrooms. There’s also a staircase leading to a second floor with more tables and another bar, which made me think it was like Old Town Scottsdale’s answer to Hanny’s.

There were several things that went wrong on my visits. At lunch, the music would go soft and loud, and at one point, it blared form the speakers and made the whole place go silent. I’m not sure if they use people’s iPod’s as the radio, but it was very jarring.

Also, the spot had the entire staff on, and there were 10 people hanging out behind the downstairs bar inside at lunch, which looked crowded and was annoyingly loud. I understand everyone was training, but it was a little much, and it seemed like there were just as many servers as patrons.

At dinner, the hostess didn’t greet us, which was really weird–she just looked at us and waited for us to speak–not friendly.

The place also ran out of two items by dinner on their already-limited menu, including the one vegetarian item other than salads and a cheese plate–the grilled cheese sandwich. I was stuck ordering a side house salad and sweet potato fries. I really liked the fries, although I would have preferred them crispier. 018

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My pal Peter got a grilled chicken sandwich, which he wasn’t too crazy about. The drinks made up for the food, though.

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I would love to go back and check it out once the wait staff knows what they’re doing, and the menu expands. I think it has great potential to be a cool hang-out spot and a nicer alternative to what was once Mickey’s Hangover, and with Furio gone, it’s nice to see the corner bustling once again. For more info, check out www.rnrscottsdale.com.