Eat Your Art Out Chandler
Eat Your Art Out Chandler was a huge success yesterday! Thank you to all of our restaurants, volunteers and patrons. We wouldn’t have a shot at success if it wasn’t for you.
Since we didn’t expect everyone to visit all the places (although if you did, you’re amazing), here are a few photos from yesterday.
We’re already talking about next year. And if yesterday was any indication, our 2nd Eat Your Art Out Chandler in 2013 will be off the scale insane, in the best possible way.
Artsy Fartsy Foodies: AJ’s Cafe
Downtown Chandler isn’t what it used to be, and if you ask Darlene, VP of Sales & Marketing for AJ’s at the San Marcos Golf Resort, that’s a wonderful thing.
Downtown Chandler isn’t what it used to be, and if you ask Darlene, VP of Sales & Marketing for AJ’s at the San Marcos Golf Resort, that’s a wonderful thing. Since Downtown Chandler’s (The DC’s) revival, the hotel and AJ’s Café has been and continues to be a great draw for The DC.
“We have the arts, restaurants and a variety of entertainment all within walking distance of the hotel,” said Darlene. “Guests are able to combine several activities and make their Downtown experience last for the whole evening or even the weekend.”
San Marcos has been working on connecting the arts and the hotel by bringing in artists to perform at the hotel and by sponsoring CCA’s national performing artists by giving them a wonderful place to stay and relax before and after their performances.
For Jim Aikin ( Executive Director of Catering and Conference Services ), joining food and art together is a natural fit. “Food is art, the meal service is a performance itself. We want to please and entertain our guests just like the arts center,” said Jim.
We couldn’t agree more. Nothing beats a great dinner and a show for a night out on the town.
At AJ’s Cafe, the doors are open and everyone is welcome, even if they aren’t a guest at the hotel. They invite anyone looking for a great food experience in a relaxed atmosphere to try AJ’s new menu, which is a reflection of both the new approach AJ’s has taken, and the new identity that can be found in Downtown Chandler. Eat Your Art Out diners are encouraged to make reservations at AJ’s Cafe from 6:00am to 9:00pm on February 28th. 2012. To make a reservation for Eat Your Art Out, please call 480-812-0900 or visit their restaurant page.
Artsy Fartsy Foodies: Pittsburgh Willy’s
I live four minutes from the Center, and that’s if I catch all the red lights along the way. Right in the middle sits Pittsburgh Willy’s where you walk in and you’re not in Chandler anymore.
Pittsburgh Willy’s owner Randy Walters is a Pittsburgh native who followed his highschool sweetheart to Arizona after time spent in the Navy, and didn’t start off serving hotdogs. He always wanted a restaurant like Pittsburgh Willy’s, but didn’t have the opportunity until 2005 when he lost his job at Chandler Regional Hospital.
“I bought a hotdog cart and worked that, learned the business and in 2008 I opened this place (the restaurant), with no business experience, no restaurant experience. Just a desire and a dream,” he said.
Whether you’re looking to try a new hotdog (all of which Randy created) or looking for a twist on a Pittsburg staple like chipped ham, Pittsburg Willy’s has the food you’re looking for.
“Pittsburg food is comfort food. We don’t count carbs, don’t count calories, and we use real ingredients, like real cream and real butter. It’s the food the way grandma used to make it,” said Randy.
Because the community chose to support Randy, Randy is doing what he can to give back to that community.
“I’m blessed to be one of the people who is living their passion,” he said. “My success is dependent on public support. They trust me enough to come in here and spend their money, so I give back to that community,” including the community arts center.
“Each family is responsible for their home, and each home is responsible for their community, and to support that community. In a perfect world, everyone would do that and it would be a much better place,” he said.
I couldn’t agree more, even though I’m not a Steelers fan.
You can give Pittsburg Willy’s a visit either in person, on their website or Faceboook.
And try the chipped ham. That just sounds awesome.
Weekend Preview: Let the Irish jokes begin
Tonight we have the always fun Gaelic Storm, and they’re a great way to keep up the energy that we’ve had since the Blues Brothers last week. These guys have a great sense of humor that they bring to their music, and that makes for a really great live performance.
Plus, remember these?
I’m giving them to you, because you rock. You’ll have to tell me what movie they were in (the answer is on our Facebook and Twitter pages) and you’ll get yourself a snazzy poster. Easy peasy.
In continuing with all things Irish, we couldn’t be happier that Irish Republic Public House (the pub formerly known as Murphy’s Law) has joined us for Eat Your Art Out.
For owner Rodger Baldwin, the move was a no brainer.
“I’m a strong supporter of community based programs and the efforts that bring people together, and the Chandler Center for the Arts seem to do that well,” he said. That support can also be seen the moment you walk into Irish Republic in the form of dollar bills that plaster the inside of the pub with handwritten notes expressing gratitude for all that Roger does for the community.
But why support the arts with food? It just made sense for Roger.
“Both food and art are generally associated with community togetherness and invoke thoughts of family, love, tradition and creativity. In many ways, food is art with its vast array of colors and flavor combinations from around the world. Also, innovation plays a huge role in food and art, making them the perfect pair.”
I couldn’t agree more. So come out and support the local scene with a Gaelic Storm show and an after party at Irish Republic Public House.
Artsy Fartsy Foodies: Kokopelli Winery
Kokopelli Winery has been a Downtown Chandler staple for as long as I can remember, so we were all very excited when owner Dennis Minchella told us that Kokopelli Winery would be participating in Eat Your Art Out Chandler and support the Center.
“Without the arts, we wouldn’t see how far the human mind can go. Art is amazing in its many forms and it allows us to be swept up in the emotion of the craft and to get away from our issues for a while,” he said, adding that wine and art go very well together.
Kokopelli Winery got it’s start in 1992, and in 2001 Dennis’ parents opened the Downtown Chandler restaurant so they could expand their business and serve some great food to compliment their amazing wines. Kokopelli is a success because of the passion for wine that is felt by the Minchella’s and their customers, as well as their understanding of supporting local businesses.
“It’s funny, but when I was a kid I would walk to the corner store to buy my candy. I knew the owner, in fact, I knew every owner in the downtown,” said Dennis. “Today, life is faster and people shop for bargains [...] but we are all searching for that more comfortable time and that is usually found by dealing with the people in close proximity to you. By going to a show at Chandler Center for the Arts, then dining or shopping in the local downtown area, you get a sense of comfort and relaxation.”
That mindset has made Kokopelli so successful that they are now on the verge of opening their 1 Millionth bottle of wine, which they will do so at this year’s Kokopelli Krush, an annual weekend event in Downtown that encourages teams to crush the most grapes, with the winning team receiving a cruise.
So how does it feel to be on the verge of a 1 million bottle milestone?
“It is very exciting. To know that my parents founded the winery and got things rolling. Really there wasn’t a wine industry in Arizona when they came here. There were two hobbyist wine makers and Dr. Dutt of U of A, who was trying to prove that grapes could be grown successfully in AZ. To think back 20 years and to remember driving pilings into the ground that would support the cordons that would hold the grapes to make all this wine is hard to fathom,” said Dennis.
You can taste the passion at Kokopelli, so make sure you do so on February 28th from 11:00am-5:00pm, but also sometime this weekend, and help Dennis and Kokopelli Winery celebrate a wonderful milestone of opening their 1 millionth bottle of wine.
You can find Kokopelli on Faceb0ok and Twitter, as well as everything you ever wanted to know about them here.
Artsy Fartsy Foodies: Venezia’s Pizzeria
If there is food that is universally accepted as “good, whenever, where ever”, it’s pizza. But doing pizza right is a totally different task, that Venezia’s Pizzeria is happy to do again and again.
The first Venezia’s Pizzeria opened in New Mexico in 1978, but didn’t make an appearance in Arizona until 1998 in the heart of Tempe. Although Venezia’s Pizzeria specializes in pizza, it wasn’t always that way.
“The first Italian restaurant that we opened, Venezia’s Pizzeria, was actually a full service restaurant that had a large menu of pastas such as Spaghetti Carbonara, Veal Marsala, Linguine with Clam sauce, Fettucini Alfredo and many other traditional Italian entrees,” said owner Dom. “When I opened in AZ I chose to simplify the menu in order to make consistency and the ability to service takeout orders. “
But this isn’t your frozen pizza or Hot and Ready for a couple of bucks, Venezia’s Pizzeria is all about authenticity.
“All of our pastas, sauces, and pizza come from my parents family from Italy,” said Dom.
You can find Venezia’s Pizzeria all over the Valley, but make sure you visit their location on Cooper and Ray Road in Gilbert between now and February 28th to get a feel for the establishment, and for the pizza that you can taste the passion and deadication in.
So why should foodies care about the arts? It’s the way to live a well rounded life.
“They (the Chandler community) should support the arts because it is very important for people to be well diversed in many areas for a balanced life,” said Dom, adding that Chandler has a lot of potiential with some big name emloyers with roots in Chandler, or who are laying the foundation, such as Intel, PayPal and Ebay amoung others.
I’m enouraging our Artsy Fartsy Foodies to visit any Venezia’s Pizzeria location between now and February 28th (and while your at it, bring me a slice), please make sure you bring your friends, family and anyone you can to their Gilbert location on February 28th. Reservations aren’t nessicary, as people will be served on a first come, first served basis.
Please mention ”Pizza Night” in your order during Eat Your Art Out, so the staff can enter the correct codes and Venezia’s can get credit for all the faboulous Artsy Fartsy Foodies that I know will drop by.
About Venezia’s Pizzeria: With four locations Valley wide, Venezia’s serves fine authentic Italian food, using only the freshest ingredients for all of our dishes. All of our meatballs, marinara, lasagna and pizza sauce are homemade—providing Arizona with a touch of what REAL Italian food tastes like. Since opening in 1978, Venezia’s has been making great pizza a family tradition. Like them on Facebook and Follow them on Twitter.
Artsy Fartsy Foodies: Chandler BBQ Co.
Passion. It’s the theme that I’ve found with people in the arts and food worlds (like I mentioned last week). And Chandler BBQ Co. is no exception.
“I have a passion for food, and a passion for it (BBQ),” said owner John Benson. I had a chance to speak to John the other day, and I found that it wasn’t just food he had a passion for, but for community as well.
“We are Chandler BBQ. We want to give back to Chandler, promote Chandler, and be involved with everything in Chandler,” he said, citing examples of lending a hand to the city’s high schools and other fund-raisers. Now, Chandler BBQ has a chance to give back to the arts, and they’re jumping at it.
Chandler BBQ is one of the first restaurants to sign up for Eat Your Art Out Chandler, and we couldn’t be happier. They have a great reputation in the community and have always been down to giving us a hand.
“The arts bring culture to Chandler,” said John “And it’s a great way to give back.”
I encourage you guys to try out Chandler BBQ Co sometime soon, just to make sure you like it, and then head back there with some friends on February 28th for Eat Your Art Out.
If meat so tender you can leave your teeth at home sounds good, but not what you’re craving, head back here next week and maybe you’ll like what I have to offer.
Stay hungry, my friends.
Artsy Fartsy Foodies
Art and food? When I first tried to figure out what these two could fit together, and what they had in common.
Its passion. People can be really passionate about art and food. Vary rarely does someone say “Yeah, that Monet dude was pretty good. Kind of like him,” or “Eh, I really don’t care either way about Mario Batali,” Love, hate or love/hate, we all have our favorites, and in February, we’re going to bring two groups of passionate people together with Eat Your Art Out Chandler.
Eat Your Art Out Chandler does a number of things; it allows restaurants and the arts in Chandler to get to know each other, support each other, and we all get to have fun. But unless you know who these restaurants, bars, delis, cafes, food trucks and hole in the wall food stands are, you won’t know where to spend your February 28th.
So on Tuesdays, I’ll introduce you fine folks to restaurants that you may not know, or find something new about those that you do know.
Come back next week to see which restaurant gets the honor of being my First Up Guinea Pig.
