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Good morning, Scottsdale. You’re reading Scottsdale Scoop, your insider pass to what’s fun, fresh, and worth checking out around town. Every issue features hand-picked events, local business spotlights, and hidden gems that make our city great.
SCOTTSDALE SNAPSHOT
Arizona Restaurant Week Starts Friday
Spring Arizona Restaurant Week kicks off this Friday (May 15th) and runs through May 24th, with over 250 restaurants across the Valley offering prix-fixe menus at $33, $44, or $55 price points. It's a great excuse to try somewhere new or finally hit that spot you've been eyeing.
A few Scottsdale highlights worth checking out: JING Scottsdale has a $30 lunch and $55 dinner menu if you're into Asian steak and seafood. Catch is doing their $55 menu for steak and seafood lovers. Telefèric Barcelona offers Spanish tapas at $35 all day or $55 for dinner. Starfish is offering dinner for two for $88 ($44 ea) and their coastal asian cuisine is amazing. Cook & Craft has a $44 gastropub menu, and True Food Kitchen at Scottsdale Quarter is in at $44 with gluten-free and vegetarian options.
Nashville Songwriters Taking Over The Scottsdale Resort This Saturday
If you love country music and the stories behind the hits, Boots at The Ranch is happening this Saturday at The Scottsdale Resort. Six Nashville songwriters who've written for artists like Jelly Roll, Luke Bryan, Kane Brown and Keith Urban will perform their songs and share the stories behind them.
Doors open at 4:30 PM for a pre-party with light bites and local vendors, with the main show running 7-9:30 PM on the Paradise Park Lawn. General admission is $55 (or $85 for VIP with preferred seating and a drink). They've got dinner at La Fogata beforehand, an after party with a DJ spinning country classics, and even a Hangover Brunch on Sunday if you want to make it a whole weekend thing.
Arbor Old Town Signs First Major Leases Ahead of Q3 Opening
Big news for Old Town's business scene. Arbor Old Town announced its first wave of leases totaling nearly 48,000 square feet, with payroll tech company Symmetry Software (a Gusto subsidiary) claiming 32,480 square feet for their new headquarters.
The six-acre campus at Scottsdale and Indian School roads is getting some seriously cool amenities: a landscaped central courtyard called The Garden with walking paths and hanging daybeds, a retrofitted Winnebago café serving coffee and cocktails, a wellness center with cold plunge and sauna, and even a Trackman golf simulator. George Oliver is also building out 17 spec suites ranging from 1,600 to 10,000+ square feet for companies ready to move in when the project wraps up later this year.
Sweet Paris Turns 14 with Free Swag and Birthday Deals
I got to check out Sweet Paris at Scottsdale Quarter during a media night last week and the crepes are legit. They had an interactive crepe-making station where we could make our own, plus funfetti birthday crepes, milkshakes, and a frozen mimosa bar with custom toppings. So fun.
The Houston-based creperie is celebrating it’s 14th birthday on May 16th with some solid deals. You'll get 14% off your entire tab all day, and the first 100 guests who make a purchase will snag a swag bag that includes vouchers for a free crepe, mimosa (or milkshake), latte, plus a branded tote and t-shirt. Throughout May, they're also serving special birthday items like a Funfetti Crepe, Funfetti Milkshake, and Funfetti Latte.
This is Arizona's first Sweet Paris location, and the franchisees (husband-wife duo John and Sue Gilbert) have plans for two more Valley spots over the next few years. If you haven't tried it yet, today's a great excuse to stop by!
TOGETHER WITH VIKTOR
We hired one colleague for every department.
Last Tuesday, marketing asked Viktor to write the weekly campaign recap, pull performance from Google Ads and Meta, and format it as a PDF for the exec team. Done in four minutes.
That same afternoon, engineering asked Viktor to review three open pull requests on GitHub, cross-reference with the Linear sprint board, and flag anything blocking the release. Posted to private channel before standup.
At 9pm, ops asked Viktor to draft a vendor contract summary from three Notion docs and send it to the team. It was in #ops by morning.
None of them knew the others were using it.
Same colleague. Three departments. That's what changes when your AI coworker lives in Slack, where your whole company already works. It's not a tool one person logs into. It's a teammate everyone messages.
5,700+ teams. SOC 2 certified. Your data never trains models.
"Viktor is now an integral team member, and after weeks of use we still feel we haven't uncovered the full potential." - Patrick O'Doherty, Director, Yarra Web
LOCAL BUSINESS OF THE WEEK
Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center
Since I have this platform, I like to highlight nonprofits from time to time, and Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center is one I just discovered. I had no idea it existed until recently, and I thought it was too cool not to share.
Located in North Scottsdale, this nonprofit rescues and rehabilitates injured, orphaned and displaced wild animals native to Arizona. We're talking everything from bobcats and coyotes to javelinas, raptors and reptiles. Their goal is to release these animals back into the wild whenever possible, and for those that can't be released, they provide permanent sanctuary care.
What I love about them is their commitment to education. They offer tours, school programs and community events that help people understand and appreciate the wildlife we share this desert with. It's a great reminder that we've got some pretty incredible creatures right in our backyard.
If you're looking for a meaningful way to support local wildlife, check out their website to learn about volunteer opportunities, upcoming events or ways to donate.
DATE SPOT OF THE WEEK
Mystery Picnic Experience
Okay, this one's a little different from the usual dinner-and-drinks spots I feature here. But hear me out.
AmazingCo's Mystery Picnic is basically a self-guided adventure date where you solve clues around the city to find your secret picnic location. They give you everything you need: a gourmet picnic spread, a blanket, and a series of riddles that lead you through Scottsdale until you discover your final spot.
I know it's a little hot out right now, and we're all counting the days until the good weather comes back. But if a weekend breaks with cooler temps, this could be a great out-of-the-box date that feels like way more effort than it actually is. Plus, there's something fun about working together to solve clues instead of just sitting across from each other at a restaurant.
It's different, it's memorable, and you'll probably learn whether your partner is good under pressure.
WEEKLY EVENTS LIST
Wednesday, May 13
🍷 Angel's Share Social Club | Folktale Winery & Vineyards | The Canal Club at The Scott Resort & Spa | 6:00 PM
Thursday, May 14
🎵 Tintero Norte | Casino Arizona | 7:00 PM
😂 William Lee Martin: Seemed Smart At The Time | Desert Ridge Improv | 7:30 PM
Friday, May 15
💐 Mimosas and Mom | Cactus Flower Florists | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
🍝 Gourmet Class – Roman Holiday | Classic Cooking Academy | 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
😂 Kristin Key | Desert Ridge Improv | 7:30 PM (multiple days)
💃 Thunder From Down Under | Talking Stick Resort | 6:30 PM & 9:00 PM (multiple days)
Saturday, May 16
🍷 AJ's The Art of Wine: Summer to Impress | Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts | 6:00 PM
🎸 4 Lads From Liverpool | Casino Arizona | 7:30 PM
😂 Chris Higgins – Comedy Quest | Desert Ridge Improv | 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 17
🎉 Cleopatra’s Splash Summer Pool Party Series | Caesars’s Republic Scottsdale | 12:00 PM
TOGETHER WITH SCOTTSDALE SALES CLUB
I'm teaming up with Scottsdale Sales Club for a networking dinner at Fogo de Chão tomorrow from 6-9pm!
If you're a founder, sales leader, investor, or just someone who's actively building something, this is the room you want to be in.
It's curated networking with intentional introductions, premium food, vendor activations and a great community. Plus, Fogo de Chao is a great setting!
PS - we're actively sourcing vendors. If you want to be a vendor at the event, feel free to reply to this email and shoot me a note!
THE GOOD LIFE
Featuring the most expensive home sold in Scottsdale this week at $7.3M! I seriously love the look of this one. The backyard doesn't even feel like you're in Arizona
SUPPORT SCOTTSDALE SCOOP
Scottsdale Scoop is 100% free and independently run (it's just me over here). Your support helps me keep bringing you the best local spots, events, and inside scoop on what's happening in Scottsdale every week. Your contribution will go towards keeping the Scoop going so we can have more fun in community events! really appreciate all the support all of you 🙂 - John
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RESOURCE LIST 🌵
Scottsdale Scoop’s Business Directory is live here! Find the best local businesses for roofing, HVAC, med spas, chiropractors and more. See directory here.
