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Rise and shine, East Valley!

In today’s planning-your-week edition: Gold and silver heat up, Luna Grill opening, and street food festival + all our favorite events happening over the next seven days.

Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is helping folks around East Valley protect their savings as gold and silver continue to gain momentum. Their free guide explains what’s driving the surge… and what to know before adding precious metals to your portfolio. Grab your free copy here.

📰 In the news

Digital platform drives transparency: City of Mesa partnered with Polar Consulting to implement an energy procurement process using reverse auctions, widening supplier participation and targeting lower costs and more reliable electric service for customers — get all the procurement details.

Mediterranean favorite plots Valley growth: Luna Grill will open at Gilbert’s SanTan Village in former Teriyaki Madness space. After a Mesa debut in November, expect kabobs, bowls and pitas. Opening date has not been announced — get menu and expansion details.

Bolstering extreme heat response: Phoenix approved its 2026 Heat Response Plan, continuing 24/7 and extended-hour cooling centers and adding a partnership with Umom for family shelter after two summers of fewer heat deaths — see what’s in the plan.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175/month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Highlights this week:

• Explore Gilbert’s new Heritage District Market
• Create fairytale slime with Challenge Island
• Enjoy Chandler’s 55-plus talent showcase
• Thinning hair? Don’t wait – here are 3 treatments that work
• A home warranty that actually pays is 50% off right now

🏆 Gold and silver are heating up

Together with our sponsor American Hartford Gold

Gold just posted its strongest run in decades… and the momentum is carrying into 2026. Silver has become one of the most talked-about assets as investors look for ways to stay ahead of market volatility.

While many are still sitting on the sidelines, others are quietly repositioning.

If you’re wondering whether you’re missing something, AHG has a free guide explaining what’s driving the renewed interest… and how investors are approaching precious metals right now.

It’s free and worth reading before the next move.

🫶 We got your back

Pho fix this week: When the soup itch hits, Pho Dalat delivers steaming pho, bright herbs, vermicelli bowls, and a boba chaser. It’s low-key, tasty, and reliably comforting, ideal for an easy weeknight that still feels like a win.

Fabric fix, found: Whether you’re after the perfect blender, fresh pre-cuts, or that class you’ve dodged, A Quilter’s Oasis stocks fabrics, kits, thread, and notions to spark your next make. Plus a friendly vibe to keep your sew-jo humming.

Retro comfort, right here: When the craving hits for diner classics made with care, Chase’s Diner delivers. Think syrup-ready pancakes, hand-crafted burgers, and thick shakes that feel like a reward for arm day, plus award-winning desserts you swore you’d share… but probably won’t.

What doctors wish every 65+ adult had at home: Physicians call it “long-lie,” and it’s the real reason falls are so dangerous for older adults. It’s not a broken bone… it’s lying on the floor for hours waiting for someone to notice. We dug into the options that actually solve this problem, and one stood out. See which one →

📆 Our favorite events this week

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🛍 Simply Spring Vintage Market @ Old Brick House Vintage Market (Mesa) | Wednesday (3/11) at 6:00 PM – Take a break from the big box aisles and swing by Old Brick House’s vintage market. Curated rooms, designers ready to coach, cookies, sourdough, salsa, a clearance out back, maybe a $100 spree if you line up early Wednesday, plus free entry and parking.

🩺 Breast Ultrasound Screening @ Vitality Med Spa (Mesa) | Thursday (3/12) at 9:30 AM – Self-care that actually matters, not another jade roller. HerScan’s breast ultrasound pop-up at Vitality Med Spa in Mesa is painless, no radiation, implant friendly, and read by a radiologist, all for $295. Catches what mammograms can miss, especially for dense breasts, so book it.

🎭 Spring Tempe Festival of the Arts @ Downtown Tempe | Friday (3/13) at 10:00 AM – Consider this your annual excuse to swing through Mill and somehow stay until your phone begs for battery saver. 350+ artists, chalk murals in progress, wine and spirits tastings, Pedal Haus and Four Peaks gardens, a classic car stroll, plus young artists showing off.

🌮 Tasty Nights Street Food Festival @ Arizona Athletic Grounds (Mesa) | Friday (3/13) at 2:00 PM – Ready to graze your way through Mesa without arguing over dinner plans? This street food fest hits Arizona Athletic Grounds with bites, desserts, sips, DJs, a market, and family-friendly fun, plus free parking and tickets online only, no door sales, so click before you cruise.

🐦 Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival @ Rawhide Western Town & Event Center | Saturday (3/14) at 10:00 AM – The Ostrich Festival is strutting into its new home at Rawhide for a bigger, better run over two weekends, which means you might find parking. Expect rides, music, and fried things, with the birds still the divas we pretend not to photograph.

🚜 Arizona Antique Tractor and Engine Show @ Rodeo Park (Apache Junction) | Saturday (3/14) at 9:00 AM – Out in Apache Junction, the old iron wakes up for the Arizona Antique Tractor and Engine Show. Expect a rumbling parade, a proper tractor pull, kids games that actually tire them out, and enough grease, grit, and nostalgia to make your granddad grin.

🎷 Superstition Blues Brews & Arts Festival @ Flatiron Community Park (Apache Junction) | Saturday (3/14) at 11:00 AM – Nothing beats live blues under the Superstitions, cold craft brews in hand, tasty eats nearby, and aisles of arts and crafts you’ll use. The lineup’s a mystery, but your toes will find the groove, your pint will vanish responsibly, and your porch will get prettier.

Live music & entertainment:

• 3/11 Real Country @ Barleens Dinner Show (Apache Junction) – 12:00 PM
• 3/12 Once Upon a Mic @ Mic Drop Comedy (Chandler) – 7:00 PM
• 3/13 Lucky 13th Happy Hour @ The Way Station Tempe – 6:00 PM
• 3/13 California Dreamin’: A Tribute to the Music of the 60’s @ Hale Centre Theatre – Arizona (Gilbert) – 7:30 PM
• 3/14 Superstition Festival @ Gilbert Civic Center – 12:00 PM
• 3/15 The Fray @ Ostrich Festival (Chandler)
• 3/15 St. Patrick’s Day Party @ Starz American Bar and Grill (Mesa) – 1:00 PM

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🔥 Worth a peek

We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.

• This free tool makes it easy to find a financial advisor
• Got debt? See if you qualify to pay up to 45% less
• See if you can get a lower car insurance rate
• Protect your pet (and your wallet) with Spot

📻 East Valley report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 82°F – Low: 56°F – Precip: 70%

A slight chance of rain showers between 4pm and 5pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Sunny. High near 82, with temperatures falling to around 79 in the afternoon. West wind 0 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Later: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. South southwest wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

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Tomorrow – High: 75°F – Low: 53°F – Precip: 28%

A chance of rain showers before 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Southwest wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 53. South wind 0 to 5 mph.

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This Diamond Point estate crowns a rare 1.68-acre Las Sendas homesite with mountain and city-light views. The 6,443 sf main residence spotlights a chef’s kitchen with three leathered quartzite islands and a wine tower, plus private theater, lounge, bar, and 600-bottle cellar. Grounds feature a negative-edge pool, putting green, and terraces. An 808 sf guest house adds two bedrooms.

Take a peek inside →