October 2016 - LAFashionsnob.com

The Teapot – Phoenix, AZ

Oct 27 2016

The Teapot

818 N. 5th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85003
PH: (623) 522-6027
HOURS: Tues- Sun~ 8AM- 2PM

The Teapot on 5th, coffee shop, phoenix, restaurant

Nestled in a quaint renovated early 1900s home in downtown Phoenix, is The Teapot. It’s a coffee shop + restaurant + event space that is family friendly, and is just a downright great place to grab an authentic English scone and a latte. The space is airy, with lots of light filtering in on sunny days. The decor is minimal (though so Instagram-worthy), with lots of potted plants and succulents. A few children’s play corners dot the couple open rooms that make up the space. There’s a back door that opens onto a spacious porch and then to the backyard, where a fun-looking two-story playground and an assortment of toys are available. There is plenty of seating under the canopies for the parents to relax while their kiddos play. Even the yard looked pleasant enough to grab a blanket and have a nice little picnic.

NOTE: A $2 charge (per child, ages 1-8) will be added to the bill when you bring the kiddos, as it helps with the upkeep of the space and playground.

The Teapot on 5th, coffee shop, phoenix, restaurant

The Teapot offers two different menus: one for the tiny folk, and one for the “big kids.” Menu items include some breakfast and lunch offerings, as well as scones, cactus cookies, and other treats. I HIGHLY x 100 recommend the scones. I’ve been to several tearooms before, but NOTHING compares to the scones at The Teapot!

The Teapot on 5th, coffee shop, phoenix, restaurant

During my second visit, I was able to briefly speak with Jonathan about their coffee shop “oasis” in the city. It turns out that their three-year-old son, Leyland, was their inspiration. They, as parents, were finding it difficult to go out to eat at places they once enjoyed, because Leyland was just…well…being a toddler. “The Teapot was born out of necessity really. A lot of restaurants claim to be family friendly, but all you’d get are crayons or something. We wanted to create a true family friendly experience. We love this house. This house was once a residence, which means that it has an fully enclosed front and backyard, so from a parent’s perspective, it’s totally secure. It gives parents the opportunity to sort of let their guard down a little whilst the little ones run around.”

The Teapot on 5th, coffee shop, phoenix, restaurant

They held their soft opening March 2016. As word of The Teapot grew throughout the “mom community,” they had reached over 3,000 Facebook followers within the first month of being open. They then closed during the month of August to do some renovations and regroup. The grand opening took place in September, but have had a steady flow of loyal patrons ever since.

The Teapot on 5th, coffee shop, phoenix, restaurant

Just what inspired the name- The Teapot? Johnathan gladly answered, “We wanted a name the kids could say. It’s a nice two syllable word. We wanted the teapot experience to be so fun, the kids would want to come back and nag their parents and say, “Take me to The Teapot!”

Ok…so about those scones… Jonathan, who also owns the Real London Bus Company, a party bus company that includes a fleet of authentic English double-decker red buses; was born and raised in England. That company has always played a part in the English cliché. They didn’t really want to solely categorize themselves as an English brand in a sense, for The Teapot. They instead turned to making the scones because there was such a huge demand for them. Since the couple isn’t so “kitchen-savvy,” they decided to bring Raelynn’s mother (a retired chef) out of retirement. She is now their “pastry chef extraordinaire.” She creates traditional English scones, ranging from: original to blueberry; raspberry-coconut, and apricot almond. There are also other varieties of treats… and yes, cactus shaped cookies are one of them!

There’s a cozy little retail corner in the front room, where there are products made by local artists (some of who are customers).

The Teapot on 5th, coffee shop, phoenix, restaurant

Be sure to get on The Teapot’s Instagram, Facebook, and website…as they post event listings throughout the month. They usually have arts and crafts sessions, music classes…they recently held a flower crown making and cacti making class. The property is also available for private events.

They see themselves as not only a coffee shop, but a full-service restaurant. They will be including dinner soon, as well as serving beer and wine. The Teapot is at the top of my list for a whimsical getaway for coffee and a scone here in Phoenix!

Moxy Tempe Staycation

Oct 18 2016

* The MOXY Tempe sponsored my room in exchange for an honest review. ALL opinions are my own.*

Moxy Tempe, sponsored post, travel blogger, arizona hotel

The MOXY Tempe is the newest boutique lifestyle hotspot to hit the college town of Tempe, Arizona. It recently opened in March and has since been a favorite for travelers, ASU students, and fashionistas alike.

Here is the breakdown of my stay:

Check-in…

Check in at MOXY Tempe, hotel, Tempe AZ hotel

The check-in process at this millennial- influenced Tempe hotel is fairly easy. You enter the lobby through the “space age” designed doorway and then head to the bar, where it also serves as the central hub for most of the hotel activity. The friendly staff will quickly take care of you, and also offer a complimentary welcome beverage. If alcohol isn’t your thing, they do offer non-alcoholic beverages. If you happen to drive in, be sure to get a parking pass, or else you are at risk for a tow.

The “Selfierator”…

The hotel elevator is not your average, boring elevator. Once you are inside, there’s a small sign that prompts you (if you wish to participate) to pick a prop from the balloon basket, and then take a selfie. Be sure to tag #atthemoxy and #moxytempe if you decide to post on Instagram.

Selfierator, MOXY Tempe, hotel

The room….

The rooms at the MOXY Tempe are HUGE! Upon entering my room, there’s a small hallway that opens up to the main room. There is no closet, however PLENTY of wooden pegs line the wall and hangers are provided to hang garments. The comfy bed sits on a wooden platform with motion sensor lighting and features a brown leather headboard, and grey and white bedding. Other aspects of the room include a cozy sitting area, complete with birdcage lighting, a lengthy desk with Crosley retro-style record player with select vintage albums, a 49-inch LCD TV with local channels and access to Hulu and Netflix (just sign in to your account), and enough outlets to keep my phone and laptop charged wherever I choose to sit (even on the spacious balcony). A sliding barn-style door opens into the bathroom. I enjoyed showering in the glass-enclosed shower with a rain shower head and MUK bath products. It was so nice just being able to step out of the shower, refreshed, and go straight to the snug bed with crisp sheets and soft blankets. Oh, and don’t forget to dial 68 if you’d like to hear a bedtime story!

The overall hotel…

* Ample self parking

* Each floor has an ironing room. Since there is no in-room ironing board/iron, this quaint room is equipped with an ironing board and iron… and a cheeky poster of a tattooed dude ironing.

* The gym is on the 4th floor and offers a variety of equipment that is guaranteed to bust a sweat.

* The multifunctional lobby has several meeting areas, as well as a library with conference-style table with iMacs and a printer, perfect to quickly print out a boarding pass and whatnot.

* There are an abundance of games, including a pool table, hacky sack, and a few arcade games (anyone up for Mr. PacMan?).

* There is a 24/7 grab-n-go self service section, with food, drinks, and alcohol next to the bar. In the morning, I suggest ordering a Breakfast or S’more Naan and latte. I had the S’more Naan and vanilla latte, which was a great way to jumpstart my day!

* The courtyard has cabanas, ample seating, the pool, more games, and a vibrant mural by Peru Dyer Jalea. They usually have a DJ spinning some tunes (at least, they did when I stayed), so be sure to check out MOXY Tempe Instagram for local happenings.

MOXY Tempe Links:

* Website

* Facebook

* Twitter

* Instagram

* Yelp

Rubin Singer Channels Deep Space for His Spring 2017 Collection

Oct 10 2016

Rubin Singer held his Spring 2017 collection preview in the intimate spaces at Highline Stages. He presented 32 looks, ranging from cocktail-chic to red carpet glam. His collection is titled “Into the Deep,” which centers around the concept of deep space exploration. “I went with this concept because my work is always reflective upon what’s going on at the time. I really wanted to focus into my strengths, and really go deep into them. Conceptually going into outer space felt right,” Singer further explained.

In the past, the designer has done collections based on quantum physics, abstract algebraic functions, and grammar. “I have very cerebral concepts a lot of the time. This one in particular felt that it could go wrong very quickly, you could start going into Barbarella or The Jetsons; but luckily after two weeks of working it out, I feel like I landed in a good spot.”

The ready-to-wear collection took about six months to develop, and then a month to make. Singer develops all of his fabrics and techniques. Everything is custom-made and made in New York. “The paillettes were custom-printed iridescent foiled plastic. I found several meteor-like rocks that I had found in different places and had them drilled and presented in a way that we could actually embroider them into the fabric. The supernova prints are all about lightspeed and time travel. All the different things came together in different ways, but all referencing outer space,” the designer said.

When asked why he had more of an intimate presentation, rather than a runway show, Rubin replied, “I wanted the presentation in this format because it’s about the clothes. I didn’t want to distract away from it, whether it be the make-up,hair, or shoes. The clothes are already so intricate, I didn’t want to get anything else involved.”

Archive - October 2016