flagstaff arizona – Gail G. Collins

First Friday gets a facelift: April’s ArtWalk to breathe fresh air into the monthly event

AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living, April 2, 2023

Written by Gail G. Collins

As spring’s light glows in early evening, the silhouetted San Francisco Peaks afford a dramatic backdrop. Nestled below, downtown Flagstaff generates an energy all of its own, buoying people’s spirits. Heritage Square rocks with blasts of brass, and bodies sway to the beat as little ones dance and clap. A boy tugs at his mother’s arm and points at his drawing on display. Lively lit galleries beckon. There is art to admire—paintings and photography, jewelry and glasswork, wood and ceramic, crafts and creations. Some shops offer a treat or a sweet sip, while others stage a musician on guitar. At the corner, a tourist studies a map and points out a historic hotel, neon letters glowing. A happy babble floats upward from crowded streets, and First Friday ArtWalk is in full swing.

First Friday ArtWalk is held monthly, presented by Desert Financial Credit Union in partnership with Flagstaff Downtown Business Alliance and Creative Flagstaff. The venue welcomes and hosts activities with variations of music, art and food. The next event will be held on April 7, 2023 from 5 p.m.- 9 p.m.

“We are coming into a robust year for ArtWalk, and April ends up being the big kick-off for activities,” says community engagement manager Liz Hewat. “People are ready to be out and about.”

As always, 20-30 businesses and galleries participate in ArtWalk, offering integrated venues for pop-up art exhibits, handcrafted items and entertainment. “It’s a great event, community-driven,” says Hewat. “ArtWalk has been around in some capacity since the 90s—the gallery owners established the event.”

Pato Thai offers authentic and comforting meals as this year’s Best Thai Restaurant

Best of Flagstaff December 2020

Written by Gail G. Collins

Thai culture treats every meal as a social occasion. Generally, dishes are ordered and shared family style—colorful stir fries and fragrant curries eaten in happy company. The meal does not contain courses as much as choices from many categories arriving all at once. These include a variety of meat and fish dishes, served with rice and noodles, plus egg soup and simple fruit, such as pineapple or mango, for dessert. Within these dishes, a mix of sweet, salty, sour and spicy elements balances out a satisfying meal.

In Flagstaff, we are spoiled for choice with authentic restaurants owned by Thai people.

Such is the case at Pato Thai, where a strong clientele has been keeping its door swinging for years. Customer input has a great deal to do with their specific recipes. They strive for authenticity, but stress each restaurant in town meets their customers’ tastes. It has earned Pato Thai this year’s award for Best Thai Restaurant.

Pato’s veggie wraps are enticing and eaten like sushi rolls. The vegetable Panang curry is available with any meat, seafood or tofu and incorporates bell pepper, green beans, peas and carrots in thick gravy made of chili paste, peanut sauce and coconut milk. The tom ka soup, or chicken galangal soup, is a reddish coconut broth with two kinds of fresh mushroom, tomatoes, lemon grass, lime juice, cilantro and choice of meat or tofu—lively on the spoon. The papaya salad is large with zingy sweet and hot flavors in a crisp, shredded mix of vegetables and green papaya with a shrimp atop. A favorite among regulars is the pineapple fried rice, adding sharp and sweet to sticky comfort food.

The atmosphere at Pato gives the impression of eating in a roadside stand with a row of worn, pastel doors as a backdrop along the wall. Tight tables remind guests of busy Asian food halls, but with current safety guidelines in place as necessary. Dark wood, pale paint and chandelier sparkles contrast for casual glitz.

Asian philosophy centers around good luck, and Pato has channeled that local love. It has also enjoyed the serendipity. In August 2008, as Paul McCartney and his girlfriend Nancy Shevell, now his wife, traveled the storied Mother Road in a 1989 blue Ford Bronco, they stopped over in Flagstaff. Like past celebrities, McCartney booked into the historic Monte Vista Hotel. Craving a curry, the pair popped into Pato Thai for a late bite. The low-key couple sought no attention, but the doors were locked, and a private party ensued. Special vegetarian dishes were prepared, and Pato Thai guests enjoyed an unforgettable evening. A small photo of the staff and McCartney plus a signed menu remind guests that hospitality is always the best gift. BESTofFLAG2020

https://azdailysun.com/pato-thai-offers-authentic-and-comforting-meals-as-this-years-best-thai-restaurant/article_e08ee43e-e347-58bc-a4dd-cd4f807603e3.html

Cajun Cuisine Cruising

Satchmo’s and Roux 66 Bring the Bayou Flavors to Town

Northern AZ’s Mountain Living Magazine, March 2017

Written by Gail Collins

Although Mardi Gras may be a revelry in our rear view mirrors, the vision remains vivid. Fat Tuesday, so called for its excess, marks the last merriment before 40 days of piety. The intricate iron balconies of New Orleans are draped in rich purple, green and gold; the gumbo and jambalaya are spicy; the jazz is syncopated; and the bawdiness of Bourbon Street contrast with genteel colonial mansions. The whole of it creates an intoxicating experience. This cradle of culture at the mouth of the Mississippi River blends Native American, African, French and Spanish influences among others. It is especially evident in their language of food, where you can savor sugar-dusted beignets or pork and rice boudin. Mostly, one senses a party—whether it’s a backyard crawfish boil or festival fun—is always just around the corner.

Our olfactory-driven memories are the strongest, and all of this hit me at the door of Satchmo’s. The spicy smells of Creole cooking took me straight back to our days in New Orleans. And I grinned ear to ear. Owner Jamie Thousand is quick to say a Louisianan might turn up his nose to a batch of Satchmo gumbo offered on their turf. Family recipes are strongly respected and guarded. Thousand honors the Holy Trinity of onion, green pepper and celery in his dishes, but they are also wholly his own.

Continue reading “Cajun Cuisine Cruising”

A Major ‘Shift’

New Restaurant Bringing New Style to the Dining Scene

Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine Sept/Oct 2016

Story & Photographs by Gail G. Collins

Recently, a friend identified herself as a “foodie.” She is among well-nourished, burgeoning company. Different from a gourmand, a foodie does not distinguish between elite eating and chasing down a fusion taco truck. Their interests range from indie bistros, novel menus, farmers markets and heirloom products to local sourcing plus much more. Foodies enjoy the thrill of the hunt for new ingredients and value authenticity. They want to learn new techniques and enjoy the challenge. Such rising passions fueled the Food Network, cooking classes, gastronomic travel, gardening and interdisciplinary food studies at more than 30 U.S. universities and colleges. The continuing craze even spawned Foodies! The Musical—a comedy revue on the habits and quirks of the foodie life.

According to Maxwell PR + Engagement, a high concentration of the 79 million Millennials (aged 18-35) take the cake, as far as numbers, and self-identify as focused on food. Boomers rank second despite more disposable cash and time. The young and hungry set cuisine culture trends, organize living around food, eat ethnic or global meals routinely, seek artisan over brand products, align with organic or whole food movements and find self-expression in fare. Overwhelmingly, the culinary paparazzi share all of it on social media. And in 2014, for the first time, money spent dining out surpassed their grocery budget. Simply put, this particular generation prefers the consumption of experiences, and they utilize food as social capital through exploration and education. Such open-mindedness has created a business opportunity for chefs that did not exist previously.

Enter Shift Kitchen and Bar. Their mission: To SHIFT the mentality of the “normal” dining experience. In the tradition of small plates, the kitchen serves food as it is made with the aim of sharing amongst diners. This new approach, located on San Francisco Street, is the brain child of Dara and Joe Rodger, who possess a few decades of hospitality practice between them. Dara claims “a passion for pastry and a penchant for perfection,” and learned alongside Bobby Stuckey and Marc Vetri. Native Arizonan, Joe, has stood beside Jeremy Fox and Aaron London with a local stint at Tinderbox, which brought the couple from Colorado to Flagstaff again.

“Flag won out. The area had more of a need for the concept of an open center with upscale plating,” Joe said. “We’re ingredient-driven and add imagination to create magic on a plate.” A premium example is the coconut sorbet popsicle with honey meringue chips and sticks, coconut snow, blood orange gel and panna cotta cubes. The islands call through the rich coconut and tangy citrus droplets, teasing with textures in a light, engaging, barely sweet, refreshing climax to a meal. “The garnish is playful, tying in memory in an approachable treat to ‘shift’ people to a new level,” Dara explained. Continue reading “A Major ‘Shift’”