Have you ever participated in a "Charrette"?

I have on three occasions. One of them was a brainstorming session about the area of land we now know as "Riverview". I sat at this table with people I had never met before and we had this blank map that had the boundaries of some property off of the 202 freeway. There was a gravel pit and a golf course/park area and basically some lines that we had to stay within. We were told the history of the area from way back to present. Our group started coming up with all kinds of ideas and placing them on the paper- there was so much space we could not even fill it all. One of the ideas was a place called "Bass Pro Shop" and it was suggested because we thought the gravel pit would make a nice lake someday where people could fish or test drive boats. Ok- I don't know much about either (and those of you who know me can attest to this). I certainly didn't have any idea what the store was and was assured it was a great place that someone had seen in like Oklahoma or someplace. BUT there was so much room to fill in that we all went along with the idea. Who would have thought.....

So now YOU have the opportunity to get in on the action to craft a vision for the mile-wide urban corridor that straddles Main Street between Country Club Drive and Gilbert Road. Believe me you don't have to be an architect or a land planner by profession. In fact all you have to have is the desire to own and be a part of the community you live in. You see our opinion matters in these settings before all those professional's who have to figure it out after we decide!

The two-day "charrette" is June 23-24 at the former Mervyn's, 1240 E. Main St. You know the place called POOL. If you haven't been there this is the perfect opportunity to check it out (under the guise of being an interested resident of Mesa). Hope you all come join the fun and think it is as cool as I did. And then I hope the powers that be do this more often...

Charrette-The word charrette may refer to any collaborative session in which a group drafts a solution to a design problem. Each sub-group then presents its work to the full group as material for future dialogue. Charrettes serve as a way of quickly generating a design solution while integrating the aptitudes and interests of a diverse group of people. Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2010/06/10/20100610mesa-council-main-street.html#ixzz0qUncvdU5

Took this from Tuesday's with Dorie

This carob tree resides in Downtown Mesa. This big guy is very very old. The "history" on this tree is odd but true. Apparently waaay back in the early 1900's 3 men were hung from my tree by some vigilantes who caught them shortly after they shot the local sheriff. It was the last hangings in Mesa.

FREE Family Movie night.... right around the corner.

Grab a blanket and head over to the Mesa Amphitheatre on Friday, Jun. 11 for a free showing of Planet 51 sponsored by the Mesa Parks, Recreation Commercial Facilities Department.

Planet 51 is an animated movie about an American astronaut who lands on Planet 51 thinking he's the first person to step foot on it. To his surprise, he finds that this planet is inhabited by little green people and he’s considered the alien.

The movie is rated PG, and stars the voices of Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, and John Cleese.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with the show time at 7:30 p.m. Free bounce houses, affordable concessions and a 50/50 raffle drawing will be available. The Mesa Amphitheatre is located at 263 N. Center Street. For more information about this event, visit http://www.mesaamp.com or call (480) 644-2171.

Make it a full evening out and head over to Second Friday after the movie from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. This month’s theme is “Summer Sizzles.” Enjoy the food, entertainment and vendors on display in downtown Mesa.

Light Rail Stations!

After several months of public participation and community discussion, the Mesa City Council helped to further define the Central Mesa light rail extension with approval of four station locations and a Main Street traffic configuration plan at their City Council meeting last night, June 7.

Recommended station locations on Main Street:

East of Alma School Road

East of Country Club Drive

East of Center Street

East of Mesa Drive

These locations were identified for their proximity to activity centers and bus connections, least impact to adjacent property and curbs, economic development potential and convenient pedestrian access.

Recommended Main Street traffic configuration, Sycamore to Mesa Drive:

Sycamore to Country Club – Remains as two lanes of traffic in each direction. On-street parking will be removed to reduce impacts to adjacent property and sidewalks.

Country Club to Mesa Drive (Downtown Mesa) – Transitions into one lane of traffic in each direction. On-street parking and existing signalized pedestrian crossings will be maintained where possible.

All intersections along the line will have separate left turn lanes with dedicated left turn arrows.

The above recommendations will be forwarded to the METRO Board of Directors for their review this summer.

In addition, the Council committed to City funding for operations of the light rail extension.

SUMMER SIZZLES this FRIDAY

Main street sidewalks will be full of artists, six bands, a summer fashion show with clothing by local designers followed by a reception to meet the models and designers, City of Mesa Parks and Rec, the Mesa library, street performers, and the radio station 103.9 attending this month-they will be broadcasting live.

Spread the word bring some friends and enjoy a free Friday night event in OUR Downtown.

Her Majesty calls

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL QUEENS PIZZERIA!
125 W. Main St.

This is from their website.....
HERE YE! HERE YE! THE QUEEN HAS MANDATED THAT A REVAMPING OF THE PLACE OCCUR IN ORDER TO MAKE QUEEN'S WORTHY OF ITS ROYAL CUSTOMERS.

DUE TO THE QUEEN'S DECISION TO DO SOME MORE EXCITING CHANGES THAN ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED, QUEEN'S WILL REOPEN ONTUESDAY, 6/1/2010. YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT SHE'S DOING NOW!!! (AFTERALL, THE QUEEN RULES!)

UPON REOPENING, YOU WILL BE AWED AT THE CHANGES. THE GREAT MENU WILL REMAIN THE SAME, BUT, OH SO MANY OTHER CHANGES!!!
THE REAL QUESTION IS.........IS DOWNTOWN MESA READY FOR THIS?!!!

PLEASE JOIN US ON TUESDAY 6/1/2010. WE WILL OPEN AT THE REGULAR TIME-11:00 AM

Upcoming June Events in Downtown Mesa

FIRST FRIDAY June 4th 6-10 PM Motorcycles on Main

You don't want to miss this event whose popularity is growing. Main Street is closed for this pedestrian friendly party! Four live bands, beer gardens, Main Street lined with motorcycles. People come to check out the bikes or listen to music or they bring their bikes for all to see it is a casual atmosphere and a great way to spend the evening. I realize that “Family friendly” and “Motorcycles” are not usually what you think about when we say a "Sturgis style" event but it's Mesa and believe me it is family friendly! There is a new Center Stage in the middle of the intersection of MacDonald and Main Street that showcases a different bike each month. The selected bike receives a cash prize and is displayed all evening for everyone to enjoy.

Rumor is that the new "Grill on Main" will be open for this event. This restaurant is located at 124 W. Main Street. Hey check it out and get back to us here with your comments- reviews.

SECOND FRIDAY June 11th 6-10 PM Summer Sizzles! Heatin' Up Main Street

The 101 "Gallery" (conspicuously located at 101 West Main Street) is hosting a "Smoking Hot Fashion Show" Local designers will strut their stuff on the runway! You can enter your fashion(s) the evening of the show. Prizes for the best original designs. Free to enter! As always there is live music to enjoy as you have dinner or mill around checking out the Art booths. Know an artist professional, aspiring, or one who enjoys engaging with fellow artist during a street fair send them to 2ndfridaynightout,com to register for the FREE event. Last month we had over 70 registered. Mesa Parks and Recs and the Library departments will be participating- showing off their summer programs for kids.

So while your reading this open up your calendar and schedule the events on first and second Friday of every month- 6-10pm in Downtown Mesa.

Il Vinaio... you will be pleasantly pleased

Went to Il Vinaio Friday evening for dinner. You really should try it if you haven't been already.

It is an American WIne Bistro serving Traditional American Home-Style Breakfasts and Lunches. Their linens come out in the evening for an elegant yet casual dinners created by their Executive Chef, Patrick Boll. Dinners pair well with a great selection of wines and micro-brews.

Join their e-club for amazing special deals on meals and wine. Monday they have a 40% special on selected wines.

Check out their events page.... and people say there is nothing going in Downtown Mesa... Il Vinaio proves them wrong several times a week.

http://www.ilvinaio.com/index.php

You will not recognize this as the old Humpty Dumpty once you walk inside.

Hey last Friday there was an "after party" once the 2nd Friday event calmed down. It is a great place to keep the evening going once the street settles down.

For the record, the Hemp Ale (see picture to the left) is made with hemp seeds and tastes similar to Newcastle's nutty Brown Ale.

Road closure latest example of Mesa's willingness to help

I am beside myself !

May. 22, 2010 08:36 AM
Southeast Valley editorial board

Mesa has long been known as the city of - say it with us now - "wide streets and narrow minds."

It's an unfortunate moniker, because it implies everything that would drive smart people and their investments away from the city.

Sadly, there was some truth to the name. Mesa was known for waging war with businesses over signs in windows and having a city staff that would find more reasons to say "no" than "yes."

In 2005, community activists began calling this city home of the CAVE people, or Citizens Against Virtually Everything. When Google executives visited later that year to scout a location for a satellite office, Mesa, the Valley's second-largest city, wasn't even on the radar.

It's hard to break a reputation like that, but the city is at least starting to bend it. And that's a good thing.

Voters shocked the Valley in recent years when they approved two projects - the Waveyard water-sports resort and the Gaylord hotel and conference center - that required them to think big and long-term. Then, in a first for the city, voters approved a secondary property tax to finance public safety and street projects.

Mesa threw out land-use maps - a crutch it had long used to say "no" - for Mesa Gateway, opting instead for forward-thinking regulations that put less emphasis on what buildings are used for and more on how they work together. It is now doing the same with its citywide zoning-code update and redevelopment plans downtown.

Yet another indication of Mesa's departure from "wide streets and narrow minds" came last Friday - aptly enough, in the form of a road closure. The city agreed to shut down Main Street for the Independent Music Project Festival, a celebration of independent music from multiple genres.

This is significant, because Mesa has long rebuffed requests to close the busy street for a festival. Have to keep traffic flowing on those wide streets, after all.

But city leaders saw the festival's potential. There were bands playing on multiple stages, classic cars and art on display. And people. Lots of money-spending people.

Merchants stayed open late. Vendors sold wares to the eclectic crowd. Who cares if a few people were inconvenienced on their planned breeze through downtown Mesa?

A bunch more happened on a pretty happening place, and that could convince people to come back again for a special event - or eventually, just because it's Friday night.

It's a new mind-set. Instead of standing in the way of people with good ideas - or at least requiring them to fit a preconceived notion of what's a good idea - city leaders are telling thinkers and dreamers to make their best pitch. If a request makes sense, Mesa is ready and willing to do what it can help.

As a result, the city is saying "why not" a lot more than "why" these days, and that is an incredibly positive step.

Main Street in Mesa was closed off during Friday night's Independent Music Program Festival.

http://www.azcentral.com/commphotos/azcentral/14810/6/

2nd Friday Night Out May 14 Too much fun

2^nd Friday Night Out

www.2ndFridayNightOut.com

Don’t miss 2nd Friday Night Out in historic downtown Mesa from 6:00-10:00 PM May 14th. Each month features a different theme and this month we present "IMP FEST" Independent Music Project Festival...rock 'n rollin on Main! We're closing Main and Macdonald for this one! There will be two stages with 10 live bands featuring punk, rock, alternative, blues, and more. We're giving away an electric guitar plus there will be two beer gardens, a classic car show featuring VW's, train rides, and the streets will be lined with over 60 art booths along the pedestrian friendly porticos! Shops and restaurants open late. The best part is that it's all free! Call Suzanne Woodford at 602-318-5689 for more information.

FACEBOOK party in Downtown Mesa

This looks like a cool Social Media event in Downtown Mesa later this month. If you’re active in Social Media like we are then plan on attending and tell all your friends on Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, etc…

What: Facebook party including mini (mini!) studio photo shoots of our guests, food, company, and fun!

When: Friday May 28, 2010 5-9pm

Where: Kimberly Jarman Studio
126 W. Main Street
Mesa, AZ 85201

Who: All of our friends and colleagues!

What else: $25 door chage to receive a mini-studio photo shoot with KJ and KB, 3 digital FB files to use for your networking sites, and tons of fun!

And what else: For every friend you bring, you get an extra file of the photo of your choice!

How do I get in on this amazing event???
RSVP here on FB
RSVP to jenny@kimberlyjarman.com
or call the studio at 480.203.1090

Sweet Cakes.... SWEEEEET Bodacious Bakeries

TLC Discovery Channel May 10, 9:00 pm Best Food Ever Bodacious Bakeries

Owner Kellie Huntington is hosting a viewing party at 6 p.m. Monday, the same time the episode airs. During the party at her cafe, 21 W. Main St., she will be providing free cookies and appetizers.

"We feel so honored to be featured on this show along with our loyal customers," Huntington said in a statement. "We hope the national spotlight will put our downtown on the map as well as help boost our Main Street businesses."

Sweet Cakes Cafe is one of several spots visited during a cross-country tour of best places for sweets.

FAVORITE BAKED GOODS

Some decadent offerings include five-layered brownies, sugar cookies topped with inch-thick frosting, lemon bars, cinnamon rolls coated with orange frosting and other signature cookies and pastries.

ABOUT SWEET CAKES

Kellie Huntington is a fourth-generation Mesa native who opened her shop with a yogurt bar several years ago. She has since expanded her business with a yogurt bar and sells her popular orange frosted cinnamon rolls at Valley businesses. Visit www.sweetcakescafe.com for information.

166 West Main Street, Mesa FOUND!

FOUND (http://foundbydomesticbliss.blogspot.com/) is a new venture for Dan and Kristen of Domestic Bliss ( http://domesticbliss-domesticbliss.blogspot.com/) in downtown Mesa. Be sure to check out the links provided for both.

Stop into Domestic Bliss and enter your MOM to win a necklace for Mother's Day!!

Photography by: Allison Tyler Jones Photography, Trevor Dayley Photograph

2010 Mesa National Poetry Slamoff

Anthology, Inc., in association with Evermore Nevermore and Queens Pizzeria present the 2010 15th Annual Mesa National Poetry Slamoff! Poets have been working for four months to earn a spot on the Mesa National Poetry Slam Team, come see the results of their hard work! Tickets are $5 in advance and $10 at the door

Mysta Craft Workshop

April 26th starting at 6pm. Hang at Evermore Nevermore and create or recreate if you've done it before a craft.

Check out the inside of this great store.

Evermore Nevermore is a unique collection of one-of-a-kind clothing designs and accessories, costumes and comic books, pop culture art and cool-ass collectibles.

Home, Sweet Home! in Downtown Mesa, of Course

Richard III

Southwest Shakespeare Company of Mesa AZ, is going to start their production of Shakespeare's Richard III this week at the Mesa Arts Center. And we celebrate the Bard's birthday this Friday,the 23rd!

Friday Night's Fun

http://jeansnewbeginning.blogspot.com/2010/04/friday-nights-fun.html

de la Cruz Bistro in Downtown Mesa.

The place was full, and much to our delight; dancers and music. We had not a clue what entertain and fun we would have watching and listening. This dancer, Liliana is fantastic. If I could do half of the movements she does, I would be thin for life. The food, oh my, the food...it was wonderful, a blend of Cuban, Mexican and South American delights. If you are in Mesa some evening and with not a clue where to eat….try this delightful restaurant.

Took this from Jennifer Hanson's blog about her date in Downtown Mesa

Jennifer's blog- Nothings and Notions from my Noodle tell about a recent date with her husband. Apparently she got the idea from a book called

Simply Romantic Dates on a Dime. Jennifer said "Downtown Mesa, AZ is a very interesting place to visit. It has a beautiful center for the arts - which brings in some excellent concerts and plays - and a museum of contemporary art. One of the more unique features of Mesa is the permanent sculpture collection - an outdoor display of sculptures that spans a six-block stretch of Main Street. But the sculpture we came to see was this one

A twenty-five-foot sculpture of the famous painting by Grant Wood, American Gothic. This traveling exhibit, named God Bless America and created by J. Seward Johnson, has been touring cities all over the U.S. and has most recently made a stop in our very own Mesa, AZ.

This thing is incredible. When viewed from across the street, it appears to be a 2-D cut-out from every angle - looking like someone had simply sliced up the original canvas and enlarged it. One has to be right under it to be able to see the three-dimensional, gigantic details. It was a very interesting effect.

we headed into the Museum of Contemporary Art for "free admission Thursdays."

(Museum of Contemporary Art - photo by Devin Hanson)

Jennifer's date Devin Hanson took these pictures. All of them in our wonderful Downtown, which is a secret to the 97% of the 460,000 residents of Mesa! WHY, when we have all of this to be proud of. I love it when people find us and take pictures to remember!

Local First Arizona, good idea.

Support Local Tip #2: Question preconceived notions! Is big box always cheaper & more convenient? I find tons of killer deals in local shops, & local restaurants have more flexibility in offering daily specials than chains. W/ a higher likelihood of better quality goods & services & the fact that the $ you spend w/ locals recirculates in the AZ economy up to 3X MORE... suddenly "cheap & convenient" sounds pretty weak.

There are great deals to be found all over Downtown Mesa. Cucina Di Vita's coupon deals, Nunthaporn Thai's killer $7.00 lunches, Boutiques like Blossom and Contagious. Even free museum entrances on three for days, and free activities on the First and Second Friday of EVERY month.

Contagious is an understatement. You can't stay away.

There are a new batch of adorable glamour hats that you will want to pick up at Contagious on Main Street in downtown Mesa. They retail for $25 each. Check them out, I bet they go quick

.http://makazhome.blogspot.com/2010/04/glamour-hats-just-in.html

All Aboard...Light Rail

Arizona PIRG, a group that advocates for the public interest, released a report this week titled The Business of Light Rail. According to the AZ PIRG website, the report provides an on-the-ground perspective of how light rail helps small business owners in Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa. Many of the businesses mentioned were negatively impacted by the light rail during several months of construction. Now that the system is up and running, the business owners are seeing the benefits of having light rail roll along the streets of Phoenix. What exactly does the report accomplish?

However, as of yet, there has been no document which compiles anecdotes of how the light rail has benefited the local economy. This report provides real-life examples of businesses that have thrived by having light rail access near their establishments, documenting perspectives from local business owners in their own words that statistics simply cannot provide.

Arizona PRIG

There report mentions six common themes and perspectives amongst the 14 businesses profiled in the document.

¨ increased foot traffic due to light rail

¨ businesses shaping their location decisions in anticipation of light rail, thereby potentially decreasing urban sprawl

¨ light rail’s value as a transportation alternative for special events like community festivals

¨ increased visibility for the businesses near the light rail

¨ light rail’s role in community development

¨ light rail’s role as a mobility option for people who cannot drive.

Here is the link to the report

http://www.arizonapirg.org/home/reports/report-archives/smart-transportation/smart-transportation/the-businesses-of-light-rail-a-compilation-of-local-business-interviews.

Another announcement about Mesa's extension of light rail....

Mesa to unveil light rail extension details. Metro will give the public its first full look at how the light rail system will look in downtown Mesa when the planned 3-mile extension is to be completed in 2016.

The April 24 presentation will unveil the latest plans for where stations will be positioned, how they will be designed and how they will integrate with the city’s plans to redevelop downtown. After taking public comment, Metro will proceed with engineering the four-station extension. This open house will be held in conjunction with other downtown Mesa events including the MacDonald Street Farmers’ Market and MACFest. It will take place at:

Saturday, April 24, 2010
9 a.m. – noon
18 W. Main St., Mesa (between de la Cruz Bistro and Milano’s Music)

For additional information on this meeting or project, please contact Carla Kahn at (602) 744-5552 orckahn@metrolightrail.org. Light rail extension information is also available online.

Awesome merchants in Downtown

I found this blog about our little hidden gem called Downtown Mesa. I know outsiders think this is all you get when you come to our town. But we know better, huh? You gotta love the reference to crack and other antique stores!

Loot.
I been shoppin' for old stuff again.

We hit the Antique Plaza on Main in downtown Mesa. This place is huge and has two levels! It's amazing how much old crap was crammed in there. I brought home some more pretties. Behold:

A milk glass planter/vase, a gold rimmed milk glass bowl, a milk glass reamer, a milk glass bowl/dish, a vintage apron, a cheese slicer, and a gold rimmed (supposedly 22kt?) milk glass egg plate.

But the best find? That citrus reamer. I saw it the minute we walked in the door. There's a big stairwell that leads to the basement, and it was on a shelf down there. I had my husband go see what the price on it was, and it turned out to be only $8!!! Take that, you crack smoking, $65 dollar charging antique vendors at the other place!!! It's pretty too - much nicer than the ones that say Sunkist on the side that I've been finding. I'm so happy with it!

Smile your on camera

Alan Hutcheson is taking pictures of Mesa this year. This is his blog http://mesaaz2010.blogspot.com/.
Maybe he will turn up at one of our events and capture the direction we are heading, a Downtown Mesa with people, music, life....

Ignite Phoenix 6

The final 18 presentations for Ignite Phoenix #6 are listed below, selected from 70+ submissions they received on one of the widest range of topics so far!
Ignite Phoenix will be March 30th at the Mesa Arts Center!
It's sold out and we are so excited that his is right here in Downtown Mesa. If you are going stop by Nunthaporns Thai or Il Vinaio for a great dinner before the event. See you at de La Cruz afterwards!


Eat Better, Be Better – How Changing My Diet Changed My Life Kristi Setzer
Fist of the Southpaw: Initiation into the Secret Society of Sinistrality Malik R Robinson
Genetically Unemployable Emily Leach
Get Pissed Off And Fight Back – The Power of The Purse and Social Connections Leo Godin
How Improv May (Or May Not) Save the World Jose Gonzalez
Life Lessons I’ve Learned from Cows Amy Heisler
Mastering the Pomodoro Technique in 5 Minutes Greg Head
Nachos: A Metaphysical Journey Dallas Gold
Presentation slide text can make you look stupid Eric Reid
The Greatest American Who Ever Lived: Emperor Norton & The Comforts Of Madness Ashley Naftule
Trust Your Gut Marvin Forte
Up For Grabs: The Claw Game Philosophy Charles Choueiri
Weird Time Evo Terra
Welcome to Arizona, the surveillance state Ross Trumble
What do the hard hat and Wonder Woman have in common? Stacy Holmstedt
You Really CAN Support The Troops! Scott Tiernan
You’ll Never Watch Star Wars the Same Way Again! Dustin Diehl
Your Office Coffee Sucks Matthew Petro

We are so lucky to be a part of this...

I was reading some other blogs about Downtown Mesa and just had to pass them along.
Brittany and Andrew obviously have great taste in photographers who think "Artistic buildings, green gardens, water sculptures and cobblestone alleyways- I love downtown Mesa! " You know great minds think alike and these guys at Visions by Smiddy rock! Wonder if they have offices in Downtown, they should if they don't.
http://www.visionsbysmiddy.net/2010/03/brittnie-and-andrew-engagement-session.html

Then check out what Dorie is doing to one of those awesome houses in the neighborhood. She sure is right that the Arizona State Women's Club needs to cherish their gem in Downtown and spruce her up a bit. "Our historic district is filled with bungalows and tudors and the occasional ranch style home."
http://tuesdayswithdorie.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=12

You know sometimes I want to keep this all to myself and then I realize how selfish that would be, others should have the opportunity to love our Downtown also.

Blog that you should check out and follow

This is an interesting blog that we hope you will join in following!
http://www.mesablogger.com/

350 project check it out

http://www.the350project.net/dine_local_home.html

How did The 3/50 Project begin?
As many great things do...by accident.

The first week in March 2009 sowed the seeds for what would later become a firestorm—

Monday: Oprah does a show instructing consumers to stop spending money on anything that was non-necessity

Tuesday: CBS News reports that “Consumer spending drives 70% of the economy. When consumers put their wallets away, the economy has trouble making a U-turn.”

Friday: In a guest spot on the Today Show, Erin Burnett from CNBC talks about how psychology plays into the economy and the importance of innovation in times of difficulty

Sunday: Erin’s back, this time on Meet the Press, chiding the national media for taking negative hyperbole into the stratosphere

Mix those together with a deep seeded desire to create a message that’s positive and achievable, and, well...you get a blog post written on March 11, 2009, giving birth to The 3/50 Project.

The next week, I threw together a free flyer businesses could crank out of their desktop printers to hand customers. A week later, a one-page website explaining the flyer. A couple of weeks after that, having received more than 300 emails asking “What else have you got?” I built the website you see today, launching it mid-afternoon on Monday, March 30th.

And in the first seven days, more than 7,600 people found it (8,600+ if you count repeat visits).

Be careful what you blog about. It just might change the world. Or at least someone’s world.

LA Times knows how great Mesa is... let's own it.

Don Shirley

Special to the Los Angeles Times

March 7, 2010

Reporting from Mesa, Ariz.

What does Forbes know?....
...as Mesa's Blandsville image fades, we visiting ex-Mesans are frequently surprised.

If you know where to look, you'll find plenty of life.

I enjoy a stroll along downtown Mesa's Main Street, where a small farmers market and a crafts fair take place on Saturdays from October through April. The area is spruced up with pretty palo brea trees, green street lamps and a collection of lifelike sculptures on street corners — plus all-local businesses.

Like most of Mesa, downtown is becoming more diverse. One spot, Inside the Bungalow, a charming converted 1916 house, features good coffee, yoga, massages, light lunches and open-mike Wednesdays. I never tasted Thai food during my Mesa years — but now it's on Main Street at the superb Nunthaporn's.

See the entire article at http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-mesa-20100307,0,763068.story