To 12/20: Hot picks in arts
From Bill Gaither to "24" to Coldplay, we give you the best options for things to do this week.

11/28: Japanese rockers Dir En Grey
When experimental Japanese rockers Dir En Grey launched their first U.S. tour in 2006, fans slept outside the Wiltern Theatre in LA to be close to the action.

A look at Coldplay
Get ready for Coldplay's upcoming concert with a closer look at the pop-rock band.

11/22-5/31: Learn the secrets of glass art
An exhibit featuring world famous glass artist Dale Chihuly will be on display at the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix through May 2009.

The 'Twilight' zone: Valley author thrust into stardom
Cave Creek mother, author lifted to stardom by vampire teen romance novels.
Goodykoontz review: 'Twilight' | Photos

11/28-30: Arizona International Auto Show
Check out a full lineup of new cars and trucks for 2009, as well as concept cars, show cars and special events, at the Arizona International Auto Show at the Phoenix Convention Center this weekend.

Backstreet Boys look to change their sound
Nick Carter is the most visible face of the Backstreet Boys, the vocal group that sold more than 75 million albums in its chart-topping '90s heyday. He checked in as the group's Nov. 21 concert in Phoenix nears.

11/20: 'Night Lights' in Scottsdale
When the Scottsdale Public Art Program puts on an event, the works displayed are not limited to just oil paintings and bronze sculptures.

11/23: Thanksgiving Fiesta of Books
On Nov. 23, the Singing Wind Bookshop in Benson hosts its annual Thanksgiving Fiesta of Books, with regional authors reading from their recent works.

11/22-23: ArtFest of Scottsdale
ArtFest of Scottsdale will color the lawns of Civic Center Plaza with works in a range of styles, from metal to glass to oil. Take along our insider's guide to make your day at the fair picturesque.

11/21: Trumpet man Chris Botti
Trumpet man Chris Botti is a smooth-jazz sex symbol. It's due to the sensual way he plays combined with his carefully tousled good looks. After touring with Sting in the late '90s, Botti achieved full-scale solo stardom with 2004's sigh-inducing When I Fall in Love. These days he's always on the road, stopping in Mesa this week.

11/19: Underoath
Spencer Chamberlain discusses how Underoath survived the breakup to release the aptly titled Lost in the Sound of Separation.

11/6-1/10: Grand Canyon's Railway's Polar Express
Buy your tickets now for the Grand Canyon Railway's Polar Express train ride. Tickets sell out fast every year.

11/16-5/09: 'Star Trek' exhibit
The Arizona Science Center introduces "Star Trek: The Exhibition," featuring re-creations, props and costumes from the television and film series over the past 40 years. Organizers think it will attract a diverse audience of all ages.

To 11/22: 'Sin'
"Alternative" is not a label that Chyro's Voice Theatre aspires to, but I think it fits. Oh, Chyro doesn't match the stereotypical definition - lots of nudity, sex and violence onstage - but it is one of a handful of small companies committed to finding provocative contemporary plays that nobody else in the Valley is performing. The Scottsdale troupe's latest is Wendy MacLeod's Sin.

To 11/30: 'All the Answers'
The Lady With All the Answers, a stage salute to advice maven Ann Landers, "is very much like her columns," says playwright David Rambo. "There's a little heart, a little humor and a lot of sex." Oh, don't get all hot and bothered. Arizona Theatre Company's latest production is no R-rated raunchfest. But this one-woman show - starring Nancy Dussault, of Too Close for Comfort fame - taps into the voyeuristic appeal that helped turn one of countless self-styled advisers-to-the-lovelorn into every American's favorite aunt.

11/7-23: 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' in Peoria
Taking a familiar classic and making it fresh again is never an easy job.

11/15-27: Get family involved in runs, walks, races in SE Valley
With so many different runs, walks and races popping up in November in the Southeast Valley, it isn't hard to find one that works for you. They are a good way to raise money for a specific cause or help you train for the biggie, P.F. Chang's Rock 'n'Roll Arizona Marathon and ½ Marathon.

'Twilight' actors appear at Fashion Square
Actors Taylor Lautner, Edi Gathegi and Rachelle Lefevre are far from household names, but expect a large number of fans to greet them tonight during an appearance at Scottsdale Fashion Square.

Sedona grapevine: Vineyards take root in red-rock country
Wineries are taking root in the rolling hills outside Sedona. Taking advantage of the rich volcanic soil and excellent climate, these wineries are producing white and red varietals.

Ongoing: Yakulla Caverns at Phoenix Zoo
A new play area called the Yakulla Caverns at the Phoenix Zoo provides realistic caverns, waterfalls and streams for children to play in.

5 tiny museums with big appeal
Not every museum features great paintings or dinosaur bones. There are a bunch of smaller museums in the Valley that illuminate smaller corners of Arizona life and history.

New baby animals on display at Wildlife World Zoo
The seasons have changed and the circle of life continues at the Wildlife World Zoo. Visitors can welcome a handful of new baby animals, some of them highly endangered. Check out the latest additions to the Litchfield Park zoo family.
Baby animals in 2008

6 Valley mountain-bike trails for all riders
Mountain biking on Valley trails, for every skill level.

4 dog parks in Phx, WV
Give your pup a change of scenery with a trip to your local dog park. Today, we profile some Phoenix and West Valley bark parks.

Hiking Cathedral Rock in Sedona
As you approach Sedona from the south, this dramatic cream- and salmon-colored formation stands as a sort of gateway to the backcountry marvels beyond. Impressive from a distance, it's absolutely spectacular up close.

4 patios to chill with a beer
The summer heat has retreated. Nights are cool and the urge to get out pushes you into the city. It's a perfect time to enjoy a brew on the patio. The Valley has plenty of places to do this, ranging from restaurants to microbreweries. Here are four places with patios where you can chill with a cold one.

History of the Sinagua written in the red rocks of Palatki and Honanki ruins
It is Friday afternoon, and a slow, steady stream of visitors makes its way to Palatki Ruin. By the end of the day, 79 people will have visited. Only 10 of them will be from Arizona. This is typical.

Volcanic history on display on crater trail near Flagstaff
Hiking the Old Caves Crater Trail near Flagstaff.

Outdoor places to visit
Sure, summer is essentially a living hell in the Valley. But now we are entering the time of year that makes snowbirds flock to our state. The temperatures are lowering and suddenly you want to be outside, simply people watching or enjoying a good book. Here are some places to think about visiting - take advantage now, because the window for pleasant Arizona weather seems to grow shorter each year.

Fans flock to meet celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis
Over 900 fans flocked to Kierland Commons on Saturday, Oct. 18, to meet Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis.

Bike the Canal
Walking or riding your bike along the Salt River Project canals that crisscross the Valley.

Rock-art exhibit delves past
Centuries ago, Native Americans traveled through eastern Texas and left marks on stone. Some of the people belonged to tribes we call archaic, which means they left these marks at least 1,000 years ago. Maybe longer. 0Other tribes followed, leaving behind volumes of these markings, some 3,000 pictographs that give us a clue of what life must have been like there.

To 3/29: Hopi art work
"We are about beauty," Hopi jewelry artist Charles Loloma (1921-1991) once said of his Native American tribe's art. When curators at the Heard Museum selected about 25 paintings and drawings from the museum collections for a show, they illustrated Loloma's statement. "We are About Beauty: Hopi Artists, Hopi Art" opens Saturday, Oct. 25, at Heard Museum North in Scottsdale.

Valley arts festivals
Shopping for holiday gifts is not always an easy task, which is one reason generic gift cards are often seen as a solution. But if you really want to find something unique for your sweetheart or your mother (or yourself), while also enjoying a day out with the family, take in one of these Valley arts festivals:

Places to visit at Glendale's Catlin Court
Discover the hidden treasures of Downtown Glendale in the historical Catlin Court district.

It's fall - check out Valley's city parks
Autumn is finally here, and it's time to enjoy some outdoor time. While there are plenty of places where you can stretch out on the grass and maybe cook a hot dog, the Valley also is home to city parks with a whole lot more than monkey bars and swings.

To 1/09: Fall races around the Valley
It is finally becoming more bearable, and even pleasant, to spend the day outside, which means it's race time here in the Valley.

New at the State Fair: The Human Torch
Besides thrilling rides and foods on sticks, the Arizona State Fair brings together people of various talents, from blue-ribbon bakers to ring-toss marksmen who know what it takes to win that larger-than-life stuffed Scooby-Doo.

10/4-5/30: Mesa Arts and Culture Festival
On Saturday, Mesa unveils its most hopeful enterprise yet for resurgence of its downtown business district - an all-volunteer, weekly arts and culture festival that stretches through May.
MACFest creator takes low key, community approach
See the map

5 high-country hikes to see fall colors
Every year it's the same: Summer comes to visit in the Valley and doesn't know when to leave. No matter how many times we clear our throats while glancing at the thermometer or drop such hints as ''I really should put up the Halloween decorations,'' summer just sits there rattling ice cubes in an empty glass, hoping we'll offer to make one more pitcher of lemonade. » So when the big, sweaty palooka finally does amble toward the door, quickly grab a jacket and your hiking boots if you want to meet a more welcome visitor: autumn color. It doesn't last long. » Here are five trails in the high country north of the Valley to get you started.

Plan ahead: A look at what's coming up
Upcoming events

9/11-1/11: 'Lowriders and Tattoos' at MAC
Lowriding, the Chicano car culture spawned on the boulevards of East Los Angeles, is the focus of several exhibits and events this fall at Mesa Arts Center.

'Maltese Falcon' joins Big Read
The Maltese Falcon, by Dashiell Hammett, has endured not only as one of the greatest detective stories ever written, but also as one of the best American novels.

To 11/22: 'Cinderella'
Pumpkins that change into coaches, a fairy godmother and rags that turn to riches . . . the story of Cinderella is unforgettable. Gilbert's Hale Centre Theatre recaptures the classic fairytale's beauty and morality as it relaunches its Children's Theater program.

Student hangouts downtown
With Arizona State University's major expansion into the center city this month, downtown businesses are gearing up to accommodate the college student's lifestyle. ASU students are crawling through downtown, looking for places to hang out, study and eat for cheap.