For the 5th year in a row, Frances/Smeeks owner, Georganne Bryant has put on the wildly successful Crafeteria indie craft fair, where local DIYers, printers, bakers and more come together to sell their unique wares before the holidays.

If you missed this years fair, take a look at the list I created for Jackalope Ranch showing most of this year’s vendors with links to their online shops.

Categories include arts, wearables (clothes and jewelry), paper goods, kid & baby and miscellaneous goods…all from local folks.

See the whole list >>

The weather has been AMAZING — so my suggestion: Do something outside! Check out a spring training game, eat on a cool patio, or do something sporty.

FRIDAY

Caramelpalooza @ Smeeks
Phoenix New Times’ Chow Bella blog is hosting a  sweet gathering of local pastry and sweet makers including Veronica Arroyo, the pastry chef at Bourbon Steak and the Urban Cookies crew. Come and do a little tasting, talking and browsing.

Smeeks
14 W. Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, AZ
7 – 8 p.m.

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Scandalesque presents Shameless @ Cherry Lounge and Pit
Enjoy $3 black cherry vodkas and some scintillating dance numbers, acrobatics and all-around captivating entertainment. I went last month and was not disappointed.

Cherry Lounge & PIt
411 S. Mill Ave.
Tempe, AZ 85281
Doors open at 7:30, show starts at 8 p.m.
$12

SATURDAY

Tempe Festival of the Arts @ Mill Ave.
I’m not a huge art fest fan, but I do enjoy going to the Tempe Festival, listening to music, having some kettle corn and watching all of the interesting people. And if you find a dream catcher you like…even better.

Mill Avenue
Free

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Blood Into Wine @ MADCAP Theaters
The front-man for the band Tool, Maynard Keenan, also happens to be one of the men behind Arizona Stronghold Vineyards. The movie documents the successes and difficulties of starting his business in a small Arizona town.

MADCAP Theaters
730 S. Mill Avenue
Tempe, AZ 85281
(480) 355-6060
4 p.m.
$8

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Symphonic Star Wars @ Phoenix Symphony Orchestra
Listen to the powerful songs of Star Wars…at a discount. Matinee tickets are more than 1/2 off the regular-priced tickets.

Symphony Hall
75 N. 2nd. St.
Phoenix AZ 85004
March 27, 2:30pm
$10-18

Civic Space Park
424 N. Central Ave
Phoenix, AZ
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.
Free

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Shop weekend sales
Bloomingdales, Intermix, Old Navy and more are having sales, or offering discount codes through the weekend.

Chat Roulette Funny Piano Improv
My husband and a friend decided to check out Chat Roulette. They covered the camera (you don’t want anyone to KNOW you’re doing this) then click, click — ARGH — “vigorous masturbation” filled the screen. This video is much better.  “If someone was randomly singing — I’d watch it all the time,” says my husband. Sadly — I think you’re more apt to find the former.

11 a.m. Head to Central and Camelback to Frances Vintage for a great accessories and gift selections. Some things you’ll find:  Cool, arty dresses and tops, vintage picks, handmade accessories, and eclectic home items.

Next door, stop into Stinkweeds, one of the best local music stores in town. Listen to the newest indie albums or peruse their flyers for upcoming shows and events.

One door down: Red Hot Robot. Get inspired by their collection of vinyl toys, books and other Japanese-inspired accessories.

Next up, get a mid-morning pick-me-up at Smeeks, the cute candy shop at the end of the row.

12:30 p.m. Head a mile or so down Central to Pane Bianco, of Bianco’s Pizzaria fame, for a delicious sandwich and a Bubble Up.

If you’re a sweetie person (like me), stop next door at Lux for a baked treat. My suggestion: Anything with chocolate and/or peanut butter.

1:30 p.m. A block or so down the road, check out Vintage Fashion, Inc.  for an amazing mix of designer vintage ranging from barely-affordable to not-so-much. Walk a few steps to Central Consignment next door for a brand names at discount prices.

2:00 p.m. More vintage. Head a few miles west to Hollywood Regency and peruse their selection of retro classic clothing for men and women.

Across the street: Retro Ranch for a funky collection of well-priced vintage fashions, furniture and home decor.

3:30 p.m. Stop off at Grand Ave. – home of vintage shop, Butter Toast.

Grab an iced tea next door at Paisley Violin and sit on the patio (October-May) or inside (June-Sept) and think about your purchases.

4:30 p.m. Downtown is a little sparse, but you can still check out some locally made items at
Bunky Boutique and Made.

Happy hour – You’ve been living la vida retro all day, stay in that mood with a martini from Durant’s. All it takes is one.

6:30 p.m. Take the 20-minute trip to Scottsdale. Work up an appetite trolling Scottsdale Fashion Square, home of some great high and low-end shopping.

For big spenders: Barney’s, Neiman Marcus, and Kate Spade.
For the spend-thrifts: Forever21, Charolette Russe and coming soon — H&M.

8 p.m. Depending on the damage you’ve incurred throughout your day, you might choose a less expensive dining option, like the home-style fare at Orange Table, or splurge a little at new (and much talked about) FnB for some gourmet fare.

Candy necklaces, black licorice, lemon drops and a host of other sweet favorites are now available under the Smeeks moniker. Check out the display…

Visit Smeeks at 14 W. Camelback Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85013-2568
(602) 279-0538

Here’s how to play:

Follow the following local businesses on Twitter to start the fun.
@FrancesSmeeks @GalloBlanco @OliverandAnnie @PostinoWineCafe @lisagwinebar @urbancookies @Maizies @PostinoCentral @hausmodern @stinkweeds @ HulasModern @RedHotRobot

Tune in on November 12 at 4 p.m. for Tweets every hour with clues.

Follow the clues for deals on food shopping, prizes and fun!