Make It Mesa » VisitMesa

We love Pinterest!

VisitMesa — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:08:55 +0000

Have you heard of the new craze, Pinterest? It is very addicting for those “pinning” craft ideas, home décor, planning weddings, and book marking places they would like to visit, and things they want to see. It is like scrapbooking, only virtual. So Visit Mesa thought that we would create our own Pinterest account and be part of the action. After all, a picture says a thousand words and we have plenty of them and plenty to say about Mesa! We want to help people decide where to visit, use our tourism bureau as a fun resource while planning their trip, and connect with us after they have left. We also want to create a relationship with the local residents and show them how to experience their own city. Since starting Pinterest, we have found many connections with companies far and wide that have Pinterest accounts. All these efforts to show off Mesa’s many charms are what helps spread the word about our city’s friendly character and uniqueness as a tourism destination. Lucky for us, we can now share these images of Mesa’s great places and spaces with our followers through yet another outlet!

So, take a look at our Pinterest page and you will find boards such as: Places To Stay, Things To Do, Weddings and Events, The Outdoors, Art, Dining, Shopping, and Sports. And let us know if there is a board we haven’t yet created but should! We are always adding more and more pins and boards every day (word of caution: pinning is addicting!).

Pinterest requires an invitation so let us know if you would like an invite. We look forward to seeing you on the site. As Pinterest would say, “Happy Pinning”!

Mesa, a great city for active people!

VisitMesa — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:39:50 +0000

Hi my name is James Tevault and I’m known as the office athletic guy that enjoys training and racing in the East Valley. This past November I finally completed one of my major accomplishments, Ironman Arizona. As exciting as an experience as that was I’m just excited about several upcoming events including the Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon which is every January. This event is timed perfect after the holiday feasts and with temperatures typically 60 degrees. I ran RNRAZ Marathon again a few weeks ago with big expectations of qualifying for Boston Marathon. Unfortunately, I didn’t reach my goal, but I still finished with a respectable time of 3:29. Overall it was still a great experience because it was a gorgeous day for a long run. The race organizers did a good job with the logistics of the race and everything was smooth from the Expo at the Phoenix Convention Center all the way to the finish line at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.

I’m fortunate to live in east Mesa because there are so many great places to train whether you’re a runner, cyclist, swimmer, etc… I have spent many hours and logged even more miles over the past 4+ years running the streets of Mesa and the Valley of the Sun. In addition to running in town on the streets or canals there are plenty of trails just minutes away.

This past Saturday I hopped on my bike and rode on the historic Apache Trail towards Tortilla Flats. This road along the Superstition Mountain allows anyone to experience the true beauty of the Sonoran Desert. The next day I laced up my running shoes to run hill repeats near Usery Recreation Center. This is another great place to run, enjoy the trails, or the new smooth pavement on a road bike. One time while riding on Usery I noticed a coyote and slowed until he ran off the road, but as I began pedaling I heard paws hitting the ground behind me as another coyote began chasing me! That may make you think twice before training out here, but I love experiencing nature and have seen everything from a pack of javelins to the wild horses when riding Usery loop.

As I continue to train for upcoming races I would encourage you to consider running the Phoenix Marathon this March 3rd with me. The inaugural event features half marathon distance then both half and full marathon courses in 2013 . This is going to be a great event starting at the top of Usery and running downhill to the finish line near one of Mesa’s finest golf courses Longbow Golf Club. Register now for the Phoenix Marathon and you can run with John Rhode’s the winner of Biggest Loser Season 12 and Mesa resident. More information

Good luck with all your training and upcoming races. -James

Fabulous 50 +

VisitMesa — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:04:33 +0000

Texas Terrie here, I attended the Lovin’Life After 50 Expo at the Mesa Convention Center yesterday. I thought I would blog about the adventure I took across the street in order to inform our older generation that reads our blog know about this expo and upcoming ones being held.

Lovin’ Life After 50 is an annual expo held for, you guessed it, people over 50. Vendors that specialize in the 50+ set attend the expo in order to promote services and/or products that are primarily used by this generation of boomers and zoomers. Some attend to learn about new products; others are there to fill a bag with “free” stuff (kind of like adult trick or treating); and some folks attend just to take it all in. Either way, it was a full house and packed!

For those of you over 50 years old or those who have family over the age of 50 and you missed today’s expo, never fear another is near! Join us on Wed., Feb. 8 when the Mesa Chamber of Commerce will host their Annual Winter Visitors Expo at the Mesa Convention Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Save the date! The last expo of the season will be held on Feb. 14 & 15 when the Canadian Snowbirds host their annual Snowbird Extravaganza from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. also held at the Mesa Convention Center.

Signing off,

Texas Terrie always looking out for the over 50 crowd!

Mesa Restaurants participate in Arizona Restaurant Week!!

GoGo Ginger — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:28:58 +0000

Arizona Restaurant Week 2011

PARTICIPATING MESA RESTAURANTS

The Landmark Restaurant
American
$30
Includes Appetizer, Entrée, Dessert and one (1) Glass of
house wine
Make Your Reservation: 480-962-4652
809 W. Main St.
Mesa,AZ85201
http://www.landmarkrestaurant.com/

Carrabba’s Italian Grill – Mesa
Italian
2 for $30
Includes: Appetizer, Soup or Salad, Entrée and Dessert
Make Your Reservation: (480) 654-9099
1740 S. Clearview
Mesa, AZ 85209
http://www.carrabbas.com/restaurant/locations/AZ/Mesa/Mesa/

Rotolo’s Pizzeria
Italian
2 for $30
Includes: Appetizer, Entrée and Dessert
Make Your Reservation: (480) 246-8546
1641 S Stapley Dr
Mesa, AZ 85204
http://www.pizzamesaaz.com/

Bogey’s Steak & Seafood
Steak
$30
Includes Appetizer, Entrée, Dessert and one (1) Glass of
house wine or draft beer
Make Your Reservation: 480-396-4000 ext 202
7555 E Eagle Crest Drive
Mesa ,AZ 85207
http://www.lassendas.com/

About Arizona Restaurant Week:
Residents and visitors alike are encouraged to channel their inner foodie and make reservations at Arizona’s premiere restaurants.
Participating restaurants are not only known for their exceptional cuisine, they also spare no expense to give diners an extraordinary atmosphere for a special night on the town!Guests will enjoy Arizona’s finest fare at a special discount price. Each restaurant will offer a three-course dinner menu of signature dishes for $20, $30 or $40 per person, excluding beverages, tax and gratuity unless otherwise noted. Also look for a wine glass icon next to a restaurant listing denoting the inclusion of a beverage within the price point. Other symbols to look for are a “GF”, this denotes Gluten-Free options and a “V” denotes vegetarian options are available.
We strongly suggest making reservations in advance as restaurants may fill up very quickly.

http://arizonarestaurantweek.com/

2nd Friday Night Out: Summer Block Party

GoGo Ginger — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 19:00:29 +0000

September: Block Party

Second Friday Night Out in DowntownMesa– Theme: Block Party

6-10pm

Free

Shopping, Dining, Entertainment and more, on and aroundWest Main Street.

(480) 890-2613, http://2ndfridaynightout.com
Friend us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mesa.secondfriday

Additional event activities include: fire equipment display and 9-11 tribute, Classic Car Show and a Fantasy Fashion Show.
[ENCREDICON (Evermore Nevermore's Comic Review of Enlightened Drawing & Inscribing Convention!) And ENCREDICON means it’s time again for the 2nd Friday Sci-Fi & Fantasy Fashion Show with outrageous original costumes and character origins!
The 2nd Friday Sci-Fi & Fantasy Fashion Show is sponsored by Evermore Nevermore, the OneOhOne Gallery and Enchanted Touch, and will take place at 8:00 PM, 9/9/11 in the OneOhOne Gallery showroom (101 W. Main Street) during the 2nd Friday Block Party festivities! Join us for September’s 2nd Friday to see some of the craziest costumed characters ever created!]

Mesa Arts Center – 2011/12 Season Kickoff Party

GoGo Ginger — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:00:39 +0000

Guitars & Handlebars Season Kick-Off Festival: Sept 9-11, 2011

Mesa Arts Center & Mesa Contemporary Arts

While the Mesa Arts Center season opening event is now an established
tradition, Mesa Arts Center will kick off its 2011 fall season with a full weekend festival that will begin with MCA’s opening reception on Friday, September 9. The festival will open that night at 6pm with an outdoor display of motorcycles and cars that take over the seven-acre campus grounds, accompanied by live music, artist demos, food booths and a beer garden. The Friday evening events coincide with 2nd Friday Night Out in Downtown Mesa, featuring artists, music and free activities.

Free and open to the public! You’re invited to Guitars & Handlebars, a
blowout event featuring rock music, motorcycles, cars, great art, and sneak peeks of the upcoming season at the Mesa Arts Center
theaters and studios. Festival goers can visit the galleries, watch
demos in the Art Studios, see live music and theater performances, tour MAC’s four theaters, and explore a motorcycle and car show in which many of the top customized vehicles in the Valley will be exhibited. Saturday evening will feature World Classic Rockers live in concert, an all-star group that brings
together former band members from Santana, Journey, Steppenwolf, Toto, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Boston.

MAC also opens Six-String Masterpieces, a charitable art exhibition featuring an amazing collection of Dean Electric Guitars that have been hand-painted, illustrated and sculpted by leading musicians, tattooists and contemporary visual artists. Come see all the new rock & roll, and motorcycle themed exhibitions opening at Mesa Contemporary Arts.

Premiering Exhibitions:

• Six String Masterpieces – South Gallery

• Radical Rides: the Art of Motorcycles – Main Gallery

• Easy Ridin’ and Hard Rockin’ AZ Style – North Gallery

• American LEGOcy – Project Room

• Altered States: Dreams, Nightmares and Fantasies
– SRP Permanent Collection Gallery

Festival Days & Times:
Fri., Sept. 9, 6pm-10pm
Sat., Sept. 10, 10am-10pm
Sun., Sept 11, 10am-4pm

Mesa Arts Center
1 East Main St.
(480) 644-6500
www.MesaArtsCenter.com

Motorcycles On Main ~ 1st Friday

GoGo Ginger — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:44:52 +0000

MOTOR CYCLES ON MAIN

Bike Night in Downtown Mesa
September 2nd, 2011
6-10pm

This family friendly event happens every first Friday of the month. With the roads closed to car traffic, you can cruise down Main Street, enjoy a fabulous show of motorcycles, or park and show your bike. The fun includes live music, beer gardens, food, vendors, and more.

Don’t miss all the fun from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. along Main Street, between Center and Robson Streets in downtown Mesa.

For more information, contact 480-890-2613 or go to www.downtownmesa.com.

Motorcycles On Main

2nd Friday Night Out: Dog Days of Summer

GoGo Ginger — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 23:30:21 +0000

Dog Days of Summer

Second Friday Night Out in DowntownMesa– Theme: 2nd Annual Dog Days of Summer

6-10pm

Free

Shopping, Dining, Entertainment and more, on and aroundWest Main Street.

(480) 890-2613, http://2ndfridaynightout.com

Event activities include: several dog rescue groups on
board, a dog psychic, hot dog booth, dog caricatures, dog photos, several art
gallery exhibits with related art, lots of our regular activities such as live
bands, art booths, entertainment, and more.

Mesa Amp continues to add – just announced!

GoGo Ginger — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:41:42 +0000

Ok, I just got the email…. I had to clear my calendar: What a line up!!!

Rock Allegiance Tour – Friday, September 23
* BuckCherry
* Papa Roach
* P.O.D.
* Puddle of Mudd
* Crossfade
* Red
* Drive A
Presented by KUPD
Tickets go on sale @ July 22 at 10:00 am
Tickets: $35 in advance

GoGo Ginger will be Rockin’The House!! !m!. .!m!
I have seen BuckCherry & Papa Roach together at Mesa Amp 3 years ago, they rocked the crowd and the neighborhood! Puddle of Mudd, Crossface & Red all bring a great stage show and I have been waiting for P.O.D.’s return to the valley so I can see them for the first time!

www.mesaamp.com
480-644-2560

Mesa Amp Continues Summer Concert Season!

GoGo Ginger — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:04:06 +0000

Ok, I may be showing my age, but I was super excited to see the announcement of Primus, coming to The Mesa Amphitheatre!!
Les Claypool (who resides in Jerome, AZ) heads up this band and is excited to get back on the road – and I am too!

Shows on sale now are:

Atmosphere “The Family Vacation Tour” – August 27
opening acts: Evidence, Blueprint, DJ Babu & Prof
Doors Open: 5:30 pm, Show Starts: 6:30 pm
Tickets: $28 in advance, $30 day of show
Atmosphere returns with their 7th official studio album and the newest addition to their unparalleled body of work. The Family Sign comes from a place well refined and firmly planted, from a universal perspective. It’s about being okay with losing friends and strengthening your bonds with others, celebrating the person who’s been the most positive in your life, your kids, your homies, leaving the people you need to behind, and bringing the ones you love with you. It’s about your family, your time and the time you have with them. It’s about living and dying. It’s the truth about family, that it comes from loyalty as much as biology. It’s about breaking down your perceptions of family and really appreciating the people who’ve made you who you are and continue doing so.

Slightly Stoopid “The Seedless Summer Tour” – September 16
opening Acts: Rebelution, Swayzee, Cisco Adler
Doors Open: 4:30pm, Show Starts: 6pm
Tickets: $35 in advance, $40 day of show
www.SeedlessSummerTour.com
Ocean Beach, CA’s Slightly Stoopid, who are already coasting into their second decade of rock n’ roll at the ages of 26 – 27 years-old, released their fifth album, Closer to the Sun, on April 19. Fusing acoustic rock and blues with reggae, hip-hop, and punk, Slightly Stoopid have cemented a signature sound and created a legion of die-hard fans in the process. The band, whose D.I.Y. nature has seen them thumb their nose at more than a few major label record deals over the course of their career, will release Closer to the Sun on their own imprint, Stoopid Records/Caliplates Recordings, in conjunction with Reincarnate/BMG.

AN EVENING WITH PRIMUS: Les, Ler and Jay – October 20
Doors Open: 5:30pm, Show Starts: 7pm
Tickets: $35.00 in advance
www.primusville.com
Primus is hitting the road in support of their new album Green Naugahyde. On the heels of their triumphant return to Europe (every show was SOLD OUT), Primus will be playing TWO SETS this Fall.
*The Pre-Order password for Tickets is: Hennepin (according to primus fan email newsletter)*

Mesa Amphitheatre: 263 N. Center St.
(480) 644-2560, http://mesaamp.com

Here’s hoping that they play “My Name Is Mud”, See you at the show! Go-Go Ginger