If you haven't been by the patio at Monti's La Casa Vieja in Tempe for a while, it's changed.

Even with a healthy appreciation for the arts and a career that puts me in close proximity to them — not to mention a cousin who’s an accomplished professional ballerina — I can’t say I clamor for a night at the ballet.

The go-to beverage of Cinco de Mayo is now available in dessert form. Margarita cupcakes are the latest offering from Scottsdale cupcake shop Sprinkles. The tangy little number with key lime-tequila cake capped by key lime frosting and sprinkled with salt is available May 3-5 at the bakery, 4501 N. Scottsdale Road.

There are restaurants that slash prices on margaritas or invite a mariachi band for Cinco de Mayo - and then there are restaurants that go a little nuts.

On May 5, 1862, a rag-tag force of vastly outnumbered Mexican soldiers held off well-provisioned French troops backed by heavy artillery in a battle to defend Mexican sovereignty.

They may be so commonplace they’re unappreciated, so simple they fail to activate the saliva glands at first sight, but in our book it’s hard to go wrong with chips and salsa.

A Mesa restaurant is hoping to offer connoisseurs of Mexican food and drink a not so party-hardy way to ring in Cinco de Mayo.

I long ago fell in love with the clean, crisp, sweet taste of Meyer lemons. And recently, Mexican foods guru Rick Bayless reminded me why.

Love tequila? Then you will want to attend the fourth annual Phoenix Tequila Fest from 1 to 5 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 15-16, at US Airways Center in downtown.

Two kids, two pets, two jobs, too much.

It’s no secret that liquor is a simple solution to holiday gift-giving. You don’t see a lot of people lining up Dec. 26 to return bottles of 12-year-old Scotch. And what better way to embrace the spirit of giving than by giving a spirit?

Mountain Pointe coach Norris Vaughan knows that his team has been through a brutal stretch and to this point has come through unscathed.

The fifth annual Tukee Fest Rockin’ in the Park will take over Ahwatukee Park on Saturday with music and games for the whole family.

As college students return to campus, they’ll be showered in the usual handouts of coupons, condoms and credit cards. But some schools are also giving students what a growing body of research reveals could make a huge difference in their college careers: ear plugs, sleep shades and napping lessons.

The Valley must hold some kind of record for how many people vacate the city over Labor Day weekend. It has to, because with temperatures still bordering on insufferable, having three days to escape the heat sounds like a great idea. Consult our roundup of events across Arizona if you’re itching to hightail it to cooler climes for a day or the weekend. Just be sure to call ahead to check for any last-minute changes.

Desert Vista felt slighted. Palo Verde thought it was disrespectful.

To me, summer is margarita season.

The state’s high school football schedules were released Friday, so it’s time to take a look at some of the most intriguing matchups of the fall.

Now that the heat has arrived, light bites and drinks that cool and refresh are more my pace.

It’s easy to love a great cocktail. Until you look at the numbers.

To update a sports brief from last week, Mountain Pointe's request to move its Week 2 football game against Mesa to "Week 0" to accommodate its second hall of fame class was denied by the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA).

After 15 years in business, Four Peaks Brewing Company is celebrating with a grand-scale party.