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PHOENIX LEGACY<br />
By Robert Sentinery<br />
BUZZ<br />
Last month’s Modern Phoenix Week got me thinking about our city’s legacy. The<br />
sense of optimism and innovation of Mid-century Modernism is the perfect symbol<br />
for Phoenix, a city that boomed during the post-war period. Public interest<br />
in preservation and restoration is on the rise, with the growing realization that<br />
what we leave behind for future generations is important.<br />
Phoenix has always had a rogue attitude about tearing down the past, but that<br />
seems to be changing. Successful projects like the Uptown Plaza restoration<br />
have shown developers that preservation can be profitable, and that retailers<br />
and the public are willing to pay more for character and a sense of history.<br />
One of the preservation/adaptive reuse projects that I’m most excited about<br />
is Modern Manor’s relocation to the former Paris Laundry building on 7th Ave.,<br />
slated for this summer. The iconic mid-century structure, with its prominent<br />
raked canopy and dynamic neon signage, exudes a space-age vibe brimming<br />
with optimism.<br />
Ryan Durkin, the man behind Modern Manor, has big plans for the project.<br />
Not only will it be a massive showroom for Mid-century Modern furniture and<br />
unique art, but there will be a café and bar on site and even a speakeasy tucked<br />
inside the fur storage vault. Durkin’s story is an interesting one, about a guy who<br />
always knew he would work for himself and the tenacity it has taken for him to<br />
get there (see “Modern Manor’s Ryan Durkin,” p. 12).<br />
When my father moved to Phoenix in 1947, it was a swinging little city. He was<br />
a musician and quickly found friends when he played his clarinet at jazz gigs<br />
around town. While jazz in AZ has had its ups and downs, there is currently a<br />
grassroots resurgence – but this isn’t your father’s jazz. Infusing heavy doses<br />
of hip hop, funk, prog rock and more, bands like House of Stairs, Alassane, the<br />
Color 8 and the Stakes are breaking new ground in sound with masterful musicianship<br />
(see “Alt Jazz Finds a Home in Phoenix: Six Bands on the Rise,” p. 34).<br />
Phoenix’s surrounding landscape is a big part of its appeal. Cloth & Flame is an<br />
innovative company that takes people to remote, unspoiled places around our<br />
state and then serves them farm-to-table meals. Many of their clients are from<br />
the corporate world or the wedding industry, but they do offer open-to-the-public<br />
dinners on occasion. Originally founded as hot air balloon ride company – thus<br />
the name – by a cool young couple, Cloth & Flame has grown into something<br />
really interesting (see “Cloth & Flame Ignites Adventurous Dining,” p. 30).<br />
Sky Black is one of Arizona’s most talented up-and-coming artists. His current<br />
exhibition at monOrchid Gallery (through June 1) is not to be missed. The dreamlike<br />
surreal imagery of his work is backed up by a masterful painting technique<br />
that belies his young age. He is also the co-creator of Arizona’s largest mural:<br />
over 5,000 square feet in area, it was painted on the side of the Orpheum Theater<br />
in Flagstaff over the course of two years (see “The Surrealistic Vision of Sky<br />
Black,” p. 8).<br />
WE PUT THE ART<br />
We cook till half past midnight every night of the year<br />
480.994.5576 • www.az88.com