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A few weeks ago, my boys and I ventured to the Arrowhead Mall "club district" in Peoria to see what was poppin'!
We heard a few things about the talent out there and we decided to take a break from the same-old, same-old in Scottsdale.
Plus, I wanted to see if the West Side is ready for the Super Bowl that's coming to the Valley in February 2008! The parties, the parties, ohhhhh ... the parties!
I've already written about the West Side's potential to become the Best Side of the Valley (December 2006). But after my trip to Arrowhead, it's clear that the West Side still has a long way to go!
The First Problem: As I was driving on Bell Road towards the strip of nightclubs, I noticed that I had this "itchy feeling." I wasn't sure why, I thought it might've been that pizza I ate a few hours before, but as I got closer to the left turn on 83rd Avenue, I realized that the "itchy feeling" was my PoPo radar!
Maaaaan ... police were everywhere! I've been to some of the best club strips in the country - Miami Beach, Sunset Strip, Gaslamp District, Las Vegas and Nogales, Arizona and I have never seen Five-0 in force like that! Jake needs to relax if Arrowhead wants a successful club district!
I gotta admit that the police had me shook! They made me nervous as hell and I wasn't even doin' anything illegal!
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Second Problem: So, my boys and I tried to hit El Toro Bravo, a Mexican restaurant that turns into a nightclub in the late hours. It's supposed to be the best club in the vicinity. We obviously came too late because the line was halfway down the street! That joint was packed! Good thing we could hear the music from the sidewalk because the DJ was wack! Kill the Top 40 and the 80s tunes!
Third Problem: I will say that most of the women I've met on the West Side have been very approachable, attractive and friendly. But on that night, I bumped into several women who were even snootier than the ones in Scottsdale! Are you kidding me?
After 10 minutes of standing in front of the club to discuss our next move, my boys and I decided to roll to this joint called The Moon Saloon.
You won't be able to dance there, but the drinks are cheap and the people inside were real cool. If you're with a group of friends and you're just lookin' to chill, The Moon Saloon is a good choice. Of course, you won't see many black people, but hey, this is Arizona!
There are several other clubs/bars in the area such as McDuffy's (you can dance here), Fox and Hound, Ah-So (happy hour) and Skye Restaurant (live music, older crowd). And of course, you can also travel a few miles south on the 101 to the Westgate City Center.
However, Peoria and Glendale just don't have the muscle right now to satisfy the Super Bowl crowd. Do the powers-that-be realize how many people will visit the Phoenix area for that one event?! Maybe the West Valley wants to keep the low-key profile. If so, that's a mistake! Glendale is the home of the Arizona Cardinals' and Phoenix Coyotes' stadiums! The civic leaders have a duty to ensure that there are more entertainment options! The economic impact would be tremendous if the West Valley stepped it up a notch (restaurants, nightclubs and hotels). And I'm sure the residents would love to see the West Side come alive!
For now, I guess the Super Bowl crowd will have to make the super journey to Scottsdale for fun!
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