By now we’re sure you’ve got your Valentine’s Day plans set– the candles are bought, the wine is in the cellar, the roses are ordered – but the real question is still on your mind: how to make this one sizzle? For couples staying in this Valentine’s Day, there is still a fun, inexpensive way to make that candlelit dinner the best one yet. Smart Kitchen, the video cooking curriculum that has been used in culinary schools around the country, is not only perfect for food enthusiasts but is also a great idea for couples wanting to injection passion into their Valentine’s Day – and every - date night. Plus, there’s a special: the first 100 people who join Smart Kitchen using promo code COOKTOGETHER will enjoy unlimited cooking lessons FREE for 30 days (that includes Valentine’s Day, in case you are still looking for ideas).

Cooking as a couple not only brings you together but is a fun and sexy way to get to know one another. From the dinner table to…ahem, dessert, enjoy these three tips to make your dinner – and whatever comes next – red-hot:

1) Discover each other’s strengths and weaknesses: one of you may be excellent at slicing and dicing, the other a grill master. Figure out your strengths and work them till the cows come home – meaning, of course, till the steak is perfect. Don’t forget that hard work deserves rewards!

2) Taste as you go: don’t be afraid to light your own fire as the soup simmers down. From adjusting the seasoning or giving your loved one a taste of what you’ve whipped up, cooking couples should always savor their work.

3) Cook outside your comfort zone: mixing it up is always the key. If lasagna usually happens in the kitchen, grab your partner and tackle beef tenderloin, lobster tail or soufflé. It’s date night, after all, and not only are these cheaper to make at home, but changing up positions the menu can add steam to an otherwise typical routine.

Another great way to amp up the romance? Choose naturally aphrodisiac foods, such as the following:
Almonds
Anise
Avocados
Bananas
Chocolate
Coffee
Fennel
Figs
Garlic
Honey
Licorice
Oysters
Pineapple
Vanilla
Wine

Sign up for Smart Kitchen and the first 100 people who join Smart Kitchen using promo code COOKTOGETHER will enjoy unlimited cooking lessons FREE for 30 days, including Valentine’s Day at www.smartkitchen.com.

Just in time for Arizona’s centennial celebration, the Phoenix Art Museum is hosting Frank Lloyd Wright: Organic Architecture for the 21st Century.

Taking place from now to the end of April, this exhibit commemorates the famous Arizona architect and explores his tenets of organic architecture. Though Wright did most of his work primarily in the mid-century, his style and method resonates with today and holds a major part in Arizonan history.

The exhibition looks into many of Wright’s career accomplishments including Unity Temple in Illinois, Fallingwater in Pennsylvania, Johnson Wax Administration Building and Taliesin, both in Wisconsin and of course Taliesin West in Scottsdale. After the construction of the Taliesin West, Wright retired in the Valley and spent the remainder of his days designing dozens of residential and commercial structures.

Phx Art Museum | 1625 North Central Avenue | Phoenix, AZ 85004

Image via Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

Like Starbucks and fro-yo shops, Thai restaurants seem to be popping up on every corner, yet somehow, the quest for amazing, authentic Thai food is not as easy as driving down the street – those without a Thai-food-savvy GPS need guidance. As usual, however, we did the hard work for you, scarfing down warm peanut curry with beef in Scottsdale, spicy papaya salad in Phoenix, and even coconut pineapple rice at an eatery in Glendale just to bring you a list of ten local Thai favorites for both the newbie and the experienced to love. Check out our choices after the jump.

1. Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery: From Thai pineapple fried rice with prawns and cashew nuts (kao pad sapparot) to stir-fried eggplant with basil and scallions in red curry and black bean sauce (pad makeur), we think this trendy Scottsdale joint speaks for itself.

2. The Wild Thaiger, Phoenix: A colorful Thai eatery in the heart of Downtown with house specialty drinks, unique martinis and a global wine menu.

3. The Siamese Cat in Tempe: a traditional, simple and fool-proof Thai menu.

4. 5R Cha Thaiin Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa: Delectable enough to have three locations, including a spot in Tempe for to-gos only, this well-known family of restaurants is quickly becoming a Valley tradition.

5. Pete’s Thai Cuisine, Phoenix: Owner and “funny man” Pete Pholtosa formerly owned Siam in Glendale and is the mastermind behind Thai E-San in Central Phoenix, which is also delicious enough to make our list. Don’t worry - there is enough leg room between the two restaurants to serve bothsides of the city.

6. Thai E-San, Central Phoenix: With a knowledgeable staff and dishes like fresh lemongrass soup and mussel salad with lime and herbs, we just couldn’t leave this out, even with sister restaurant Pete’s Thai Cuisine at the No. 5 spot.

7. La’s Thai Cuisine, Scottsdale: A smashingly authentic southern-Scottsdale must-stop.

8. Bangkok Thai Bar-B-Q in Glendale: A hole-in-the-wall Westside Thai hotspot with favorites like seafood curry, sweet crispy noodles and of course, coconut pineapple rice.

9. Malee’s Thai Bistro in Scottsdale: an Old-Town Scottsdale haunt complete with Thai cooking classes, catering and specialty cocktails like Electric Green Tea.

10. Swaddee Thai Cuisine, Scottsdale: Not only does one of our favorite Thai restaurants have locations both in Chandler and Flagstaff, but their Chandler location stays open till 1 a.m. every Friday and Saturday night with live Karaoke.

It’s that time again for the greatest show on grass. Sure we’re excited about the 16th hole, but the Waste Management Phoenix Open offers much more than cheering for our hometown hero Phil Mickelson from Monday, January 30 - February 5. For a guide to all official daytime golf events, click here.

For those 21-and older swing into the Coors Light Birds Nest, just across from the Open’s grounds. This after-tournament tent party opens at 3:30 p.m. each day February 1 - 4 with multiple bars and a giant stage for acts that include The Goo Goo Dolls and Will.i.am this year. Admission is $25 - $35, and $120 for VIP. For tickets and more info, click here.

Here’s who’s rockin’ the Birds Nest:

Wednesday, February 1: Slightly Stoopid will kick off the four days of concerts, entertaining fans with their reggae rock fusion. Local band Elvis Before Noon and DJ Ronnie G will also perform. Show begins at 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, February 2: The Goo Goo Dolls will slide into the Birds Nest to perform some of your favorites like it was 1998 again. DJ Ronnie G and Kelly James will also perform beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Friday, February 3: Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas will be spinning records. Check out his DJ skills before his electro-dance album drops later this year. Also performing, The Chadwicks, Kelly James and yep, DJ Ronnie G beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, February 4: What PGA Tour wouldn’t be complete without an 80s cover band? Flashback Heart Attack, from southern California, performs with Champagne Tap, Smasht and DJ Ronnie G beginning at 6:00 p.m.

New to this year, with crowds reaching the thousands, cell phones are permitted. No more hiding that Droid in your sock! And speaking of socks, check out our Tee Time: A Gentlemen’s Guide To Dressing at The Open.

Image via WM Phoenix Open

Ballet Arizona and Desert Botanical Garden present the Arizona premiere of MOMIX: Botanica, January 27 and January 28 at the historic Orpheum Theater in downtown Phoenix.

Botanica, like other MOMIX creations, creates a magical and ethereal world that is appropriate for the whole family. MOMIX dancer-illusionists conjure a world of surrealistic images using light, shadow, props, humor and the human body. Beautiful and enthralling, Botanica features an eclectic score ranging from birdsongs to Vivaldi. It follows the rhythms of the seasons, the changing shape of life on Earth and the passing of a day. The performance is enhanced by spectacular costumes, projections and giant puppetry designed by Michael Curry, acclaimed production designer for Cirque du Soleil, Disney and the Metropolitan Opera.

Private Receptions:
$109/$121 ticket holders to the Friday and Saturday Evening performances are invited to attend one of the following exclusive events:

Friday Evening: Pre-Performance Cocktail Reception at 6:30 pm: Meet MOMIX choreographer Moses Pendleton during a pre-performance private cocktail hour including a hosted bar. Menu features a fresh Mediterranean antipasto display and sumptuous hot hors d’oeuvres including spinach and feta cheese spanakopita, seared lamb loin lollipop with basil shallot relish and jumbo prawn mojito shooter.

Saturday Evening: Post-Performance Dessert Reception: Meet MOMIX: Botanica dancers immediately following the show at a post-performance private reception. Enjoy a hosted bar, gourmet coffee station and dessert display featuring Brandy flambéed bing cherries and French vanilla ice cream.

MOMIX: Botanica will host three shows, January 27 at 8:00 p.m. and January 28 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. For tickets and more information, click here.

Orpheum Theater | 203 West Adams Street |Phoenix, AZ 85003

Image via BroadwayWorld

We admit it. Our favorite day of the year isn’t Thanksgiving, Christmas or even our own birthday: it is January 27. Known as National Chocolate Cake Day, this Friday is a day to commemorate what we all know and love as one of the greatest inventions ever: cake. Cake, which is great, made out of chocolate, which is the best. To celebrate this day, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood at Scottsdale Quarter is sharing their signature Chocolate Godiva Cake recipe with the world. With it warm and paired along locally made vanilla bean ice cream from Sweet Republic, this Friday is slated to be the best day of 2012 yet. Thanks to Eddie V’s for sharing the best recipe ever.

CHOCOLATE GODIVA CAKE

Yield: 4 Cakes

Executive Chef: Tom Harvey

INGREDIENTS:
½ lb. Dark Godiva Chocolate
5 Eggs
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
6 oz. Sugar
3 oz. Butter
1 Tsp. Godiva Liqueur

METHOD:
Melt chocolate and butter slowly in medium saucepan.

Whisk eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl, add vanilla.

Add eggs to chocolate slowly, careful not to scramble the eggs.

Divide batter into 4 each, lightly buttered and floured, 8 oz ramekins.

Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 18 minutes. Turn-out each into a soup bowl, serve with vanilla ice cream.

Send the U.S. Armed Forces a little more love than usual– it will soon be Valentine’s Day, after all, and they deserve it most of all.

From now through February 14, the Chandler-based romance retailer Fascinations is collaborating with Packages From Home, a Phoenix non-profit that sends boxes of much-needed love (aka food and toiletries) to U.S. troops overseas. Purchase a box of Lindor truffles for just $5 at any Fascinations location or on their website as a gift or a gift add-on, and all proceeds of the special Valentine’s chocolates will be donated to Packages from Home. Participating customers who give will then receive a $5.00 coupon towards their next “Fun Love” purchase in store or online.

“We believe very strongly in showing support to our military personnel and the service they perform for our country, so we wanted to give something back,” stated Pat Jagos, Fascinations General Manager. “Valentine’s Day is one of our busiest shopping seasons of the year so it seemed the perfect time to launch a partnership to not only raise funds, but awareness for the great work PFH does.”

Packages from Home has sent over 130,000 boxes to U.S. troops since it was founded in 2004. While PFH is based out of Phoenix, the organization sends packages to soldiers from all areas of the country and all branches of the service.

Visit any one of the following Fascinations locations to purchase a box of chocolates:

10242 N. 19th Ave. Suite 1-7, Phoenix, AZ 85021
16428 N. 32nd St. Suite 105-107, Phoenix, AZ 85032
14747 N. Northsight Blvd. Suite 107, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
2302 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85257
7337 E. Shea Blvd. Suite 120, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
5930 W. Greenway Rd. Suite 1, Glendale, AZ 85306
411 S. Mill Ave. Suite 101, Tempe, AZ 85281
838 W. Elliot Rd., Tempe, AZ 85284
8367 W. McDowell Rd., Tolleson, AZ 85353
3658 E. Speedway Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85716

20% discount online (www.funlove.com) or in-store with promo code: VDAY. Disclaimer: Expires 02/18/2012. Limit one per person. Not combinable with other offers or discounts. Some restrictions apply.

The holiday season may seem long over, but that doesn’t mean the festivities are. The Chinese New Year is now upon us, and from traditional Chinese music and dance to a 5K marathon, Desert Living Today has rounded up the Valley of the Sun’s best ways to bring on the Year of the Dragon:

1. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, January 28, the Musical Instrument Museum will present traditional Chinese folk songs, dance, martial arts and original artwork. Learn even more about Chinese instruments in one of the docent-led mini-tours of the China exhibits, eat from a Chinese-inspired menu at the MIM Café, or make a fun, easy craft. Free with museum admission.

2. Beginning today, Stingray Sushi and Jimmy Woo’s Sushi & Asian Bistro will ring in the Chinese New Year with special traditional food and happy hour specials daily. The Year of the Dragon is said to bring excitement, unpredictability, exhilaration and intensity. Sounds like a good reason to get out more.

3. Prepare your body for such a rockin’ year with Running Masters’ 5K “Wok and Run” at Papago Park February 5. There will be age division medals in the run (5 year splits) and for the walk (10 year splits). There will also be a continental breakfast, plenty of door prizes and a free kids dash. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and is $22 for early registration, $25 after January 29 and $30 the day of the race.

4. In honor of the 15-day Chinese celebration, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro is rewarding their guests with a red envelope containing an unknown reward. The red envelope, which is a traditional Chinese gift of the New Year (red symbolizes good luck and also wards off evil spirits), will contain either a discount on the meal, a free appetizer or dessert. On the guests’ following visit, a P.F. Chang’s manager or server will open the envelope and reveal its contents, which guests will have until March 4 to redeem. In addition to the reward, the restaurant has partnered with Tsingtao Lager to create Dragon Punch, a specialty cocktail featuring Tsingtao, Skyy Infusions Dragon Fruit Vodka and hot sauce Sriracha for a balance of sweet and spice. For more info, click here or visit the restaurant’s Facebook page for a virtual version of the red envelope giveaway.

Happy Friday Scoopers! T.G.I.F. Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Here’s our list of what’s up around town:

Listen Up: Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts presents red, blue, GREEN: a blues by Marc Bamuthi Joseph, mixing hip-hop, poetry and activism, January 20 at 7:30 p.m. Free pre-show chat with the artists Marc Bamuthi Joseph and Theaster Gates. Your show ticket gets you free access to neighboring SMoCA after the show at 9:00 p.m. More details and ticket info here.

Drink Up: Join the MBar at the Montelucia Resort & Spa for their daily happy hour, Monday - Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with $10 off wines by the bottle $5 off wines by the half bottle, mix drink specials and light bites. Stay late from 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. for live music by Remedy tonight.

Up on Art: Join District American Kitchen & Wine Bar downtown Phoenix tonight from 5:00 -7:00 p.m. for an special local artist reception happy hour. Artist Robert Holman Charon will showcase artwork that evokes an all-embracing balance of converse yet connected imagery, while Kristine Kollaschshows her artwork that boasts rich layers of color and texture. Specials on snacks and drinks while you listen to sweet sounds of local DJ Jared Alan and admire newly installed artwork from two local artists.

Charge it Up: This week, El Chorro is unveiling its three new Blink electric vehicle chargers, which offer green drivers an easy and convenient place to charge their car while they enjoy a great meal.

Laugh It Up: Dennis Miller live at Celebrity Theatre Saturday, January 21 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets to the funny man’s single show start at $40.00. For more info and ticketing click here.

Cook It Up: Savoring the Season: An Edible Education Series at the Scottsdale Farmer’s Market continues tomorrow with Stocks, Stews & Soups with Chef Payton Curry and McClendon’s Select. Class is from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. and the cost is free, but limited to the first 25 participants. Check full schedule here.

Freshen Up: Celebrate beauty at the Neiman Marcus Scottsdale Beauty 2012 event Friday and Saturday January 20 and 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m Personal skincare, makeup and fragrance consultations available, makeup experts available for makeovers and introduction of spring cosmetic lines, Free Flow Yoga classes compliments of Sumits Yoga Biltmore Studio at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday and more. Call for makeup and yoga reservations 480-990-2100.

Look Up: The Carefree-Cave Creek Balloon Festival takes off Saturday, January 21 at the Carefree Resort & Conference Center starting at 4:00 p.m. Vendors, kids zone and balloon glow from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Fireworks at 8:30 p.m. For more info, click here.

Towering tresses, Curly Q’s and Gaga-esque glamour take the stage at the 12th Annual Hair Wars Supreme Salon Tour competition on Sunday, January 29, 2012, at W Scottsdale.

Hosted by BRAVO’s Shear Genius finalist Ben Mollin, eight Valley salons and stylists will take it to the catwalk to showcase their creative talent in the ultimate hair competition. Salons include include Blu Sol Salon and Spa, HAIR by Luis A. Solis, J Salon, Michael Alexander Salon and Spa, Rochelle’s Salon & Spa, SalonXtian, Simply Ravishing The Salon and The Hair Gallery will compete for the coveted national title of Supreme Salon. The top three tress-teams will advance to Las Vegas for the chance to win the Supreme Salon title and a cash prize.

Each team will feature its own theme, routines and distinctive hairstyles, which best represent their artistic abilities. Judges include stylist Ethan Murray, clothing designer Angela Johnson and national recording artist, Kelley James.

Seating begins at 5:00 p.m. and tickets starting at $15 can be purchased here. The first 200 guests before 6:00 p.m. will have the opportunity to register for a runway show seat. This event is limited to guests 21 years of age or older.

W Scottsdale | 7277 East Camelback Road | Scottsdale, AZ 85251