14 Nov 23rd–Nov 29th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | designer items to upscale vintage, the floor is filled with handpicked items that will make you feel like each item was curated just for you. 2ty Fruity Pop-up Market and Disco is a celebration of creativity abundantly filled with passion projects from local queer artists, creators and entrepreneurs. The queer art collective called Thems has put on two successful pop-up markets at the Afternoons Studio. Wandering from vendor to vendor, you’ll see that artistry is evident. You’ll find recycled clothing, handmade trinkets and even home decor. Everything is eye-catching and chances are you won’t be leaving empty-handed. — SOPHIA BIAZUS Our palm oasis in the desert Like so many Phoenix residents, I didn’t grow up in Arizona. When I was a kid, the leaves turned orange in the fall and sturdy pine trees stood tall throughout the freezing winter. Never did I think I’d live somewhere with palm trees. To me, these skinny, foreign plants signified tropical paradises and island vacations. They meant days spent by the pool with piña coladas in hand. Now, my backyard sits in the shade of a gorgeous old palm tree growing across the street. I drive by tall tropical palms on my way to work. And gardeners cultivate specialty varieties throughout the Valley. I know that these trees aren’t particularly good for our desert environment. They don’t provide much shade and they don’t absorb carbon as well as other types of trees. Nevertheless, whenever the city feels overwhelming on a hot summer day, I can’t help but think how lucky we are to live somewhere with palm trees. Certain varieties of these gentle giants offer much more than vacation vibes. Phoenix is home to trees that produce Black Sphinx dates, a unique type of palm fruit that only grows in Arizona, offering a true local flavor. In Mesa, the Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus is home to the Date Palm Germplasm, a grove of 140 trees that grows and preserves rare date species. Some of the vari- eties were first brought to Phoenix in the 1800s and now aren’t grown anywhere else in the world. Types of dates grown there include Barhee, Khir, Amir Hajj, Khalasa, Khadrawy, Honey, Rhars, Sphinx and the ASU date, a hybrid discovered in a Glendale backyard in 1995. Some of the original Black Sphinx date groves were located in now-populated areas of Arcadia. A few trees remain in backyards where homeowners nurture these ancient fruit producers. In 2021 and again this year, the ASU grove partnered with Sphinx Date Co. in Scottsdale to bring unique dates to customers throughout the Valley. So palm trees mean so much more to the Valley than inspiring daydreams of ocean breezes. They remind us to enjoy the endless blue-sky days, they tie in to the rich agricultural history of this desert region and they produce gorgeous, sweet fruits at the same time. — TIRION BOAN A bounty of food, drinks and a dose of the outdoors Before moving to the desert, the word I most often saw associated with Phoenix was “beige.” People used it to paint, in broad strokes, everything from housing and landscape to food and culture. I don’t have enough space to share how decidedly false that is, but with each passing day, this transplant continues to be astonished by the deep commitment to a local food system, the unparalleled access to the outdoors and the blissful patio season. While having a freewheeling conversa- tion with a local chef turned baker, he said to me that, from a culinary perspective, Arizona has incredible food access. He was marveling at the amount of local grains grown and milled here, and his comment still sticks with me. In a place that on the surface seems infertile, I’ve been awed by the incredible bounty of local produce, animals and grains that make their way from nearby farms and ranches to our plates and glasses. It’s a testament to the people who take on hard and often thank- less work, as well as the markets and restaurants that do everything they can to put those ingredients — and the people behind them — on display. This tree-hugging Coloradan also had admittedly limited expectations for the outdoor activities in the Valley. Yet, I’ve found myself at trailheads just minutes from my front door, breezed along the canal on my bike and been whisked to the top of a ski slope in under three hours — a rare feat these days when driving from Denver to the Rockies. “How many summers have you been through?” is a common question I get when people learn I’m not from Arizona. This year marked four, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say that this summer was particu- larly hard. While day trips to Prescott and Flagstaff offered some reprieve, I feel like I’ll savor this patio season Giving Thanks from p 13 >> p 16
