Neil E. Motzkin

Get into the groove when you browse through the bins of classic vinyl LPs at Mesa's Bookmans Entertainment Exchange. Out-of-print treasures, imports and hard-to-find records abound, but that's not all you'll find here. There is also an equally inviting selection of video games, books, magazines, comics, musical instruments, sound systems and more. Bookmans' goal is to minimize the number of things that people throw away and recycle them by reselling them to new owners while offering an always-changing inventory to its shoppers. Everybody wins, with a little help from Bookmans!

Mom and dad are used to telling their kids to not touch anything. But when the whole family visits the i.d.e.a. Museum, the kids are actually encouraged to reach out and touch as much as possible. This child-oriented arts center features a program of exhibits and attractions that are changed quite frequently, so you can visit often and not encounter the same surroundings. This is only one of two facilities of its kind in the country, and that uniqueness is the perfect setting in which to foster your kids' creativity.

Take a cue from the best when you rack'em up for a fun game of pool at Mesa's Main Street Billiards. This is a classy yet comfortable place to enjoy a few games, grab some munchies and meet friends to have a few beers and enjoy both the games on the tables and the sports action on the venue's many big flat screen televisions.