issue 11 july 2014
standard
wax bringing art into your everyday
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samantha irwin & andrew king
sweet republic central phoenix
creative mornings
creative lecture series
bitter and twisted
the downtown cocktail lounge
lets get cinematic with larry willis at willo north
iskelter
hand built in america by people who give a damn
2014 phoenix comicon photos from comicon
lola at the yard
for the caffeine and food enthusiast
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FLOW RIDER WAV E M ACH INE at CIT YS CA P E Catch the wave all summer long!
Ci t y S ca p e P ho enix .c o m/Flo wr ider #SurfsUpPHX 2
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Creative & photo Director
Media Partners
Chris Kontakis
Fixed Heart Films Kronos Creative
fashion editor Tina Van Booven
Contributing Writers
For Editorial and Advertising opportunities, please email info@localrevibe.com
Kimberly Gunning Morgan Tanabe Nicole Royse Ashley Brand Alexa Chrisbacher Katie Snyder Janessa Hilliard Kelly Potts
cover photo by Carlee Komar Localrevibe Media Network, LLC. 7000 N. 16th Street Suite 120 PMB 215 Phoenix, Arizona 85020 Phone 480 336 2507 info@localrevibe.com www.localrevibe.com www.localrevibemedia.com
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Photo by: Kym Ventola 4
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06 sweet republic Central Phoenix
08 creative mornings Creative Lecture Series
12 lola at the yard
For the Caffeine & Food Enthusiast
14 bitter and twisted The Downtown Cocktail Lounge
16 2014 phoenix comicon
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Photos From Comicon
COVER STORY
bringing art into your every day Standard Wax
26 lets get cinematic Larry Willis at Willo North
28 iskelter
Hand Built in America By People Who Give a Damn
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sweet republic By Ashley Brand | Photos by Chris Kontakis
Jan Wichayanuparp and Helen Yung are the proud owners of Sweet Republic artisan ice cream. After meeting in their previous place of work, they began talking about the thing they love most: the culinary arts. Jan said, “we became friends just bonded over food. Like, we were the people who would always talk about dinner over lunch and then at dinner talk about the next dinner.”
“We were kind of heartbroken. But it was kind of a blessing in disguise (…) I don’t think we would have been able to open up the store this quickly if the truck was still running.”
When looking for an avenue for their business, they found the perfect vintage truck. “We did research on the color and it was a color Chevy still carried. And so it looked like a giant creamsicle. It was like kismet because orange is our store color too,” Jan said. What started as a creamsicle orange, 1959 Chevy mobile ice cream venture, soon metamorphosed into Jan and Helen setting up roots in Phoenix with a stationary storefront.
Sweet Republic now has three locations open for business: Scottsdale, Phoenix, and inside Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Visit today to experience The Ultimate Sweet Sundae (vanilla and chocolate ice cream on a chocolate chip walnut cookie with brownies, almond toffee brittle, hot fudge, salted caramel sauce, whipped cream, and roasted marshmallow) their twist on the Campfire S’more for yourself.
Just as the pair were getting their business off the ground, the Sweet Republic truck was involved in an accident on the 101 freeway, with Jan in the driver’s seat. The truck rolled over, slid across four lanes of traffic, and was ultimately totaled. “We had just gotten the truck upgraded,” Jan said. Helen continued,
WWW.sweetrepublic.com @sweetrepublic
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In addition to their locations around Phoenix, Sweet Republic services other local Phoenix businesses and restaurants. Jan said, “We supply to Whole Foods. We also do a lot of restaurants. Eddie V, The Mission, and Wild Fish.”
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cre at ive
creative mornings By Ashley Brand | Photos by Danny Upshaw @unheardharmony
When Jess Trounce learned about an organization promoting local creative success across the nation, she jumped at the opportunity. She said, “When you think about great design cities, you don’t think about Phoenix. Nobody thinks about Phoenix. There’s huge quality of talent, it’s just kind of hidden.” Creative Mornings “is a free monthly, breakfast lecture series, one day a month, either the third or fourth Friday of the month,” Jess said. Local creatives such as Tara Logsdon and Steve Tansley are among the many presenters to speak on various themes such as bravery, childhood, and freedom since the Phoenix chapter opened in August 2012. Jess continues, “It’s based off of a global theme (...) off of a creative process.” Once a theme is decided it is announced to the chapters across the country for that month’s creative morning.
Each presentation affords listeners a unique experience unlike any one from previous of future months. That’s the beauty in the idea. By facilitating comprehensive themes, the expansion of creative thought is possible at events such as these. The Creative Mornings website offers videos and talks to be viewed remotely in order to connect with creative minds on a broader spectrum. However, if you are a Phoenix local and would like to attend a talk, register online at www.creativemornings.com/talks, check out the theme and speaker for the month, and be prepared for some collaboration with other creative locals.
www.creativemornings.com
These breakfasts are run by volunteer organizers, like Jess, and have been sponsored by AIGA Arizona, coffee shops, and other establishments in the Phoenix area. After the group has a chance to meet and mingle, the chosen speaker of the month presents his interpretation of the theme. “So it’s not only just talking about the cool creativity out of Phoenix, but it’s also about getting people together and talking about ideas to get things started,” Jess said.
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We’re all about bringing art into your everyday. Taking simple goods and making them beautiful. That’s why our candles are made by hand and are meant to become a permanent piece of art in your home, even after the flame is long gone. Just wipe out any excess wax and reuse the container however you fancy.
100% Soy Wax | Handmade in Phoenix, AZ | standardwax.com www.localrevibe.com | @localrevibe
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co f f e e
lola at the yard By Morgan Tanabe | Photos by Chris Kontakis
From small stand-up cafes, to charming downtown spots, opening up a minimalistic coffee shop in Phoenix isn’t necessarily original anymore. With 20 roasters across Valley, owners are dreaming up new ways to dominate the java domain.
“People who don’t want to be in the mosh pit at Culinary can come over here,” Clarke says. “We’re starting to get noticed more for having a different vibe.”
Lola at the Yard is settling into a niche of its own. The coffee house and tapas bar is entwining silky cappuccinos with local ingredients to attract caffeine enthusiasts and foodies alike. Centrally located on Seventh Street, the Yard serves up grub in a unique way. The motorcycle garage converted restaurant doesn’t lack character. Keeping its roots in the forefront, old car lifts are transformed into community tables. The large garage-style window pours natural light into the casually stylish room. The urban chic interior with exposed brick and high ceilings exudes a relaxing vibe. The restaurant cluster known as The Yard is one of San Fox’s recent concepts. The 50,000 square-foot space isn’t just home to Lola, but also a seafood house and gastropub. “Culinary Dropout is like adult spring break, while Little Cleo’s is more expensive and quiet. Here (Lola) we are a little in-between,” owner Walter Clarke says. While the decor makes it the ideal hangout, patrons return for the fresh ingredients and satisfying combinations.
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Clarke hopes Lola will bring the community together. While its name is already a staple name among Phoenix coffee lovers, Clarke is brewing up some new ideas. “First and foremost, I want it to be a great place to hang out,” he says. “I want people to come and feel comfortable here.” If small plates aren’t your thing, don’t worry. Clarke takes a less traditional approach when it comes to tapas. “Tapas are traditionally shared small plates, which is kind of a contradiction—how do you share a small plate?” He jokes. “So we’ve increased the size of our plates so you can actually share. It promotes community.” Lola is open Sunday through Saturday 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
5632 N. 7th Street Phoenix, Arizona 85014
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downtow n
bitter and
twisted Photos by Chris Kontakis
Tucked into a corner space inside the city’s first-ever high-rise, the new Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour (1 W. Jefferson St.) is set to help make downtown Phoenix once again the epicenter of the Valley’s dining and drinking scene. Housed in a soaring, window-lined space inside the historic Luhrs Building – an elegant 10-story brick and stone early 20th century engineering feat that was completed in 1924 – Bitter & Twisted combines a world-class cocktail lounge with a neighborhood bar’s sensibilities. Led by the Scottish-born Principal Barmen & Proprietor, Ross Simon, Bitter & Twisted’s expert bar staff will be performing cocktail theatre nightly while whipping up a selection of globally inspired concoctions. As the past winner of the Finlandia Vodka Cup (USA) and Don
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Julio Tequila (AZ) cocktail contests and a co-founder of Arizona Cocktail Week, Simon says Bitter & Twisted is a “fantastically welcoming cocktail bar where you can leave your pretentions at the door. It will be a great start and end to any evening.” Here, guests can flip through a prolific Book o’ Cocktails featuring a globe-straddling collection of new and classic drinks, all expertly-crafted using many house made infused spirits, tonics, syrups and other ingredients. “We still have a nice selection of craft beer and wines, but we want to inspire the uninspired into finding his or her new favorite tipple (drink of choice),” Simon explains. “We’re lucky enough to be living in a second golden age of the cocktail, and we want to bring a great sense of excitement and exploration in the form of a great night out any night of the week.”
While Bitter & Twisted will firmly plant itself in the lexicon of the modern cocktail establishment, the space itself carries a rich history in the city of Phoenix, serving as the former nerve center of Arizona’s prohibition headquarters back when the residents of this desert metropolis (all 30,000 of them) dressed in top hats and risqué ankle-baring dresses and commuted to downtown via electric streetcars and Ford Model Ts. In a natural, progressive nod to today, guests can sip and dine while savoring the sights and sounds of Phoenix’s downtown rebound, even arriving just outside the door on the Valley Metro Light Rail.
www.bitterandtwistedaz.com @ BandT_AZ
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2014 phoenix comicon
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F L OW RI DE R WAV E M AC H I N E at CI T YSCA PE Catch the wave all summer long!
Cit y Sc apePh oen ix . c om/Fl owrider #SurfsUpPHX
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f e atu r e d
bringing art into your everyday
standard wax By Kelly Potts | Photos by Carlee Komar & Kym Ventola
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Samantha Irwin and Andrew King met by chance. They were applying for all the same jobs around town and were eventually hired on at the same place, a design agency in Tempe, in 2011. With their desks next to each other and talking all day, they became friends like most coworkers do. They talked about everything from hobbies to family and future life plans. Through these everyday conversations, Irwin discovered that King handcrafted ceramic log planters and knew instantly that would be a perfect holiday gift for her family. “I want to buy some of your log planters for Christmas gifts,” said Irwin. 22
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King said, “Just take them. No one wants to buy them.” Then the light bulb went off for Irwin “They would look awesome with candles in them!” However, King wasn’t sold, “Well, then learn how to make candles.” And, just like that, Irwin learned how to make candles. What started off as terrible Christmas gifts turned into a passion and a candle company. Standard Wax is a local candle company, where every order is made by hand – from the containers they come in to the wax of the candle. No two
candles look the same, because they strive in taking simple goods and making them beautiful. Mix passion with an obsession with unique scents, practical art and the idea of repurposing everyday goods and you get the handmade candles of Standard Wax. Irwin learned the art of candle making through trial and error, perfecting wax blends and scent combinations, all while striving to maintain as many natural elements in their candles as possible. King, who has an extensive art background, rekindled his love for ceramics and began with a simple log textured container.
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“That’s what keeps us going,” said Irwin. “Our motto is ‘Bringing Art Into Your Everyday’, and that’s what we do. We make each candle from hand. We mold each container from hand and that’s what set us apart.” Standard Wax sells two signature candles, a tobacco + leather scent and a citrus + black currant. In addition to the two candles, you can also purchase refill kits – and recreate your candles! Standard Wax takes a simplistic approach from the designs, to their scents, to the containers, and the minimal packaging. They strongly believe in the concept of repurposing and strive to create one-of-a-kind designs that are unmistakably meant to become a treasured piece of art in each customer’s home. “We started selling our candles at First Friday,” said Irwin. “And we only sold one! We were close to giving up, and then we started getting the hang of it and our product was catching on.” Just three years later, after multiple failed attempts with selling the test run candles, Standard Wax has found its groove and is making sales around the country. Today, these unique candles are available at multiple stores around the Valley, Los Angles, and New York City, and through their website. What started out as a chance meeting at a new job has lead to a successful candle company, and friendship of a lifetime.
WE MOLD EACH CONTAINER FROM HAND AND THAT’S WHAT SETS US APART
www.standardwax.com @standardwax
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a rt
lets get”cinematic” at
with larry willis willo north By Nicole Royse @nicoleroyseart
Entering Willo North patrons will feel as though they are attending a movie premiere and walk the “red” carpet greeted by The Queen of England, Frank Zappa, and Mickey Mouse. June features a mini retrospective of paintings created through the years by local artist Larry Willis and guest curated by Kay Grams. The exhibition entitled “Cinematic” explores the fascinating worlds of celebrities of music and cinema. The gallery walls are covered with vibrant paintings exploring the subjects of music legends, famous movie stars, and beautiful models. The paintings incorporate elaborate patterns, detailed portraiture, and exotic color palettes including acrylic and gold leaf. Within each of his paintings, Willis has created complicated yet intimate scenes for his subjects while the viewer who is more like voyager is given a glimpse into the subjects’ exotic world. Willis has exhibited extensively throughout the valley most recently appearing in several group exhibitions including Mesa Art Center, R. Pela Contemporary, and the monOrchid.
a special relationship throughout history.” Everyone will recognize the painting titled “Holly/ Audrey” which focuses on the iconic character Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany’s with a unique twist and beautifully abstracted background. While he beautifully melds the worlds of art history, cinema, and music together creating a fantastic imaginary world for his exciting larger than life figures. His small scale depictions of famous musicians, movie stars, and political figures including Morrison, John Lennon, and Clint Eastwood are brilliant and expertly executed using acrylic and gold leaf.
When we discussed Willis “Cinematic” exhibition, Willo North owner Kristin Shears was excited and impressed by the body of work he has produced stating “as a viewer you are aware it is a fantasy he has created and even as the magic pulls you in and you can relax, enjoy it, and his work leaves you feeling recharged.“ Collectors will find that Willis possesses great skill and incredible style all his own and his paintings are accessible and afThis exhibition features an eclectic mix of history fordable with a variety of sizes and price points. focusing on art, music, and film. Willis said, “the Get lost in the cinema of Larry Willis’s mind and paintings in this exhibit I have at times placed explore his diverse body of work in “Cinematic”. people in situations of my own devising, the cinema of my mind.” Highlights from the exhibition www.willonorth.com include “The Anglo-American Alliance” where www.larrywillisartist.com Willis has brought together an interesting combination of figures Queen Elizabeth, Frank Zappa, and Mickey Mouse with the Rolling Stones tongue filled with beautiful patterns, and rich colors. When asked about the work Willis elaborated “Queen Elizabeth represents British conservative Tradition, Frank Zappa American Liberal thought while the two countries have always had
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l o ca l ma d e
iskelter By Alexa Chrisbacher
Apple fans love the simple design of their gadgets, so why not bring that to their tech accessories too? That’s exactly what the team at iSkelter did. Their sleek, eco-friendly products are a minimalist approach to technology, form and function. Each piece is made from bamboo, laser engraved and hand-sanded in house. Every step of the process holds true to iSkelter’s mantra: Hand Built In America By People Who Give A Damn. “We just really were tied to the bamboo material just because of the look, and it’s really easy to work with,” Nathan Mummert, one of the creative minds behind the brand, said. “It’s also eco-friendly.” Whether they are designing a Chisel iPhone Dock or the Slate: Mobile AirDesk, every product was inspired by every day life. There’s not a traditional desk to be found in their local shop, everyone prefers the AirDesk.
“We just really try to think about … ‘how can we improve that’ and ‘what can make that simpler,’” Mummert said. After only a year, iSkelter has done six successful crowd funding campaigns and found fans across the globe. “I started doing Kickstarter projects for each [product] and just realized the potential,” Mummert said. “It just really gave us, not only the finances to keep going and build the company, but just the exposure was the major thing.” Their most recent endeavor, the SlatePro: Personal TechDesk, raised more than $86 thousand after just three weeks. The desk will be launched officially in July 2014.
www.iskelter.com @iskelter
“Now we use them constantly … we’d actually rather sit on the couch and use this because it’s so much more comfortable,” Mummert said. The Slate product line is a way to enjoy the mobility of a laptop without sacrificing the convenience of a desk. The natural bamboo Slate is ventilated to keep your lap cool and includes a heavy duty mouse pad and a phone display dock.
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