Hot Stuff for a Cooler Season

By Alana Stroud
Jungle Love at the Phoenix Zoo

Spend this Valentine’s Day with some unusual friends from the animal kingdom, courtesy of the Phoenix Zoo! On February 13 from 6–9 p.m., the Phoenix Zoo will host an entertaining evening that will feature Spanish-inspired cuisine, an open bar, and Flamenco dancing. Some of your favorite critters will even greet you at the door! Tickets are $80 per person. phoenixzoo.org

The Big West Valley Home & Landscape Show

Completely unique, and different from other Maricopa County Home Shows, this edition on March 5–7 at the University of Phoenix Stadium will feature vendors and companies from all over the Phoenix area that are specialists in their field. They’re ready to help you make your home and yard special, creative places tailored to you and yours. maricopacountyhomeshows.com

2010 Olympics

Our friendly neighbors to the north host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Vancouver, Canada, a favorite of famous faces, will welcome the world’s greatest athletes for the best in cold-weather competition. If you weren’t fortunate enough to score tickets to the Games yourself, you can keep up with the events by watching them on TV. Host viewing parties during your favorite events, complete with Olympic-themed food (see this issue’s Flavor recipe) and fun! vancouver2010.com

St. Patrick’s Day Feast

Watch a culinary master demonstrate how to prepare a spectacular St. Paddy’s Day feast at the Classic Cooking Academy in Scottsdale on March 12 from 7–9:30 p.m. This interactive event is also a tasty one: the studio audience dines on the finished product! $60 per person. pvc.maricopa.edu/ce/spring/cooking.html

Long Lashes

One of the spring 2010 fashion trends is long, beautiful eyelashes. Whether you heavily apply the mascara, apply false lashes, try out lash-growing products, or even go the “permanent” route by having individual lashes glued on (these last a couple of weeks), now is the time to accentuate those lashes and bat them to your benefit!

Spring Break

Spring break is not just for college students, who frequent top destinations like Cancun or Acapulco, Mexico; Panama City, Florida; or our own Lake Havasu for the social event of the year. You could take advantage of the break to explore a European city or see the East Coast. Or, if you’d rather keep it close to home, grab the kids and head out to the baseball park or the zoo or go play in the snow up north before the sun melts it away!

Bona Fide, Not Bogus

Home interior trends for 2010 are all about what’s “real” and disregarding faux pieces. Hand-me-downs and generational pieces have become wildly popular. Fill your home with woods, metals, watermarks, and even rust spots—the more imperfections, the better. With the recent trend toward green products, the more natural your interior, the more you help the environment.