If Bob Ross were alive today, he'd be painting happy little trees all over the place in ecstatic fervor for all the arts and culture happenings in Phoenix. To help you see the forest for the trees, here's a recap of the top arts and culture stories of the week.

Phoenix Shop Hard Goods to Close

Sad news for fans of Hard Goods: Owner Brandon Gore announced via Instagram that the store, which carries concrete wares, along with local art and other home accessories, will close up shop soon.

"It's been a fun ride, but the Hard Goods pop up shop is coming to an end (for now)," Gore wrote in the post.

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www.startrekmovie.com/

Nerd alert. J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness opens today, and, at risk of revealing just how deep our love of the Enterprise and its crew goes, suffice it to say we've been re-watching Star Trek: The Animated Series (which, by the way, is great and on Netflix Instant Watch) in anticipation.

But we're not the only ones excited to see Abrams' second Trek installment. That's because the new flick resurrects one of the franchise's most memorable villains and pits his calculated coldness against Chris Pine's emotional, reactive James T. Kirk.

See also:
10 Must-See Events at Phoenix Comicon 2013
Five Must-See Movies in Metro Phoenix This May

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Courtesy of Charlie Murphy

Slap!

This week a study revealed that people who smoke weed are skinnier. But that doesn't mean you should hole up and embark on the soon-to-be invented chronic diet. There's a lot to do this weekend in Phoenix, and here are our top picks.

Charlie Murphy @ Stand Up Live
Early last decade, a man stepped into an explosive role as the creator of the most recognizable exclamation in recent comedy history. Anyone and everyone who tuned in to Comedy Central in the early 2000s can attest that they witnessed the all-time greatest sketch ever seen on television. Just the smallest reminder will force a joyful shout of homage to Chappelle's Show in the form of "I'm Rick James, bitch!!"

See also:
New Times Calendar of Events
10 Life Lessons Learned from Bill Hader's Saturday Night Live Character Stefon (in GIFS)

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Courtesy of Allen Amis/Anarchy Squared Creations

The Far East meets a galaxy far, far away: Allen Amis' Samurai Boba Fett armor that took seven months to build.

Some geeks slave over a killer cosplay outfit to wear at their hometown comic book convention. It earns them a variety of impressed stares, photo ops, and maybe some local notoriety. But when Valley prop maker/costume creator Allen Amis, who operates Anarchy Squared Creations, trotted out a full suit of samurai armor remixed with one of the sci-fi's most infamous rogues, it nabbed him worldwide acclaim and serious geek points across the Internet. Sites like i09, Neatorama, and others dug it hard.

Last year, the 40-something Chandler resident unveiled a Samurai Boba Fett costume at Phoenix Comicon that took him more than seven months and a couple thousand in change to construct. Given geekdom's unending groking of the Star Wars villain, it's no surprise what happened next.

See Also:
- 10 Must-See Events at Phoenix Comicon 2013
- Five Ideas for Star Wars Spin-Offs Disney Should Consider Making (and Four They Really Shouldn't)

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Courtesy of NBC

New York's hottest club is called Stefon's donezo.

It's that thing where we are really, really bummed about Bill Hader leaving Saturday Night Live. This Saturday, May 18, the final SNL episode featuring Hader as a cast member will air on NBC. Hader has plans to move to Los Angeles with his family and continue making movies. (His IMDB page shows that he has some 11 projects in the works.) During his tenure on the comedy standby, Hader portrayed Julian Assange, James Carville, and Al Pacino, among others.

But we'll miss Hader's character Stefon most of all. The Weekend Update regular served as anchor Seth Meyers' city correspondent, who reported on hot new clubs, like You're Mother and I are Separating and Uuuuntz, and everything they offered (you know: Balogna Danza, Soul Patch Adams, black George Washington). Stefon taught us a lot. Here's a look back at some of the life lessons we learned.

See also:
Aidy Bryant Plays Candy Crowley in SNL's Mock-Presidential Debate
15 Life Lessons Learned from Lena Dunham's Girls (in GIFs, of Course)

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Etsy user: MargaritaC

If you've ever wondered how your Mary Jane-loving friends manage to avoid obesity despite certain obvious factors such as a lack of movement and impressive caloric intake, you're not alone.

A recent study compiled by researchers at the University of Nebraska, the Harvard School of Public Health, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center investigated the impact of pot on glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance in U.S. adults.

See Also:
- Marijuana Helps Control Diabetes, Promotes Good Cholesterol, Leads to Lower Waist Size, and Lowers Bladder Cancer Risk, Studies Show
- How to Avoid a Marijuana DUI in Zero-Tolerance Arizona
- Riding High: Arizona's Zero-Tolerance Stance on Pot and Driving

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Courtesy of the Isac Amaya Foundation

German Cadenasa student who received a scholarship from the foundation

For years, the Isac Amaya Foundation has been raising funds for scholarships to distribute to Arizona students to attend college and/or a university.

But now they have a new strategy: empower students to raise money themselves.

To make that happen, they're asking for creative fundraising strategies from innovative people, like you. Think you might have the right moves to help students raise some cash for higher education? Submit an idea and you could also walk away with $2,000.

See also:
- Phoenix Art Museum Announces 2013 Contemporary Forum Award Winners
- Voice Media Group and Phoenix New Times Announce Summer Multimedia Internships

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Courtesy of Artcade Lounge

Invading a downtown Phoenix space in the months ahead.

Local gamers, start digging through couch cushions and hoarding every quarter possible. You're gonna need 'em a couple of months from now when the Artcade Lounge opens its doors in downtown Phoenix

Ariel Bracamonte and Nico Paredes, the pair behind the popular Artcade Show earlier this year (which featured vintage games used as canvases for local artists), announced Wednesday that they've found a location for a similarly themed arcade/nightspot concept. And by happenstance, it's the exact same spot where the Artcade exhibition took place.

See Also:
- The Artcade Show Opens Tonight at Parazol Studios in Downtown Phoenix
- Five of Our Favorite Arcade Games From ZapCon
- Ten Favorite Arcades in Metro Phoenix

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courtesy of Space 55

From left, Patti Hannon and Brinley Nasisse play the title roles in Woman and Girl.

The setup: Local writer Charlie Steak's short play Woman and Girl follows its two characters through a stressful period of accepting change and learning to live together. (It's quite different from Steak's popular short, I'm Voting Republican.) The première production is at Phoenix's Space 55.

See also:
- "Where's the play about Arizona that everyone has been waiting for?" Not at ASU Tempe (Not This Month, Anyway)
- Late Night Catechism's Patti Hannon Stars in Space 55's The Bakers of Lakewood
- Best Reason to Relive the Pain of Catechism

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Rosalie O'Connor Photography

Ballet Arizona's Topia is the most sensory ballet experience we've ever had.

After its successful debut last year, the show, created by Ballet Arizona artistic director Ib Andersen, is back at the Desert Botanical Garden for a second season. The 80-foot-long stage where the dancing takes place is aligned with the nearby Papago Buttes, giving viewers a sense of awe before the ballet itself even starts.

But the desert setting doesn't detract from the movement; instead, it adds a layer of meaning to the piece that arguably couldn't be achieved in an indoor venue.

See Also:
- Ballet Arizona's Topia at Desert Botanical Garden Back for a Second Season
- Dulce Dance Company Explores Space in Para Tus Ojos at Icehouse

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