Burton Barr Central Library will host a free reading and discussion with author Matthew C. Whittaker from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 1221 N. Central Ave.

Whittaker will discuss his new book, “African American Icons of Sport: Triumph, Courage and Excellence,” offering an examination of African Americans in sports from a variety of perspectives and through a lively range of rhetoric styles. It also explores the extent to which modern mass media and popular culture have contributed to the rise, and sometimes fall, of these powerful symbols of athletic, individual and group excellence.

Whitaker is associate professor of U.S. History, African and American Studies, and Justice and Social Inquiry at Arizona State University. He is also the author of “Race Work: The Rise of Civil Rights in the Urban West

Burton Barr Central Library presents “The Arizona Cowboy: Then and Now” with storyteller Dean Cook in a free lecture and performance, from 7 – 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 1221 N. Central Ave.

Cook is a songwriter, storyteller and cowboy poet. A native Arizonan, he weaves his life experiences into songs and stories about the West as it was, is and should have been.

The presentation is part of AZest for the West, a multi-year project to promote Arizona history to people of all ages through cultural programming, leading up to the Arizona Centennial in February 2012.

Sounds like you can find out more about being a Big Brother or Big Sister if you head over to Majerle's Sports Grill on Wednesday, August 13th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM.  Called a Recruitment Mixer, there will be free appetizers, raffle prizes and the opportunity to hear about becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister.

RSVP Kerri Cole kcole@bbbsaz.org. Please include your name, email address and the number of guests.

For more information, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona www.bbbsaz.org phone: (602) 264-BIGS toll free: (888) 245-BIGS

Hall & Oates, the pioneer duo of rock ‘n’ roll, will be rocking out at the US Airways Center Sept. 6, in a concert event for six Valley charities during the 8th Annual Beauty of a Bonzer. This will be the first time in two years Hall & Oates will perform in Phoenix.

Beauty of a Bonzer, sponsored by Outback Steakhouse and Budweiser, is an Aussie concert and party that raises funds, awareness, and support for the local charities.

To purchase tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com .

For more information about the event, visit www.beautyofabonzer.com

August 10th, 7PM - Hard Rock Cafe in Downtown Phoenix - Be there!  Event is free!

Get ready to “Rock This Way” with the Guitar Hero: Aerosmith ROCKS the Hard Rock contest. Hard Rock Cafe, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and SPIN Magazine have teamed up to give you the chance to unleash your inner rock star AND win a trip to Boston to meet Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and play for the chance to ride home on his custom designed Guitar Hero: Aerosmith / Hard Rock Cafe / Red Wing Motorcycle!

You must be 21 or over to participate. Full contest rules and more information available at hardrock.com/guitarhero. High scorers may win a trip to Boston to compete to win Steven Tyler’s custom Guitar Hero: Aerosmith / Hard Rock Cafe / Red Wing Motorcycle!

Visit hardrock.com/guitarhero for more details

Mayor Phil Gordon held his monthly Business Coffee this morning at Mi Amigo's in the Arizona Center.  The coffee was free, the restaurant provided a buffet which was free but donations were accepted.  (That was really classy- hats off to the owner and staff at Mi Amigo's - I don't know the owner but he was very gracious - they don't have a breakfast menu but hopefully they will open for Breakfast in the near future)

Anyway, this was by far the best attended Mayor's Coffee gathering thus far (100 to 150 in attendance), probably in part due to the subject matter which was "Metro Light Rail - with a presentation by Metro Light Rail CEO Rick Simonetta.  I have to say I was impressed with Rick's presentation and with hearing his background.  Rick, who was involved with bringing light rail to Atlanta for the 1996 Olympics, said our system will be finished "on budget and on time" which is rare in the light rail world.  He also said that our light rail system is the "nations largest, most complex, starter line ever built".

The Mayor was his usual upbeat, visionary self. 

check out a video of this morning's presentation

Photo was taken with a cell phone camera sorry!

Sounds like a Mexican style soup dish to me but I guess in this case Menudo is a Band, so all of you Menudo fans might want to drop by the Hard Rock Cafe in Downtown Phoenix on Wednesday, August 6th from 5 to 7 PM because Menudo will make a special appearance.  

While there, the band will sing an acapella version of their hit single “Lost” and then have an exclusive Meet and Greet with all of their fans! Menudo’s debut album will be released by Epic Records on September 30th and their first single “Lost” has already debuted on the Top 40 chart.

Menudo's website

If you are a "First Fridays" veteran, you already know where everything is on Roosevelt and probably on Grand Avenue so this First Friday, do something new and different.  Stop by the Royal Coffee Bar and it's neighbor the Sweet Pea Bakery for some Java and a goodie and check out their "local Artist's work on display".  The 2 establishments are right next door to each other on the corner of 2nd Ave & Jackson in the Warehouse District. 

They have plenty of seating available both indoors and outdoors.

Royal Coffee Bar website

Sweet Pea Bakery website

Burton Barr Central Library will host an exhibit of abstract paintings by P. Hanson titled, “On the Move and Other Stories,” Aug. 1 – 28 at the library’s @Central Gallery, 1221 N. Central Ave.

A free artist reception will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1. The reception is part of Artlink First Friday, a free self-guided tour of downtown Phoenix galleries and art spaces. Refreshments will be served.

Inspired by history and myth, Hanson’s work explores the marks and symbols we use to explain the world. Her mixed-media paintings are composites of shape and line; their surfaces reveal both the physical activity and the thought process that occurs in creating the work.

Burton Barr Central Library will host independent filmmaker Jeff Santo for a presentation and discussion of his work at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 4, in Pulliam Auditorium, 1221 N. Central Ave. The free program is part of Phoenix Public Library’s FirstMondays Art Salon.

Santo is the writer, director and producer of the documentary, “This Old Cub,” and the feature film, “Liar’s Poker,” which won Best Film at the 1999 Chicago Film Festival. Santo’s most recent film, “Jake’s Corner,” premiered at the 2008 Phoenix Film Festival playing to sold-out audiences.