BRAGG’S PIE FACTORY
1301 W GRAND AVE, PHOENIX
SATURDAY, APRIL 24
NOON-5PM

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Phoenix, AZ (April 14, 2010) – Announcing the first “Coffee, Cookies & Crafts” independent craft event to be held at Bragg’s Pie Factory on Saturday, April 24 from noon to 5:00 pm. This free event will be a celebration of local, independent art and crafts, with activities for the whole family.

The afternoon will offer a variety of activities including local vendors selling handmade goods, crafting demos, kids’ crafts, and a craft supply swap. Attendees will get to enjoy a pop-up coffee lounge with free coffee provided by Conspire and free baked goods from local bakeries Urban Cookies, Elemental Sugar, and Rikki Cupcake.

Crafting demos will include YUDU demos by Sarah Spencer and Cyndi Coon, lotion making demo with Strawberry Hedgehog, how to make a sustainable gift basket with ZonieBaskets, and more.

The CraftyChica, Kathy Cano-Murillo, will make a guest appearance. She will be reading from her new novel, Waking Up in the Land of Glitter. Books will be available for purchase and for a book signing. The first fifteen people will get free CraftyChica glitter.

The craft supply swap is open to everyone. Attendees are invited to bring old craft supplies and swap with others. Tables will be provided for the craft swap. Kids’ crafts will be organized throughout the day in a special area. Kids will be able to take home their very own creations. There is no charge to participate in the craft swap or the kids’ crafts.

Local vendors will include:

Alarmingly Charming,
An Owens Original,
annieWHERE,
Cherry Forever,
Crazy Chix Jewelry & Accessories,
hodgepodgebaby,
Kenzie Noelle Designs,
Moderncat Studio,
Paper Expressions,
Stanley Moon’s,
Starving Artist Bazaar,
Space Cadet,
Star de Luna,
Sticker Club Girl with Sassy Bee Designs,
Strawberry Hedgehog,
Urban Adornments,
Willo Wire Jewelry,
ZonieBaskets, and more.

AZ Lost Boys will also be selling their handmade cow sculptures for the Cow Project, with all proceeds benefiting the AZ Lost Boys Center.

“Coffee, Cookies & Crafts” at Bragg’s Pie Factory is presented by Moderncat Studio, Lucky Paper Arts, and Sticker Club Girl and is being sponsored by MADE Art Boutique, Practical Art, Local First Arizona, Conspire Arts Cooperative, Kooky Krafts Shop, and Blueberry Deluxe.

Bragg’s Pie Factory is located at 1301 W Grand Avenue in downtown Phoenix. For more information, please email coffeecookiesandcrafts@gmail.com.

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1. Fair Trade Festival this weekend!

Hi Everyone,

Az BioDiesel is still alive and producing for now without the $1 a gallon federal biodiesel tax credit.

It will hopefully be passed by Feb/March and be retroactive to Jan 1st but there are no guarantees.

For now, we (AZ BioDiesel) can afford to “weather the storm” and wait until the end of January to see if the tax credit will come back anytime soon.

Most plants around the country unfortunately, have closed or severely reduced production as they can’t weather a long wait to get the tax credit dollars.

The word is that if congress doesn’t get around to it before Feb, most of the industry will close and many may not be able to reopen. 29,000+ jobs will be lost very soon. Congress came back Jan 20th from their holiday break. Health care was still taking priority to anything else when they started.

Our industry is the victim of congress’ focus on health care and not having time to pass the biodiesel tax credit extension which helps biodiesel to be competitively priced to the already subsidized petroleum fuels.

Several senators (Dem & Rep) have sent letters to President Obama to get the extension passed quickly but, no answer yet.

Some are saying that Big Oil is behind this. The EPA was going to pass (this Feb) it’s new alt fuel standards which, for the first time, would include a national minimum requirement for 1 billion gallons of biodiesel to get the industry on its feet and growing. The EPA now is saying they may just give the 1 billion gallons to the ethanol industry to add to the minimum requirement they already have since they don’t believe the biodiesel industry can now live up to the new requirement.

Another win for Big Oil and their support of ethanol! The alternative fuel (ethanol) that isn’t a threat to the future of replacing petroleum oil.

It really concerns me that President Obama had the nerve recently to tout the $2.3 billion he gave out to create new forms of energy and add 17,000 jobs while he knows that the biodiesel industry is about to lose 29,000+ jobs and already can produce new energy but no one in congress or the white house seems to care. You’ll notice very little press about the loss of the biodiesel tax credit and it’s potential to bankrupt this industry even if they get around to passing an extension later in the year.

Please help save the biodiesel industry by going to this link and sending emails to our congressmen:

Your Help Is Needed to Reinstate the Biodiesel Tax Incentive
http://www.biodiesel.org/news/taxcredit/default.shtm

With your help, this industry can survive!!!

Thanks,
Dan Rees, AZ BioDiesel

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Click here to find a showing at Harkins Camelview in Scottsdale.

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Image from PBS story on the Basha Family

Click here to read about the Basha family from an interview with Eddie Basha, Jr.

Click here to find the Basha’s closest to you.

Here is some more info from Kimber Lanning over at Local First AZ:

As a proud Arizonan, I was alarmed at Bashas’ Chapter 11 filing last week. As our hometown grocer, Bashas’ family of stores holds a special place in our hearts. In addition to being one of the biggest contributors to Arizona charities, Bashas’ is also the state’s 12th largest employer.

I have no doubt Bashas’ will emerge from these bankruptcy proceedings a better company, but right now I can not encourage you enough to make the effort to shop locally. This is the time for Arizona to stand up and say ENOUGH!

We understand that investing in ourselves is the smartest, most sustainable thing we can do for our communities. In addition to their staff, Bashas’ also employs a team of accountants, attorneys, sign makers and web developers, to name a few, who live right here in Arizona. Bashas’ makes the effort to buy their office products from Wist, another Arizona company, and they have a credit union for their workers, which means more money staying here to be invested.

If you are a service provider of any kind, you know first hand how important it is to have strong Arizona businesses. Out of state corporations, even those operating here among us, do not hire locals for their administrative work, and that includes marketers, graphic designers, promotions people and a whole host of other jobs that are outsourced every day.

We are all in this together. Remember, almost three times more of our money stays here in Arizona when we shop locally, and that money goes to our libraries, our parks, our fire departments.

We are seeking long-term solutions for our great state, and a big part of that is supporting Arizona’s own companies. Please take a moment to reflect on a personal story that you have that relates to the Basha family. Perhaps it was the cookies donated to your child’s Little League team, or a charity that Eddie’s wife Nadine funded. Or, like me, maybe Eddie Basha came to your Coalition for World Peace class at ASU in 1985 and significantly changed the way you thought about the world.

These are hometown folks that need us now. Go the extra mile to reach a Bashas’, AJ’s, or Food City store near you. Because of your effort, Arizona will be a better place.

Locally yours,

Kimber Lanning
Director
Local First Arizona
(602) 956-0909
kimber@localfirstaz.com
_____________________________________________

Here’s what one community member is doing for Bashas’:

CLICK HERE

Read more about what Bashas’ has done for our community:

CLICK HERE

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1. Bashas’ supports local small business

Take the pledge to shop local June 19th thru July 5th and help keep independent business alive in Arizona! Why support local business?

• For every two jobs national retailers bring to a community, three jobs are lost as a result of local businesses closing down.
• When you shop locally-owned businesses, your money is re-circulated over and over and creates up to 75% more tax revenue to our community and state.
• Independent businesses raise the standard of living in your community because they take their profits and buy products and services from other local businesses, thus creating more and more tax revenues needed for the community to thrive.
• Millions of dollars of tax revenue subsidies handed to chains by financially-starved local governments drain even more tax revenue from our community and state.
• Blighted empty shopping areas are created in your community when chain stores re-locate to a more lucrative shopping center, or leave altogether. Literally hundreds of big stores are abandoned each year across the United States.
• Independent businesses are unique enterprises that contribute to the character of our community by offering a more diverse selections of goods and services.
• Independent businesses provide meaningful service with a personal touch. It matters to them that you are satisfied and will come back again.
• Carefully planned predatory pricing practices have allowed national chains to establish virtual monopolies as they drive local competition out of business. And then they raise their prices.

Check out Local First Arizona’s site for more information about this event.

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1. Your Help Is Needed to Reinstate the Biodiesel Tax Incentive

Lots of events going on today! Take a look at our events calendar to find something to do today. Working? There’s still many events on the weekend. Personally I’ll be working, but after that I’m heading over to the Phoenix Public Market and checking out all the many faces of small businesses that will be there today.

Have a great day!

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I love tea and there have been a few tea shops I’ve really loved in town but I didn’t realize there were so many! I will never complain about nowhere to go for tea again! Here are some tea places you can go to all over the state to support local business. Skip the Starbucks and try something new. Some of these places offer high tea, great for groups of friends. Most of them have a great selection of teas, some organic and fair trade so search around and find your favorite. I have so many to try, Souvia and Mandala are my favorites right now but I plan to check out as many as I can and hope you will do the same.

Gooseberries Tea Room
13216 North 7th Street
Phoenix, AZ

Souvia Tea Phoenix
15414 N 7th St #8
Phoenix, AZ

Souvia Tea – Scottsdale
4320 N. Miller Rd. #107
Scottsdale, AZ

English Rose
201 Easy Street
Carefree, AZ

Arizona Biltmore
2400 E Missouri Ave
Phoenix, AZ

Tea Court at The Phoenician
6000 East Camelback Road
Scottsdale, AZ

The Urban Tea Loft
11 West Boston Street, Suite #2
Historic Downtown Chandler, AZ

The Teeter House Tea Room
622 E. Adams Street
Phoenix, AZ 4 reviews

Seven Cups
2516 East 6th Street
Tucson, AZ

Mandala Tearoom
7027 E. 5th Ave
Scottsdale, AZ

Tessa’s Tea and Treasures
4700 N. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ

Tohono Chul Park
7366 North Paseo del Norte
Tucson, AZ

Hackett House
95 West 4th Street
Tempe, AZ

Chantilly Tea Room
5185 Genematas Drive
Tucson, AZ

Kimberly Ann’s Victorian Tearoom
7153 N. 59th Ave
Glendale, AZ

Steve’s Espresso Coffee & Tea House
1801 E Baseline Rd
Tempe, AZ

Francesca’s Tearoom
4628 North 7th Street
Phoenix, AZ

Tea Infusion
2000 East Rio Salado Parkway Suite 1064
Tempe, AZ

White August Tea Company
3607 E Bell Road, Suite 1
Phoenix, AZ

Applesauce Tea House
213 S San Francisco St
Flagstaff, AZ

Christine Moss & Allison Barta Tea Dreams
1090 S Gilbert Rd Ste 105
Gilbert, AZ

Chakra 4 Herb and Tea House
4773 N. 20th St
Phoenix, AZ

Tea Celebrations Studio
4200 N. Marshall Way
Scottsdale, AZ

Arcadia Farms
at the Phoenix Art Museum
2301 N Central Ave
Phoenix, AZ

Victorian Garden Tea Room
216 N Alarcon St
Prescott, AZ

The Library of Wine and Tea
212 W. Gurley St.
Prescott, AZ

The Tea Shoppe
7005 N 58th Ave
Glendale, AZ

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Why Shop Locally? When you shop at a locally owned business, 45 cents of every dollar stays in Arizona – versus only 13 cents of every dollar spent at a national chain!
Read more on Local First AZ >>

“The Many Faces of Small Business Festival”
Wednesday, April 22
4 – 8pm
Downtown Phoenix Public Market
712 N. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85004

Come downtown and visit the market for this special evening as Local First Arizona partners with The Downtown Public Market and ASBA to bring a great festival to the downtown area: “The Many Faces of Small Business,” – in celebration of the Market’s new, permanent “brick and mortar” building!

Expect to see the following vendors:
1.Sweet Republic
2.Kokopelli’s Kitchen
3.Belinda’s Pickles
4.Lizabel’s Treasures
5.Samurai Comics
6.Audrey Thacker
7. Wicked Wicker
8. Dos Cabezas
9. Green / That’s A Wrap
10.Strawberry Hedgehog
11.Tapino
12. Bruce Brown Catering
13. Cibo
14. Moira Sushi
15. Naturoli
16. Meat Shop
17. Bookmans
18. Shopdevious
19. Spinatos
20. Cookie Lee Jewelry (Bizemoms)
21. Seesaw Designs / GoGetGeek
22. Urban Farm / Yourguidetogreen.com
23. Melrose Pharmacy / Jeff Jameson (Jameson Associates)
24. SMoCA / Art On Boston
25. Foresite Foam / One Solar
26. Le Tutor
27. Maximum Business Advantage / Reconnect Locally
28. Mane Attraction / Healing Quest
29. Savvycollector / Allison Gee
30. Swedeclean / London Luxury
31. MJ Management Solutions / Watermark Insurance
32. Jamax Publishers / Design One

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As you know from my last post I have been really excited about the Soap for Hope soaps I have available where 50% of the price goes directly to support cancer charities. The soaps are available online as well as at my favorite Mesa cafe/yoga studio, Inside the Bungalow, who just so happen to be hosting a super cool event on May 2nd to support the St. Baldrick’s charity. So, last week I went to drop off the fresh lemon-rosemary soap there but before leaving I checked their blog only to find that Inside the Bungalow’s massage therapist, is donating ALL of the massage proceeds to the charity!

I couldn’t resist this opportunity to pamper myself while giving to charity. What a fabulously rewarding combination! Melissa, the massage therapist, is incredibly friendly and talented. She sets you at ease the moment you arrive, has a healing touch and warm personality, listening to your concerns and adjusting to your preference. The prices are out of this world and with all of the proceeds going to St. Baldrick’s through May you really have no excuse not to go! :c) Their scheduling and online payment system is super simple and I highly recommend you leap at the opportunity as I did. I am so impressed with Melissa’s ability as a massage therapist and her huge heart, I cannot believe her generosity donating all of her time and energy to heal her clients and support finding a cure for childhood cancer. WOW!

Click here for more info.

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Here’s a quote from AZ Biodiesel’s owner Dan Rees from local diesel forum sparkfree.com.

You told us…………”appointments are lame”

So………….no more appointments!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the map to our Gilbert location for you to get fuel:
http://azbiodiesel.com/contact.htm

And just to celebrate……..biodiesel now $2.50 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah!!!!!!!!! lower methanol prices allowed us to lower our price again!!!

Thanks everyone!
Dan

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