Over the years, I have visited the ASU Downtown Phoenix Campus and Civic Space Park on a regular…read morebasis. While there have been different people, different roles, and even different buildings, one consistency has been the "Her Secret is Patience" sculpture in the park. In fact, almost 13 years ago, I even did a photo shoot under the sculpture. The sculpture is in the Civic Space Park, where there is a nice, grassy area, some tables, and chairs right next to the US Post Office and ASU Student Center. I have seen groups of students and even community members holding events in the park either in front of the Student Center entrance at the tables and chairs (gatherings by students or staff), on the grassy lawn area (community members playing soccer, frisbee, or having a picnic), or even on the south side of the walkway (though the lighting wasn't very good in the evening in that area). "Her Secret Is Patience" is a public art sculpture commission designed by artist Janet Echelman for the City of Phoenix. The sculpture consists of painted, galvanized steel, polyester twine netting, and colored lights. It is 145 feet tall and suspended as an aerial sculpture. It is monumental yet soft, fixed in place but constantly in motion. It dances gently in the air, choreographed by the flux of desert winds. During the day, the sculpture hovers high above heads, treetops, and buildings. The sculpture creates what the artist calls "shadow drawings," which she says are inspired by Phoenix's cloud shadows that captivated her from the first site visit. At night, the illumination changes color gradually through the seasons. The goal in selecting the colors is to provide residents some small climate relief through color, adding cool hues in summer, and warm tones in winter. The lighting design also changes what portion of the sculpture is illuminated, leaving parts obscured in mystery, much like the phases of the moon. I've heard students and staff at ASU discussing how the artist was supposedly inspired by monsoon cloud formations and the shadows they cast, in addition to forms found in desert flora. Now that I work only a short walk away from the sculpture, I see it almost every day at work!

This is one of the most eye-catching pieces of public art that I have had the pleasure of seeing…read more It is located in the Civic Space Park and is the work of artist Janet Echelman who made the piece in 2009. Echelman got the name of the piece from a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. It is constructed of painted, galvanized steel, polyester twine netting, and an assortment of ground mounted colored lights that give the nets its color. The piece is not cheap though and costed $2.5 million. The massive piece starts at 38 feet off the ground and extends to 100 feet in the air. To give it more perspective, the piece's largest ring is about 100 feet wide. The piece is intended to resemble a cumulus clouds. However, I see a tornado or jelly fish when I looked at it. It was given the title of Best Public Art by the Phoenix New Times. The wonderful mix of blue, orange and purple just draws you in like a moth to a flame. It is cool to visit during the day, but is amazing at night. The color of the piece changes constantly with the seasons throughout the year. The piece is not without its critics. Many people question the cost of the piece and whether that money could have been used elsewhere. Additionally, the piece's nets and lighting has to be replaced every five years, which makes this piece a gift that keeps on costing. It is unknown how much this periodic maintenance costs the city. This piece has metered street parking located within a reasonable walking distance, as well as commercial parking lots. There is also a train stop right in front of the piece, if you are plan on taking public transportation to get there. I really like this piece. It is a marvel, but I too am a critic of the price tag and reassuring maintenance fee. This piece can rally become the face of the city and one of its iconic images. It is very picturesque and Instagramable. Anyway, as with most public art that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. So, you may want to consider making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. You can start with Civic Space park, where the piece is located.

This alley is very busy, as far as art goes, and has a lot going on. It is almost overwhelming…read more Murals runs the full length of the alley and is very vibrant and colorful. It spans between 1st and 2nd Streets and Adams and Washington Streets. A large portion of the alley pays tribute to Latino icons. This was a herculean effort led by the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center (ALAC), with help from the Downtown Phoenix Partnership, Phoenix Convention Center, and Latinos Now. When they say that it takes a village, that it an understatement when it comes to this area. The alley features work from many local artist including Jose Andres Giron, Roman P. Reyes, Carlos Rivas, Ramon Aguirre, Edgar Fernandez, Elizabeth Toledo, Alfred Bilducia, Noreen Ayonayon, Tavo Barrios, Angel Diaz, Karlito Espinosa, Ivan Garcia, Luis Munoz, Edgar Munoz, Raul Rodriquez, Rey Lugo and Catyana Falsetti. This alley really grabs you and draws you in. The mural is on the backside of a parking garage and faces the back of some local business and has a good view of their dumpsters. Some notable images that I saw in the alley were the Virgin Mary, a rose, a portrait of U.S. Army Private First Class Silvestre Santana Herrera, who was presented the Medal of Honor during World War II, there arew a bunch of flowers, R2D2, Lalo Guerrero, American guitarist, singer and farm labor activist, a phoenix, a horse head, Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals, in Uniform and Carlos Santana, That is just a fraction of the images of art in the alley. It is something that you just have to see. You will notice the different styles of murals that make up the collection and also different skill levels of the artist. Most of the work is pretty good, but some of them are notable better than others. There is metered street parking and commercial parking garages within a reasonable walking distance from the alley if you want to park, get out and take a closer look. This is definitely not a destination stop, so I would highly recommend combining this with other stops or making this part of a larger itinerary.

Yes there was fries what that. But what else would one expect from a Ronald McDonald after party…read more Alice and her crew from the wonderland were there. Fun times were had with a video to flip book setup. I think they should call this steam punk you tube. There were chess boards all about, topple tower on the patio. Two bars, some music and of course food. Antipasto platters, French fries platters, Sliders and cookies for desert. Overall all a nice evening party, however I think a bit more music and a dance fool could have helped spur the fun as it did not seem to quite make it over the cocktail hour hurdle to a true party. Maybe next year.

With public art, the effort -- if not the outcome -- is almost always appreciated. But in this…read morecase, they really hit a home run! George Rhoads is one of my favorite artists. And "Based on Balls" is one of my favorite sculptures. This is an audiokinetic sculpture. Like much of his work (which can be found in public buildings, science museums, hospitals and airports around the world -- from Rishon LeZion to LAX), "Based on Balls" is a complex sequence of tracks and contraptions. In the middle, a conveyor belt continuously brings balls to the top and gently releases them onto the track. What happens next is easy to enjoy but hard to describe. It's not enough to say that the balls simply roll down the tracks. As they go, they push pinwheels, change direction, and trigger mallets to hit everything from wood-blocks to gongs. The result is an awe-inspiring symphony of sound and stimulation. Listen, I'm trying to describe this thing and I'm failing miserably. Why not just take a look at the thing yourself?! I put a couple videos of "Based on Balls" on youtube to help you do just that. Take a look, review it, visit it, and -- most of all -- voice your support. Governments and businesses will only provide us with things like this if they know that they're appreciated. Click on the following links for videos of "Based on Balls", one by me and one by fellow-yelper Matt R: http://youtube.com/watch?v=40qWtKwEOI8 http://youtube.com/watch?v=-SE-Jld6uKA Enjoy!

This spot should definitely be on your radar if you are an art lover and happen to be in Phoenix!…read moreTouring the spot Is as easy as driving your car down the alley! If you wanna get out and take some hot photos with some really dope backgrounds, that's a choice too but keep it cute because you are literally in someone's alley! I'm not sure of the story behind these installations but whoever owns these properties have to be cool AF and I tip my hat to them for allowing such an amazing situation to happen!

This is some pretty neat street art to find in the middle of Phoenix. You can actually see some of…read morethe murals from the street when driving by. Very colorful and a retro vibe. A great place to take pictures. 5/5 stars.

The artist who created these murals has amazing talent! She did them several years ago and…read morerefreshed them a few years later. It really speaks to her talent though that even the taggers who seem to mark every wall in the area pretty much leave these alone for the most part. It's really nice to see such amazing art in the middle of downtown Phoenix. If you're a David Bowie fan this is certainly worth checking out.

Best exsperence I had. It's not your regular car show, lot to see and lots of burn outs from all…read moresorts of cars. Had a great time.

Cibo remains one of downtown Phoenix's go-to spots--both a local favorite and a destination for…read morevisitors--and it's easy to see why. The setting does a lot of the work: a large, charming garden with plenty of outdoor seating that gives the whole place a cozy, almost village feel. Inside, there's a small bar that's tough to get into, but it's really your only option if you're walking in without a reservation and don't want to wait an hour or more. The kitchen is usually the highlight. With an Italian chef behind it, everything leans fresh and well executed--pizzas consistently shine, and the salads are just as strong. This time, though, the bolognese was a miss. The pasta was clearly overcooked, which stood out given how reliable the food typically is--felt more like an off night than the norm. The wine-by-the-glass list is solid and approachable, and the many awards feel well deserved overall. A diverse staff adds to the cosmopolitan yet relaxed atmosphere. Even with the misstep, Cibo holds its place as one of the better all-around dining experiences downtown.

Our local host made a reservation here, as it has gotten good reviews. The location is in a…read moreneighborhood just northwest of downtown Phoenix. The restaurant is a converted house, with most of the seating being in what had been the yard. There are a number of shade trees here, plus they have umbrellas, fans, and misters to keep it comfortable. It *may* be possible to sit inside as well, but this would likely require a reservation much further out than ours. The outside dining area was packed the whole time we were there. The outside tables were relatively comfortable when we ate here. They moved an umbrella over to block the setting sun for about 20 minutes, which was great. It looked like they had a musician tuning up her guitar but she had not started before we left. The menu featured selections of pastas, pizzas, and salads. We sampled 3 pizzas, all of which were good. As we were travelling and flying out the next morning, 2 of us split one, which was perfect for not having leftovers. The 4 in our group also sampled an appetizer composed of a fried rice ball with cheese. I was skeptical, but it was actually good. Parking is on-street, as there did not appear to be a dedicated lot for the restaurant itself. It was a busy area, but we did end up finding some spaces about a block and a half away in a residential area. I would definitely be up for another meal here.

This wonderful explosion of color is the collaborative work of Jake Early and Quinn Murphy. You…read morewill find it on the side of Majerle's Sports Grill at the end of an area known as Alley of the Arts. The Title of the piece has special meaning. The mural was commissioned by Downtown Phoenix, Majerles and Artlink, a local arts non-profit. It pays homage to Hans Hughes, a Downtown Phoenix Ambassador who was quoted as using the phrase on occasion. Sadly, Hughes was killed in a bicycle accident in 2021. The building that the mural is painted on, the Fry building has some historical significance. It was built in 1885 and before it was Majerle's (named after owner and Phoenix Suns Great Dan Majerle), it was a drug store, meat market and the Plaza Boardinghouse. It has been Majerle's for the past 25 years though. This colorful wall located on the side of was painted by Jake Early and Quinn Murphy. It can be seen while traveling south on Second Street, just past the convention center parking garage. A bright sun is the main focal point, but upon closer inspection, mountains and the Downtown Phoenix skyline appear. The title of the mural, "It's Another Beautiful Day in Downtown Phoenix", is a tribute to, and quote by, Hans Hughes, a Downtown Phoenix Ambassador who was killed in a bicycle accident last year. The colors used in the mural are bold and stunning. It depicts typical phoenix like waterways, corn fields, cactuses, sunflowers, mountains and rock formations. The focal point of the mural is definitely the sun, but if you look really closely, you will see the Phoenix skyline tucked into the mural. I like that they not only use the wall, but surrounding structures including stanchion post, conduit, and power boxes. The mural is abstract and uses a lot of straight lines to bring the picture to life. You won't find many curved lines in this mural. Murphy challenges viewers to "Look at [the mural], like it, see it however you want to see it. It's open to your interpretation. This mural fittingly won the title of Best Mural in 2022 by the Phoenix New Times, which is no small feat because the city is full of amazing murals. I like this mural a lot. You can not help but look at it with its vibrant colors. Parking to get a closer look of this mural is not too difficult. There is metered street parking within a very short walk of the alley that the mural is located. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, such as Alley of the Arts, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

This lager than life mural mural spans 144 feet and runs along the side of the Renaissance Phoenix…read moreDowntown Hotel. It was painted by a local graffiti artist artistically known as Clyde in the fall of 2019 and commissioned by Artlink Inc. The mural is interactive. It supposedly changes each hour of the day, as shadows are cast from the overhanging shade structure while the sun moves across the sky. According to Clyde, "the narrative of the mural is a girl who has discovered a glass prism containing a key while wandering through a canyon. On the key is a serial number, which are actually 3 engraved dates. which represent each year the hotel was rebuilt (twice due to fires and once from a demolition and rebuild). At the very end of the mural after following along the canyon wall, the City of Phoenix skyline appears in the distance, begging the question "Where will the key take the girl and what doors will it open up for her?" It took me awhile to see what was in the mural. All I had originally seen was a bunch of crystals and shapes. If you look closely though, you can see a woman holding a long crystal or diamond with a key in it. You can see the woman's right eye above the crystal and her shoulder length black hair behind it. Her nose is below the crystal and her hands are on both ends of the crystal as she is holding it up looking through it. It is a nice mural and is better viewed at a distance. It had to step across the street to see the entire thing. The little twist bumped this mural up in my book. At first like I said, I was like ok, this is a nice abstract mural, look at the neat shapes and sword going through the middle. Then my eyes were opened. There is metered street parking in front of and within a very short walk of the mural. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.