With ever flourishing style, Mondrian Scottsdale’s Asia de Cuba continues uniting intense flavors while providing diners with an always exciting experience. And if you haven’t tried their special Wine Makers Dinners now is your chance! Tonight Asia de Cuba will kick off their new installment to the pairing events - Frog’s Leap Winery from Napa Valley. This new four-course prix fixe dinner and wine event will partner signature Asian/Latin fusion dishes with pairings of complimentary Frog’s Leap wine for a package price. For more information please call 480.308.1131 or visit www.mondrianscottsdale.com.

Pablo Picasso is recognized as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century and those who get a chance to see his work are considered very fortunate. Well on Oct. 17, Valley residents can be so lucky as Child Crisis Center is holding a Picasso & Pinot: A Night in Barcelona fundraiser at the Bentley Projects. At this one of a kind event a private collector has generously agreed to show The Graphic Works of Picasso which include 18 original Picassos! Guests will also be able to drink wine, listen to music by a live Spanish band, bid on “Picasso-esque” art painted by the Children of CCC and enter a Tiffany & Co. raffle. For tickets please call 480.834.9423 or visit www.childcrisis.org.

This month, Scottsdale Public Art and Beatrice Coron are introducing Sharp Arts: The International Papercutting Scene. Coron, a celebrated artist, will personally demonstrate various paper-cutting methods applied by contemporary artists to create books, art and even fashion.

Additionally, Coron is one of five chosen artists sought out by the Scottsdale Public Arts Program to display her work from Scottsdale’s outdoor Civic Center Bell Tower. Her installation, Floating Memories, is a monochromatic 3-D visual display, to be shown through Dec. 3. www.beatricecoron.com/floatingmemories – Christine Whitton

Kicking off tonight, Eddie’s House in Old Town will be hosting a Tarot Tuesdays happy hour from 6-9 p.m. Stop by for cocktail specials and, while there, try a tarot card reading from the famed fortune teller, Mrs. Rita.

To RSVP: hauntinghour@roseandallynpr.com

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort has recently announced that it will be carrying Hope Wine, a charitable wine label that raises money for worthy causes (i.e., breast cancer, autism and AIDS awareness, environmental issues and families of fallen soldiers). To celebrate, stop by the resort’s lobby bar next Thursday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. for the launch party to enjoy fab fare, live music and—of course—wine. Scottsdale.hyatt.com.

The newest lounge in Scottsdale opens this weekend and its name, Black Card UltraLounge, does not hide the fact that this club is about elite, upscale nightlife. Black Card, stemmed from the titanium American Express Centurion card, is located on the corner of Shea and Scottsdale Road and is owned by the Las Vegas Entertainment. Does this place look familiar? Well it used to be home to Taste Ultra Lounge before it was sold to Las Vegas Entertainment. Will this one succeed? We will find out.

Good news girls, every Saturday night is ladies night!

www.blackcardscottsdale.com

Jessica Simpson was spotted by a certain Arizona Foothills employee at the Scottsdale Fashion Square Neiman Marcus Saturday! Just a few hours before her performance at Chase Field following the Diamondbacks game, the (now) country star was seen wandering the racks.

The Deets:

• She’s much taller than we originally thought- no tiny 4′11″ girl here! She had to be at least 5′4″
• Her hair is darker than that bright blonde we’re used to seeing on blogs
• She was wearing a long black Nui cotton tube dress (exactly like the above orange one), flip flops, and very little makeup
• She had a posse of a bunch of girls and a bodyguard
• She hung out in Neiman for more than an hour, browsing nearly every department
• She was looking at Neiman’s high-vamp shoes, the luxurious Akris and Chanel numbers and high-end lingerie, and ended up walking around with a very cute (and modestly-priced) Elizabeth and James top (below)

Hungry? Good. Arizona Restaurant Week is just around the corner (Sept. 20-26). For a mere $29 per person, diners can indulge in a three-course meal at many of our favorite local feasting spots, including Sol y Sombra, Tarbell’s, Roka Akor, Bourbon Steak and many, many more. To find a completely listing of participating restaurants, visit www.arizonarestaurantweek.com.

The air is crisp(er), the (few) leaves are falling, pumpkins are on the (100-degree) corners and we all know what that means.  CANDY CORN SEASON!

But this time when we went to Target for our seasonal treat, there was something even better than the usual candy corn and mellowcreme pumpkins! These incredibly delicious, unbelievably adorable Candy Corn-flavored Hershey’s Kisses.  The white chocolate base is flavored that familiar caramelly, buttercreamy candy corn flavor, and even looks like 3D versions of our favorite holiday candy.

Dare we say it? We like these MORE.