The last time the Giants and Patriots met in the Super Bowl the game was played in our backyard at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Phoenix has to wait until 2015 to host another Super Bowl but this year’s Giants/Patriots rematch can be celebrated at a variety of Downtown restaurants, pubs, bar, lounges, and watering holes.

Coach & Willie’s

One of Downtown’s favorite sports bars is offering a complimentary buffet from 4 p.m. to halftime, food and drink specials, and a chance to win 2 sets of lower-level Rattlers season tickets.

Crescent Ballroom

The music venue’s “Pabst It To Me, I’m Open” Super Bowl party will feature the big game on the lounge’s big screen, plus $2 Pabst, $5 Honey Badgers, $6 Nachos, and homemade Cracker Jack, all starting at 3 p.m.

District American Kitchen & Wine Bar

Enjoy a Super Bowl menu that will satisfy any football fan, including $1 sloppy Joe sliders, cheesy corn dogs, baked macaroni & cheese, Schreiner’s beer hot sausages, plus half-priced bottles of wine and other drink specials all day.

Friday’s Front Row

Friday’s Front Row at Chase Field is offering all-you-can-eat hot wings. Chow down and watch the game on one of their 32 flat screen TVs.

Hooters Arizona Center

Is there a better place to spend a full day soaking up all the Super Bowl hoopla? Probably not, and to make it even sweeter Hooters will serve you 20 traditional wings and 60 ounces of beer for $20. That’s real. While you’re enjoying the game and surroundings enter to win a new flat screen TV.

Majerle’s Sports Grill

Downtown Dan and the gang are offering $3 Bloody Marys, bottomless mimosas, and all day breakfast.

Mi Amigos

Mi Amigos at Arizona Center is serving drink specials and discounted party platters all day long.

Networks

The Hyatt Regency Phoenix sports bar is offering a beer bucket special all day long: 5 Coors Light or Miller Lite bottles for $15.

Rose & Crown Pub

It’s a seafood bash and Downtown’s famous English pub, with all-you-can-eat seafood boil–crawfish, lobster, crab, mussels, potatoes, corn on the cob, and sausage–for $20 from 1-5 p.m.

Steve’s Greenhouse Grill

Inside or out on the patio, enjoy a dozen wings and a micro brew beer for $8.95, or a burger and fries for $8.95, plus $3 touchdown shots, $1.75 Miller Lite specials, and happy hour well drinks all day.

Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery

Spend your Super Bowl Sunday at CityScape with the Tilted Kilt girls and enjoy their tailgate breakfast menu until 11 a.m., then drink specials all day while you catch the action on 3 giant projection screens and 37 plasmas inside and out on the patio.

Tom’s Tavern & 1929 Grill

Tom’s is serving a special Super Bowl brunch all day long.

Enjoy the game!

Wednesday, Feb. 1, a months’ long search for Arizona’s chocolate dessert champion will culminate with an epic battle at Hyatt Regency Phoenix’s Compass Arizona Grill.

The public is invited to come watch the live cooking contest, co-sponsored by Copper Square Kitchen, Urban Cookies and Classic Cakes and Confections, with the (egg) beating and kneading beginning at 1 p.m.

From Nov. 22, 2011 to Jan. 6, recipes were submitted to organizers. Recipes had to meet four requirements: 1) Must be local; 2) Must feature chocolate; 3) Must be original; and 4) Couldn’t be a winner of any previous contests.

“We are taking a creative yet fun approach to give some Arizonans the chance to become famous locally,” said Compass director of catering Jerry Malone. “It’s a great and exciting opportunity.”

The winner of the contest will have their creation showcased on the Compass Arizona Grill’s special Valentine’s Day menu and throughout the month of February.

Downtown Phoenix is host to over 50 events this weekend. Here’s a sampling to wet your whistle.

You spin me right round, baby, right round

Two of the premier DJs in the Valley are playing Downtown venues Thursday night. DJ Sean Watson is at District American Kitchen & Wine Bar from 7-11 p.m. (FREE) and DJENTRIFICATION joins Dengue Fever and Secret Chiefs 3 at Crescent Ballroom starting at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $14.

Putting the fun in dysfunction

“My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish, and I’m In Therapy,” plays all weekend at Herberger Theater Center. The hit New York comedy was inspired by the author’s hilariously dysfunctional family, and all the people in his life whose sole purpose was to drive him into therapy… and they succeeded. One part lasagna, one part kreplach, and two parts prozac, you don’t have to be Jewish or Italian to love this show.  All you need is to know what it feels like to leave a family dinner with heartburn and a headache. Showtimes vary, tickets are $39.50-$49.50. Psychological thriller “9 Circles” also continues its run in the Kax Theater. Showtimes vary, tickets are $16 in advance or $20 at the door.

“We got a grease man.”

The Peking Acrobats perform at Comerica Theatre Friday night and these gravity defying entertainers remind me of this scene in Ocean’s Eleven where Rusty and Danny recruit The Amazing Yen to be in their crew. Show starts at 7:30, tickets are $25-$48.

High culture at Orpheum Theatre and Symphony Hall

The beautiful and enthralling ballet “MOMIX Botanica” stops in Downtown for two shows at Orpheum Theatre, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $17-$21. Meanwhile, over at Symphony Hall, Arizona Opera performs “Madama Butterfly.” Showtimes vary Friday-Sunday, with tickets starting at $40.

Truckasaurus Rex and PTero Dactal the Prehistoric PT Cruiser

You can see less fictional monster trucks Saturday at the Advanced Auto Parts Monster Jam at Chase Field. Show is at 7 p.m. and tickets start at $20. Or, fans can watch the action in style at Friday’s Front Row. Call 602-462-3506 for details.

Grand opening for new loft rentals

Looking for a place to live Downtown? The Summit at Copper Square is now leasing units and they are holding an Open House all day on Saturday. While you’re checking out the fancy urban digs, enter to win 2 tickets to Saturday night’s Suns/Grizzlies game.

Fluffy returns to Phoenix with Stand-Up  Revolution Tour

Stand Up Live hosts Gabriel Iglesias and friends for one night only, Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $38.50-$46.50. Also, Friday-Sunday, Stand Up Live welcomes the “undisputed queen of comedy” Sommore. Two shows Friday and Saturday (7:30 and 9:45 p.m.) and a 7 p.m. show on Sunday. Tickets are $28.

Have a great weekend in Downtown Phoenix!

Want more Downtown Phoenix?

Your weekly guide to events in Downtown is available in the What’s Happening!

Downtown’s newest restaurant, Chloe’s Corner, opened last week in the CityScape plot formerly occupied by Oakville Grocery  and business is already booming.

The lunch crowd on Wednesday was thick, with formidable lines at both at the coffee bar and the lunch counter. Good thing the new layout seemingly doubled the seating occupancy.

The eatery from Sam Fox and Ashly Young offers hot and cold sandwiches, salads, pizza, breakfast items, meals to go, and a few grocery items.

The coffee/wine bar has 50-cent cups of coffee and all the regular hot and cold beverage favorites, not to mention some wine and tap beers.

Salads ($6.00-$8.50)

Corner Chop, Chinese Chicken, Albacore Tuna, Caesar, Spinach, Greek, Chef’s, Antipasta

Sandwiches ($4.75-$8)

HOT:  Grilled Cheese, Hot Turkey/Roast Beef/Pastrami, Tuna Melt, Chicken Pesto, BLT

COLD: Tuna/Chicken/Egg Salad, Italian, Chipotle-Raspberry Turkey, Cold Roast Beef/Turkey

Pizza by the Slice ($3)

Soup of the Day ($2.50 cup / $5 bowl)

Breakfast $5-$7.50)

Egg Sandwich, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait, Chorizo and Egg Burrito, Bagel and Lox, Steel Cut Oatmeal, plus a la carte items

Hours:
Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, 8:00 a.m – 4:00 p.m.

If you’re looking to fill your weekend’s social calendar, Downtown Phoenix offers the perfect blend of urban nightlife, culture, family friendly events, dining, and live music.

Grab a slice of pizza from Downtown’s newest pizza parlor, Downtown Pizza Lounge (144 E. Washington St.). Phoenix Suns assistant coach and former shooting star Dan Majerle opened this lunch spot last week next door to his flagship bar and restaurant, Majerle’s. Chow down on huge $3 pizza slices (popular varieties like pepperoni, sausage, Margherita, etc.) while getting your SportsCenter fix. Downtown Pizza Lounge might stay open late depending on Downtown’s event calendar.

Friday at 5:30 p.m., Coach & Willie’s hosts Super Date for Super Nate, a benefit dinner and poker tournament for Nate Dinoffria and his family. Please read Nate’s story here. A dinner ticket is $25, a spot in the poker tournament is $50, and dinner and poker can be had for the unbeatable price of $65. You may also sponsor a poker table for $250. For more information about Nate and this event contact dmobilia@aol.com

Thursday night, Kincaid’s (2 S. 3rd St.) spotlights San Tan Brewing Company’s craft beers with special happy hour pairings from 5-7 p.m. Try San Tan’s famous Hop Shock IPA with ground Kobe beef bites or their Sex Panther Double Chocolate Porter with black-crusted smoked sirloin.

Fans of FX Network’s raunchy fantasy football sit-com “The League,” can see one of the show’s stars, Steve Rannazzisi (you’ll be quizzed on the spelling of that name at the door), perform his “You’re Either In Or You’re Out” routine at Stand Up Live Thursday-Sunday. Tickets are just $15 and parking is free when you validate at the CityScape garage.

Take the kids to see Disney On Ice’s “Toy Story 3″ at US Airways Center Thursday-Sunday. Tickets are $14-$68, which is pretty cheap fare to go to infinity and beyond.

Check out local favorites What Laura Says (pictured, left) at Downtown’s hippest new lounge and music venue Crescent Ballroom, Friday at 8:30. Tickets are $8-$10. While you’re there, try Crescent’s already legendary signature cocktail, the Honey Badger.

Speaking of live music, the Chris Parker Project will be playing its scintillating blend of Motown and 70s funk Friday night at Copper Blues starting around 8:30 pm. No cover!

Herberger Theater Center rolls out a few shows this weekend, including “My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish & I’m In Therapy” Thursday-Sunday ($39.50-$49.50), and psychological thriller “9 Circles” in the Kax Theater Thursday-Saturday ($16-$20).

Irish folksters Trevor Jones and Nick Heyward play at The Turf Pub (705 N. 1st St.) 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.

The Phoenix Symphony presents “Pictures At An Exhibition” Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Symphony Hall.  Tickets start at $18.

There’s also Food Truck Friday (11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) and Saturday Market (8 a.m. to 1 p.m.) at Phoenix Public Market, “Monster Manual, Venom, Busy Bones” at Arizona Science Center, and the kid-friendly Fourth Sunday Jam at Civic Space Park (5 p.m.) featuring DJ DJentrification.

Have a great weekend in Downtown Phoenix!

Want more Downtown Phoenix?

Your weekly guide to events in Downtown is available in the What’s Happening!

The start of 2012 brought welcome news that office vacancy in Downtown Phoenix is the lowest in years with Cassidy Turley reporting a 16 percent rate in the Fourth Quarter of 2011.

The news for the Downtown core business district is even better with Class A office vacancy at 13 percent as major tenants such as the Phoenix School of Law and United Healthcare have joined the Downtown community.  Despite recent economic challenges, the outlook for the Downtown office market looks bright as tenants look to take advantage of affordable rates and unique amenity packages.

Other sectors of Downtown development continue to thrive as we look forward to the completion of several major projects.  2012 will see the opening of the 250-room Hotel Palomar at CityScape, the Maricopa County Court Tower and the Health Sciences Education Building on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus. This year will also witness the groundbreaking of two landmark projects; the Arizona Cancer Center and Concord Eastridge student housing at Third Street and Roosevelt.

You don’t have to run 26.2 miles to enjoy this weekend’s PF Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in Downtown Phoenix.

The entire weekend will be a celebration of the Big Race–for distance runners, novice runners, never runners, et al–and much of the action will take place in our urban core.

It all starts Friday at 10 a.m. with the opening of the Arizona Health & Fitness Expo, which runs all day Friday and Saturday at Phoenix Convention Center.

For two days, over 60 exhibitors will offer free samples, showcase the latest in running gear, sports apparel, health and nutritional information, and much more.

Pick up some last-minute race essentials before race day and be sure to visit the Brooks Official Merchandise Store. All runners must visit the expo to pick up their race number, swag bag and t-shirt.

Friday evening CityScape is hosting a pre-race party featuring live music from headliner Fitz & the Tantrums and guests Jeordie & The Mixology Project.

Gates open at 5 p.m. with Jeordie & The Mixology going on at 5:30 and Fitz & The Tantrums performing around 7:15 p.m.

Chloe’s Corner (coming soon to the space formerly occupied by Oakville Grocery) will be on hand to help runners carb load and beer will be available for purchase on the plaza. Tickets are $19, or $13.10 when you use promo code RUNNER.  Buy your concert tickets here.

On Sunday the marathon starts from CityScape at 7:30.

There is a lot of activity happening in Downtown Phoenix this holiday weekend. Here’s a rundown of various street closures:

Supercross Fan Fest
9 a.m. Friday Jan. 13 until 6 a.m. Sunday Jan. 15
Jefferson from 3rd Street east to the entrance/exit of the Plaza East Garage
4th Street from Jefferson south to the entrance/exit of the Jefferson Streeet
5th Street from Jefferson north to the entrance/exit to the docks behind Phoenix Convention Center South

PF Chang’s Rock n’ Roll Marathon
9 a.m. Friday Jan. 13 until Midnight Friday Jan. 13
Central from Washington to Jefferson
Sunday Jan. 15
Washington from 2nd Street to 1st Avenue 4 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Washington from 1st Avenue to 7th Avenue 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Central from Washington to Jefferson 6 a.m. to Noon

MLK Day
9 a.m. Monday Jan. 16
Rolling Closures for the Dr. Martin Luther King Day March will be as follows:
Begins at Pilgrims Rest Church
15th Street and Washington, west on Washington
North at 5th Street where the group will proceed to Moreland
West to 3rd Street

Please join the Downtown Phoenix Partnership as we celebrate another great year of progress at the Annual DREAMR (Downtown Revitalization Effort Awards of Merit and Recognition) Awards Luncheon Monday, February 6, 2012 at the new Marriott Renaissance Phoenix Downtown. Your support for this event, which honors those who have made significant contributions to the continued revitalization of Downtown Phoenix, is greatly appreciated.

As Downtown Phoenix grows in vibrancy and richness of experience we realize more and more that it is the contributions of the people of our community that make it vital for all of us. So please join us again this year, to recognize and celebrate the individuals and businesses that truly made a difference in 2011. This year’s event will feature a keynote speech from Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, who will share his vision for Downtown as we enter this next exciting chapter.

In addition to Mayor Stanton’s speech, we’ll be awarding DREAMR Awards in five categories (Private Sector Individual, Public Sector Individual, Organization, Project, and Unsung Hero), and the hotly anticipated Best Of Downtown Awards, which go to Downtown businesses and attractions based on popular vote.

Reserving a company table at this year’s DREAMR Luncheon is a tremendous opportunity to hear Mayor Stanton’s historical remarks while helping us celebrate Downtown’s many successes in 2011.

Tables are $700 and individual tickets are $70. To reserve call Julie De Anda at 602.744.6412 or email jdeanda@downtownphx.org

Again, thank you for your ongoing support of Downtown Phoenix and the DREAMR Awards Luncheon.  We look forward to seeing you on February 6th.

Over the next six weeks, Phoenix Public Market and Urban Grocery & Wine Bar encourage community foodies to support local talent by participating in the Winter Chef Series, your golden opportunity to pick up culinary tips from some of the Valley’s most talented chefs.

Each 2-hour demonstrations include 3 courses paired with Arizona wines or beers, plus a take-home recipe. Tickets are $55 each and Tuesday’s Series kickoff features Chef Elizabeth Meinz of Orange Table. From 6-8 p.m. Chef Meinz will take attendees through her “Breakfast for Dinner” concept, with savory pan syrup, prosciutto Benedict, ravioli with fresh herb ricotta, crispy prosciutto, eggs and bacon foam, all paired with Canelo Hills Chardonnay, Nimbus Blonde, and Pillsbury Child wine. This demonstration is sponsored by Hickman’s Family Farms and Maya’s Farm. Purchase tickets here.

If you missed Chef Meinz here’s a rundown of other great classes available in the coming weeks:

Tuesday, Jan. 17 / 6-8 p.m.

Italian Rustico Menu with Chef Jared Porter of The Parlor Pizzeria

Tuesday, Jan. 24 / 6-8 p.m.

Cooking with Chef Matt Taylor of Noca

Saturday, Jan. 28 / 2-4 p.m.

Cooking with Chef Danielle Leoni of The Breadfruit

Saturday, Feb. 4 / 2-4 p.m.

Cooking with Chef Mark Tarbell (pictured, left)

Tuesday, Feb. 7 / 6-8 p.m.

Cooking with Chef Tracy Dempsey of Tracy Dempsey Originals

Saturday, Feb. 18 / 2-4 p.m.

Winter Greens Ninja Class with food blogger Jennifer Woods

These classes are first come first serve and space is limited.

Eat Fresh, Buy Local!

The Phoenix Public Market consists of Urban Grocery & Wine Bar (Tuesday-Saturday 7a-8p; open til midnight on Fridays)

Open-Air Markets (Wednesdays 4p-8p and Saturdays 8a-Noon); and Food Truck Friday (11a-1:30p)

The Downtown Phoenix Partnership presents its annual salute to the people and places making the most significant impact in Arizona’s Urban Heart over the past year at the 18th Annual DREAMR Awards on February 6, from 11 a.m.  to 1:30 p.m., at the new Renaissance Phoenix Downtown by Marriott (formerly the Wyndham).

Keynote Speaker Mayor-Elect Greg Stanton will talk about the future of Downtown in his first post-inauguration public address and several community leaders will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to the revitalization of Downtown Phoenix.

The 2011 Best of Downtown Awards will also be announced. Vote for your favorite Downtown Phoenix businesses here.

Reserve your DREAMR ticket or table now by calling the Downtown Phoenix Partnership at (602) 744-6400.