Katie Johnson

Poolside servers at the Hotel Valley Ho

Wave goodbye, folks. The good temperatures in Phoenix are about to leave us -- and in their wake will be the sweat stain we call summer. Fortunately, Phoenix does well to make up for its desert state with a pool culture that includes water slides, river tubing, artificial beaches, DJs, and ice cold cocktails.

Pack the sunscreen and put on the shades as you check out our 10 Favorite Pools in Metro Phoenix this summer.

See Also:
- Seven Must-See Metro Phoenix Pool Parties in April
- Ten Favorite Arcades in Metro Phoenix

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Courtney "Coco" Mault

Arizona is consistently teeming with celebrities -- actors/actresses, athletes and musicians -- who flock to our state in search of better winter weather, prime golfing conditions and pristine courses, and of course, some nightlife action.

But while we're never in shortage of potential celebrity sightings, we don't actually have that many celebrities we can claim as our own. Much like what's seen in the world of the commoners, people seem to live here after they've tired of the snow, rain, or expensive real estate in their hometowns, not because they were born here.

But here are 10 celebrities we'll always claim -- whether they were born or grew up in the Valley of the Sun.

See also
- David Spade Donates $100,000 to Police Department for New Rifles
- Paul Reiser on Getting Back into Stand Up, Helen Hunt's Success, and How He Ruined Steve Buscemi's Comedy Career
- Jim Adkins, What Are You Listening To?

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will_v_us flickr.com

As warmer temperatures inch their way up in the Valley, thousands will gather to watch the pre-season quarrels of great American pastime. The carefree days of spring training hit Arizona's stage again, bringing in 15 major-league teams from around the nation.

Limited to two destinations nationwide, Arizona (Cactus League) and Florida (Grapefruit League) are the the reigning baseball preseason havens. Aside from the idyllic temperatures and pristine lawn conditions, Jackalope Ranch envies more than just the players' athletic abilities.

See also:
- A Spectators Guide: NFL's 10 Hottest Players in Celebration of Super Bowl XLVII
- The Nine Best Baseball Movies Ever
- Steve Wiley Talks Baseball, Coaching his Kids, and Little League of Their Own

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http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/hotnflplayers

The Super Bowl is right around the corner, which means it's time to prepare yourself for chugging cheap light beer, inhaling heaping portions of nachos, and rooting for the team you feel deserves the title for an entire Sunday.

The Super Bowl is the conclusion to most red-blooded Americans' thirst for professional and individual competition -- that is, until August, when this traditional round-up starts again.

Though the sport's attention to hard bodies is usually reserved for the teams' cheerleaders, the league also is populated with a score of x-chromosome carrying athletic eye-candy. Not only are these pros the best at this full-contact sport, they definitely do a body good and keep onlookers drooling over their sculpted features.

See also...
- Metal Mondays: The 10 Hottest Chicks in Metal
- Hottest Nun Gets the Most Press
- The Fan's Year in Sports, 2012

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As I write this, the year isn't over. But I can say that, once again in 2012, I didn't see a whole lot more than 10 plays I enjoyed so super-much I had to debate internally about putting them on this list. On the other hand, the ones that were good were really outstanding (so that it was nearly impossible to assign an order to them), two of them were from the Phoenix Fringe Festival, which I'm ecstatic about, and all this happened in a year when there were a lot of plays honoring Arizona's centennial, which I'm just going to say didn't help.

If you feel like killing some time reading out-of-date theater criticism, each entry's heading contains a link to the original Curtains review. Happy Holidays, friends!

10. Actors Theatre's Hunter Gatherers
If Ron May had more free time, I'd consider hiring him to direct my life. That's how confident you should be about going to a show he's helmed. The convincingly weird couples at the epic, dysfunctional yet oddly jubilant dinner party in this play were beautifully acted, and the action was violent, sexy, and compelling.

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Benjamin Leatherman

If there's one constant to this time of year (other than nonstop Christmas music), it's lights and lots of 'em. Glowing displays of color cover businesses, public parks, and numerous other locales as everyone except the grinches get into the holiday swing of things.

Besides all the gorgeously ginormous public or commercial displays that decorate the Valley -- including Glendale Glitters, ZooLights, or Las Noches de las Luminarias - countless local residents have spent a pretty penny or countless man-hours creating impressive-looking light DIY displays for their homes, many of which involve computer-driven synchronization or other nifty high-tech amenities. We've picked out 10 of our favorite houses and neighborhood around town, each of which offers plenty of Christmas charm.

See also:
- Jackalope Ranch's Gift Guides for 2012
- Five Must-See Movies in December

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First it was the box office's highest-grossing film in the world, then it was the creepiest (and rarely well-executed) Halloween costume, and now, it's the inspiration for Avastar, a nightclub in South Africa.

Despite (but maybe because of?) the fiber optic lights, Na'vi-fied paintings, and blue ... everything, the club just doesn't feel as magical and big budget as the James Cameron epic. Admit it, the club looks like those glow in the dark felt posters from the Dollar Store.

Getting your drink on as an Avatar seems cool and all, but here are 10 movies we'd much rather see as nightclubs, in no particular order.

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Photos by Benjamin Leatherman

In the mood for a little slumming? Any of the dank dives populating metro Phoenix are sure to do the trick, each of which offer cheap booze, cheap thrills, and memorable drinking experiences aplenty.

While many of our favorite local dives have fallen by the wayside (such as Neuman's, Pete's Newsroom, Six East, or Mecca Lounge) over the years, plenty of other beer and booze joints dot the Valley landscape and feature all the hallmarks of a classic dive experience: Furnishings held together with duct tape, copious stains of a questionable nature, and various pickled foodstuffs lurking about in jars.

Here's our list of some of the best places to get a little bit of the lowlife in your nightlife.

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Ludovic Bertron/Wikimedia Commons

Here's a little factoid that's perfect for your mental Rolodex: The Valley's oldest gay bar still in operation is the venerable Nu-Towne Saloon, which has been alive and kicking over by the Tovrea Castle since 1971. A few years later in 1974, the equally esteemed Apollo's Lounge opened up along Seventh Street right around the time that Tricky Dick was in some seriously hot water.

While both Apollo's and Nu-Towne (which recently reopened after nearly being destroyed by a major fire in 2010) are still in existence, the local gay bar scene is a much busier place. More than two-dozen bars and nightclubs dot the Valley, each aimed at a different slice of the LGBT community and each offering their own mix of potent pours, cheap drinks, and cheap thrills. Here's a rundown of some of our favorite spots.

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photo by Claire Lawton

​There are plenty of reasons to check out local artwork beyond it being one of the designated "days" our community has become so fond of. First Friday, Third Friday, Final Friday, Third Thursday, Second Saturday -- just leave the house already. More »