Tempe Center For The Arts — Attraction in Tempe

I would give them 5 stars if they could get their act together about FOOD! 3-6 years ago when they had the cafe/lounge open and serving salads and wraps, especially for happy hour events and concerts, they partnered with CATERING companies to provide the food and alcohol and service. The TCA manager is a city employee who gets paid no matter what. Now, there is NO FOOD available (except sun chips) and a small carbs laden $8 buffet during weekend HH events, and they won't allow you to bring in your own food! Has completely mystified me for years!

As a result, attendance at The Edge HH events is shamefully sparse when years ago when the food buffet was free it was packed and people purchased a lot of alcohol. I've noticed that most other events are also thinly attended...makes me wonder how long they can keep this up? But with the new parking garage and forthcoming retail stores and restaurants might help. Partnering with ASU has saved their butts! One Tuesday/month during regular school season, ASU provides free musical events in the Lakeside room with complimentary coffee/tea/biscotti service. Get there before 9:15 am when the busloads of seniors unload and you will be sitting in the back.

DO stop in regularly to check out their Art Gallery as they do a great job with this. Their gift shop also has a delightful selection of LOCAL artist jewelry, wearables, cards, etc. The Friday and Saturday night Edge HH also promotes local musical talent gleaned from their Wed walk-in mic nights. Hopefully attendance will pick up again once there are available food options close by.

Otherwise, it is a stunning building, especially at night, and with the infinity pool, gas fires and color lighting. Very magical. Still a favorite place to go to, but it could have been...

TCA ROCKS. Everyone from the concierge dude (seriously, he has fascinating stories/info on every aspect of the place!) to the awesome guy ferrying you from the parking lot to the front (impressively considerate and perceptive) is a delight in every interaction! My parents go to their events (OMG, they're in love with the happy hour: live music and tasty tasties), but my favorite part is their gallery! I'm one of those dorks who would always rather have a museum membership than all the dinners and movies put together; just TRY to get me out of the Gardner or the British Museum, or even the General Patton one!!?! Every time I go it changes my life. My favorite to date was the one with the array of thin ball chains hanging from the ceiling: it constantly challenged your perception, and it felt like being inside a crystal lattice. Lying down to look up through it, I was staring at myriad paths into infinity, suddenly irrefutably infinitesimally small and ethereal. Even the current monster exhibit (I REALLY dislike the entire horror genre -- barf, ick) clicked parts in my heart and brain that delighted me or made me all but cry. ...

Went to an ASU Choral event. No mention of the lack of parking and the need to take a bus from the parking garage. Beautiful venue but I wasn't dressed to walk or ride a bus. Event was free for students, $16 for others at the door and open seating. At least three ushers told us there was no more seating yet none of the ushers were encouraging people to not save seats and to move to the center of the row so open seats were easily visible. One even told us the upper section was reserved for the choir -- who were performing - and when the students were done, they sat in seats that had been saved; I am still not clear why they were seated as the audience and not held backstage. If my husband hadn't made it from his run from the parking garage (because of the lack of bus and the show starting soon), I would've demanded our money be returned and trekked back to the car. Terrible experience. Not...