64 MEGALOPOLITAN LIFE SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2025.C0M | BEST OF PHOENIX 2025 Phoenix location, and what began as a humble gathering at host Cylie Naylor’s business, North and Co., is now a flourishing commu- nity of writers who take up most of the book- store’s event space. Writers put their own prompts into a hat that are then pulled out and read aloud before a seven-minute timer is started. This writing workshop encourages new voices to share for the first time, while creating a space for more established Phoenix poets to share their work. e e e B E S T P R E S E R VAT I O N O F L O C A L H I S T O R Y THE NEON GARDEN AT THE POST 26 N. MACDONALD, MESA DOWNTOWNMESA.COM/GO/NEON-GARDEN Call it the ultimate glow up. When Mesa flipped the switch on the Neon Garden outside of community event space The Post in May, the city’s downtown got a whole lot brighter. The new open-air display isn’t only eye candy — it’s also a comeback story. Five vintage signs from historic Main Street busi- nesses now glow with new life, lighting the garden with nostalgic charm. Each was restored by the Mesa Preservation Founda- tion and offers a glimpse into the city’s neon- lit midcentury past. There’s a towering, bloom-covered sign from Watson’s Flowers, removed in 2014 after decades of wear and tear. Nearby, a sleek porcelain enamel Dairy Queen sign is adorned with a soft-serve cone, while a kitschy display from Bill Johnson’s Big Apple includes a bull’s head, rustic lettering and the defunct restaurant’s famous slogan of “Let’s Eat.” Another highlight: a 15-foot-tall replica of Mesa’s famed Diving Lady from the Starlite Motel, the last animated neon sign in Arizona. Created by local neon artist Larry Graham, who helped restore the original after it was damaged by a microburst in 2010, it’s a glowing tribute to a beloved piece of Valley history. e e e B E S T T R I B U T E T O P H O E N I X H I S T O R Y WALLACE AND LADMO WAY FIRST AVENUE AND MCKINLEY STREET Wallace and Ladmo loom large in Valley lore. From 1954 to 1989, the iconic duo’s epony- mous children’s show on KPHO Channel 5 entertained generations of locals with zany skits, offbeat characters and absurdist humor. Then there were the coveted Ladmo Bags — paper sacks crammed with candy, toys and other treats — that were given away on the show and at live appearances around town. Bill “Wallace” Thompson and Ladimir “Ladmo” Kwiatkowski became beloved Valley legends. Their legacy lives on through tributes around town: At the Phoenix Zoo, bronze statues of Wallace, Ladmo and Gerald (the show’s bratty villain played by local TV icon Pat McMahon) sit together on a bench. A vibrant mural of the trio also brightens the exterior of First Studio, KPHO’s original home in downtown Phoenix. This year brought yet another honor: In March, the Phoenix City Council voted unanimously to rename the intersection of First Avenue and McKinley Street near First Studio as “Wallace and Ladmo Way.” The unveiling ceremony in April was attended by family, friends and former cast and crew. Naturally, Ladmo Bags were handed out. Because Wallace and Ladmo wouldn’t have it any other way. e e e B E S T WA Y T O S TA Y C O O L ¡SOMBRA! 602-262-4637 SOMBRAPHX.ORG In a place as hot as the Valley, thinking creatively about how to stay cool can save lives. The ¡Sombra! project fused public art with outdoor shading in nine parks around Phoenix. Artists created temporary struc- tures that integrated textiles — something not often seen in large outdoor installations. Those craftspeople used everything from grandma quilts to Chinese chorizo as inspi- ration for their massive, engaging works. Each installation soared overhead and cast shadows that were cooler than the unshaded areas around them by double digits. Though the exhibition of these beautiful, functional pieces just ended, it’s the kind of outside-the- box thinking we need more of as Phoenix works to keep its residents cool. e e e B E S T Q U E E R H A N G O U T THEMS. THEMSPHX.COM If you’re looking for a sober, creative and inclusive event space in the Valley, you’ll want to follow thems. on Instagram. Scroll through their profile and you’ll stumble upon an array of invites, from an upcoming leather workshop led by a queer artist to a colorful flyer promoting an all-queer vendor market. The LGBTQ+-focused group hosts monthly events and workshops for the community. From queer photography exhibits to drawing workshops, attendees can mingle with like- minded individuals while focusing on art. The organization’s biggest event is Fruity Poetry Night, in which hundreds of guests gather at a changing location and pour their hearts out, open-mic style. Trying to stay away from booze these days? No problem — the events thems. hosts don’t include alcohol. e e e B E S T T H I R D S P A C E FUTURO 909 N. FIRST ST. PALABRAPHX.COM/FUTURO Would you like a Mexican candy-flavored latte with your local art exhibit viewing while you delight in an experimental club- folk performance? Us too. That’s where Futuro comes in. The downtown Phoenix coffee shop first popped up in 2016 as an ode to owner Jorge Ignacio Torres’ Mexican ancestry. A hair salon can be accessed through clear doors on either side of the coffee section, and on some nights, it turns into a foggy, dream-like music venue where intimate, alternative performances occupy the stage. Those who walk past the mini- malist text that clings to the plain white walls on the outside of the establishment could miss just how cool the space is inside. Walk inside to order a specialty drink like their cafe de olla latte and delight in thoughtfully curated artwork by local creatives while you wait for your libation (and you might wait a minute; Futuro prides itself on a slow, metic- ulous coffee-making process). Futuro cele- brates artists and musicians, all intentionally vetted to mesh beautifully with each other and the shop’s anticolonial flavors, sounds and creations. e e e B E S T P L A C E T O T A K E A N O U T - O F - T O W N E R MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM 4725 E. MAYO BLVD. 480-478-6000 MIM.ORG Erudite guests from the coasts or other major cities like to gloat about their cultural offerings. Take them to the MIM, but be sure to allot enough time: This expansive monu- ment to music requires more than a quick two-hour cruise-through. The upstairs global galleries, arranged geographically, display more than 7,500 instruments from 200 nations and territories, from African drums to Scottish bagpipes to Native Amer- ican flutes. You don’t just stare at static objects: As you approach, music fills your headphones. Videos show many of them being played. Downstairs, you’ll find a glorious pipe organ and a guitar collection, a gallery with fascinating rotating exhibits and a popular and ever-changing display of works by modern musical icons. You might see Dick Dale’s guitar, stage outfits from Johnny Cash and Taylor Swift, Prince’s purple piano or the handwritten lyrics for Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman,” among other thrilling pieces of musical history. Also, the museum hosts a robust calendar of live music and boasts an excellent restaurant and world-class gift shop.
