Living Arizona

If you’re in La Jolla, stop by Parakeet Café for coffee, breakfast, or a sweet treat! ☕️🦜 The colorful bird wallpaper and “Birds of a Feather” sign make such a cute photo spot. Try their Birds of a Feather espresso blend, made with beans from Colombia and Brazil, or check out their pastries, matcha, and brunch menu.

Parakeet Café started right here in La Jolla and has grown to locations around San Diego and beyond. Find it at 927 Silverado St. 🌴

If you’re craving Hawaiian comfort food in Gilbert, check out Islands Hawaiian BBQ! It’s a standalone Gilbert restaurant, not a chain, serving BBQ chicken, kalua pork, BBQ short ribs, crispy chicken katsu, and seafood options. Build an Island Combo and add sides like Spam musubi, macaroni salad, or Hawaiian stir-fry noodles. 🌺🍚
📍 825 S. Cooper Road, Suite B1, Gilbert, AZ 85233
📞 (480) 821-2083
⏰ Monday and Wednesday–Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
Closed Tuesdays.

If you’re looking for a special night out in Gilbert, check out Origen on Recker Road. It’s a modern Mexican steakhouse serving mesquite-fired steaks, seafood, and Yucatán-inspired flavors. Origen also has a location in Mérida, Mexico, with Downtown Phoenix coming soon.
📍 2472 S. Recker Road, Suite 101, Gilbert, AZ 85295

The Smoke Show — Gilbert
Country music, BBQ, wh***ey, and a whole lot of fun are coming to Gilbert! The Smoke Show is Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Gilbert Regional Park, 3005 E. Queen Creek Road. The lineup includes Treaty Oak Revival, 49 Wi******er, Corey Kent, Gannon Fremin & CCREV, and Eddie and the Getaway. There’ll also be 30+ BBQ vendors, a wh***ey tasting area, line dancing, co****le, mechanical bull riding, and more. It’s an all-ages event; food, drinks, and merchandise are sold separately.

Copper Country Music Fest — Casa Grande
Get ready for a full weekend of country music in Casa Grande! The second annual Copper Country Music Fest runs October 16–18, 2026, with the main festival day on Saturday, October 17, at the Casa Grande Rodeo Grounds, 400 W. Rodeo Road. Featured artists include Randy Rogers Band, Tyler Nance, Noeline Hofmann, Kruse Brothers, Taylor Hunnicutt, Lacey Rashea, and more. The weekend also includes camping, a Friday night camp session, food vendors, a market, and a Sunday brunch after-party. The festival is hosted by Pinal 40, which raises money for local youth, education, and agriculture programs.

Hondo Rodeo Fest — Phoenix
The Hondo Rodeo Fest returns to Chase Field in Phoenix, November 13–15, 2026. Each night pairs rodeo competition with live country music: Friday features Tim McGraw and Miranda Lambert; Saturday has Blake Shelton and Turnpike Troubadours; and Sunday features Parker McCollum and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The ticketed rodeo and concert are part of the same evening experience. There’s also a free Hondo Street Fest outside Chase Field each day, with vendors, live music, shopping, and family-friendly activities

If you’re in San Diego and have a sweet tooth, check out Nibble Chocolate! It’s a small, family-owned local business making small-batch chocolate right in San Diego. You can stop in for chocolate bars, truffles, rich drinking chocolate, or coffee—and they also take online orders if you want to enjoy their treats at home. 🍫☕
They have two locations:
📍 Pacific Beach: 2830 Garnet Ave., Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92109
📍 Old Town: Fiesta de Reyes, 2754 Calhoun St., San Diego, CA 92110