Phoenix, Arizona
SperlingViews

Different Strokes for Different Folks... - 4/27/2013

The subject says it all. Personally, I can't stand big cities wherever they are. And as for climate? I say Phoenix has two seasons: summer, and summer lite. And with a whopping annual rainfall of maybe four total inches, and about 350 days of blazing sunshine, just doesn't attract me at all. My philosophy is "how do you know what a great day is unless you have some 'bad' ones to compare it to!". What cracks me up the most is how every town's local TV stations must employ a meteorologist and have a "weather" report -- to me, weather implies changes, and when it's the sme day in and day out, there's really absolutely nothing to report. I joke with friends in the southeast, and say "if you get a degree in meteorology, graduate at the bottom of your class but are attractive and 'camera friendly', and have a killer wardrobe, this is where you want to be if you want to be a meteorologist on TV". I come from a coastal town in the South, in a hurricane zone, and boy, you've gotta be one helluva talented meteorologist, and have a serious passion for it if you desire to be a local weather person. Weather there is so incredibly dynamic and ever changing, it's almost a joke comparing it to southern AZ. I always hesitate calling it 'weather' here -- and prefer calling it 'climate' and leaving it at that. And heat? I wouldn't mind it so much if it was offset by things called 'seasons' and actually had 3-5 months where I might want to turn the heat on, more than maybe 10 times a year, and for an hour or so just to take the chill off. Change is where it's at, IMHO. I've lived in places where it'd reach 130+ temps, WITH high humidity -- now that's HOT! Then there's the serious urban sprawl here. Like most enormous cities that seem to expand and gobble up what used to be outlaying towns -- you can't tell at all when you're crossing from Phoenix to say, Glendale, Peoria, or Paradise Valley unless you catch a glimpse of a tiny sign that says "welcome to..." because it's a solid, nonstop view of nothing but residential neighborhoods, strip malls, big malls, more residential neighborhoods, more shopping, etc etc... for scores of miles, in any given direction. Hundreds of square miles of nothing but the same. This is obviously a very biased set of comments. IF I wasn't in my 60's, and was back in the days where I was career oriented, and loved meeting lots of girls and enjoying a big social life, I'd probably would've loved living in Phoenix, for awhile. I came here because I'd gotten reconnected with an 'old flame' from 45 years ago. I put my home up for sale in 2009, which was way too late, so I had to short-sell my home out east. When things didn't exactly work out with my now ex, everything went into storage, except what I could fit in a tiny studio condo I rented in order to wait out the mandatory two-year mortgage 'purgatory' where I can once again obtain a mortgage and buy a small place to live out however many years God allows me to. But, wherever I can find that small and affordable place, I CAN say with conviction, it won't be in the Phoenix Valley! No way, no how. I've never felt more isolated and miserable than I have here. I'm looking at northern towns at much higher elevations, where they have an odd thing called WEATHER, and SEASONS too. There wouldn't be over 5-million people here if they didn't love the Phoenix Valley, or have a killer job that got them here in the first place. Now that I risked it all and wound up in this Godforsaken big-assed metropolis, I can't afford much over $100k. But at any given time there's well over 350 homes to choose from in the Phoenix area, over 250 in Tucson. That's the ONLY thing I can see as a serious benefit, but for me it comes down to quality of life vs money, which I have very little of left. Sadly, the amounts of available homes up north are very limited - and most of those in my meager budget are mfd/mobile homes; which I wouldn't mind at all, it's just that 98% of the banks won't finance those kinds of homes. So climate aside, as much as I'd prefer being north, down below Tucson in Green Valley, there's a helluva lot of incredibly nice and very affordable homes available. Green Valley is basically comprised of retirement communities, and over 20,000 residents nowadays. So if it becomes an impossible endeavor to move north, I suppose I'll just bite the ol' bullet and move to a place like Green Valley, where there's plenty of retired old folks like me! No cars racing around, no subwoofers, and no Harley's without mufflers... gemreally boring and quiet, which will suit me fine -- except the climate -- which will be my biggest trade off. But back to Phoenix... it's like the subject says! Phoenix is a great place, if you like seeing the same 'weather' year 'round, and love all the big city things, like zillions of great restaurants, clubs, and don't mind dealing with nonstop traffic all day long, no matter which of the 7 days you decide to try to accomplish something.[more...]

Different Strokes for Different Folks... - 4/27/2013

The subject says it all. Personally, I can't stand big cities wherever they are. And as for climate? I say Phoenix has two seasons: summer, and summer lite. And with a whopping annual rainfall of maybe four total inches, and about 350 days of blazing sunshine, just doesn't attract me at all. My philosophy is "how do you know what a great day is unless you have some 'bad' ones to compare it to!". What cracks me up the most is how every town's local TV stations must employ a meteorologist and have a "weather" report -- to me, weather implies changes, and when it's the sme day in and day out, there's really absolutely nothing to report. I joke with friends in the southeast, and say "if you get a degree in meteorology, graduate at the bottom of your class but are attractive and 'camera friendly', and have a killer wardrobe, this is where you want to be if you want to be a meteorologist on TV". I come from a coastal town in the South, in a hurricane zone, and boy, you've gotta be one helluva talented meteorologist, and have a serious passion for it if you desire to be a local weather person. Weather there is so incredibly dynamic and ever changing, it's almost a joke comparing it to southern AZ. I always hesitate calling it 'weather' here -- and prefer calling it 'climate' and leaving it at that. And heat? I wouldn't mind it so much if it was offset by things called 'seasons' and actually had 3-5 months where I might want to turn the heat on, more than maybe 10 times a year, and for an hour or so just to take the chill off. Change is where it's at, IMHO. I've lived in places where it'd reach 130+ temps, WITH high humidity -- now that's HOT! Then there's the serious urban sprawl here. Like most enormous cities that seem to expand and gobble up what used to be outlaying towns -- you can't tell at all when you're crossing from Phoenix to say, Glendale, Peoria, or Paradise Valley unless you catch a glimpse of a tiny sign that says "welcome to..." because it's a solid, nonstop view of nothing but residential neighborhoods, strip malls, big malls, more residential neighborhoods, more shopping, etc etc... for scores of miles, in any given direction. Hundreds of square miles of nothing but the same. This is obviously a very biased set of comments. IF I wasn't in my 60's, and was back in the days where I was career oriented, and loved meeting lots of girls and enjoying a big social life, I'd probably would've loved living in Phoenix, for awhile. I came here because I'd gotten reconnected with an 'old flame' from 45 years ago. I put my home up for sale in 2009, which was way too late, so I had to short-sell my home out east. When things didn't exactly work out with my now ex, everything went into storage, except what I could fit in a tiny studio condo I rented in order to wait out the mandatory two-year mortgage 'purgatory' where I can once again obtain a mortgage and buy a small place to live out however many years God allows me to. But, wherever I can find that small and affordable place, I CAN say with conviction, it won't be in the Phoenix Valley! No way, no how. I've never felt more isolated and miserable than I have here. I'm looking at northern towns at much higher elevations, where they have an odd thing called WEATHER, and SEASONS too. There wouldn't be over 5-million people here if they didn't love the Phoenix Valley, or have a killer job that got them here in the first place. Now that I risked it all and wound up in this Godforsaken big-assed metropolis, I can't afford much over $100k. But at any given time there's well over 350 homes to choose from in the Phoenix area, over 250 in Tucson. That's the ONLY thing I can see as a serious benefit, but for me it comes down to quality of life vs money, which I have very little of left. Sadly, the amounts of available homes up north are very limited - and most of those in my meager budget are mfd/mobile homes; which I wouldn't mind at all, it's just that 98% of the banks won't finance those kinds of homes. So climate aside, as much as I'd prefer being north, down below Tucson in Green Valley, there's a helluva lot of incredibly nice and very affordable homes available. Green Valley is basically comprised of retirement communities, and over 20,000 residents nowadays. So if it becomes an impossible endeavor to move north, I suppose I'll just bite the ol' bullet and move to a place like Green Valley, where there's plenty of retired old folks like me! No cars racing around, no subwoofers, and no Harley's without mufflers... gemreally boring and quiet, which will suit me fine -- except the climate -- which will be my biggest trade off. But back to Phoenix... it's like the subject says! Phoenix is a great place, if you like seeing the same 'weather' year 'round, and love all the big city things, like zillions of great restaurants, clubs, and don't mind dealing with nonstop traffic all day long, no matter which of the 7 days you decide to try to accomplish something.[more...]

Weather - 4/22/2013

It seems lke the only way the some people can make Phoenix look good is by comparing it to somewhere that gets 15 feet of snow. It gets so hot here in the summer it eats the paint off the side of your house.[more...]

Phoenix Arizona - The Worst Place to Live - 3/7/2013

People visit Phoenix from Nov-March with rose colored glasses on. Phoenix, for lack of a better term, is a sh-t hole. The quality of air is the worst second to LA and don't let anyone tell you different. The brownish pinkish cloud that lays over the entire valley is constant. The whole Phoenix Valley is surrounded by mountains you can't even see most days. If you don't have allergies or respitory problems before you move to Phoenix, you will after. The "Arizona Apple Chest" can be found on just about every female in the city. It's from driving into the sun for an hour and a half to work and an hour and a half home every day and not realizing the damage its doing to your face, neck and chest even through your car windshield. A 2 hour a day commute is average and 3 hours a day is pretty normal - there is no public transporation to support a city that is 100 square miles. Hardly anyone car pools so all the car pool lanes that were just constructed are used by single passenger idiots thwarting the traffic laws. All there is to do in Phoenix Arizona is shop and there is a shopping center on every corner and every corner looks just like the last. What else is there to do when its 100+ degrees for 6 months, 105 degrees for 3 of those months and a 110+ in July and August. If you like big jacked up trucks billowing diesle smoke everywhere then Phoenix is the place for you. And the schools - Pheonix ranked 48th in the union for education and its prevelent because nobody votes for anything having to do with posturing education because most of the Haves on the east side go to private schools. If you live on the west side you are a Have-Not and if you live on the east side you are a Have. Culture: I have 1 word for you, Mexican. There are probably more Mexican food places in Phoenix than there are in Mexico. Anything else that is decent will cost you 150 dollars a plate. There are 4+ million people in the Phoenix Metro area and it swells to a million more with all the snowbirds from Oct until May. If you want cheap living, even cheaper wages, don't mind running your AC evert 20 minutes and sitting in a dark house for 6 months, horrible education standards and respitory problems then move to Phoenix, Arizona - the polluted furnace of the southwest. [more...]

Az. Sucks - 2/25/2013

I've lived in"The Valley Of The Sun" for most of my life. I've seen it go from a smaller city with a parimarily argricultural and tourist based economy to a pollution filled crime ridden over crowded barrio. Phoenix has no sense of history, preferring to tear down historic building rather than restore them. The older neighborhoods of Phoenix and it's suburbs are run down and again "barrios". Traffic is bad at best and public transportation is a joke. The summers are getting longer and hotter, the winters shorter and warmer. Primarily due to the "Heat Island" effect rainfall had decreased and dust storms have almost become the norm.[more...]

Why are the few positive opinions of Phoenix writt - 11/13/2012

It seems everyone who lives here hates it except realtors and lenders who directly benefit from anyone lured into moving here. The few positive reviewers of Phoenix have made a Faustian pact to speak nicely about the place and the rest of the population is struggling to escape it.[more...]

Phoenix Comments - 10/16/2012

Great place to live if you don't mind the heat. As I work in the IT sector, I can vouch for the multitude of IT jobs here in the Phoenix Metro Area.[more...]

Where is the last review - 10/6/2012

I don't know how long reviews take to show up on Sperliing so if its processing excuse this pleas. I spent some time typing a review of Phoenix and it hasn't showed up. So I'm typing this just to see if they actually do show up. Thanks. Nothing worse than typing all those paragraphs and it going nowhere.[more...]

I'm new in Phoenix Metro - 10/6/2012

I'm not going to knock the Phoenix area. I'm so new it wouldn't be fair to residents or people thinking of moving here. So my review is based on what I see out and about in the area. Basicially how it feels for me and not necessarily for everyone. So please keep that in mind. Yes it is very sprawled out like no place I have seen to this extent. I have been all over the USA and the closest in appearance to this would be Los Angeles. So think really big. To say there is alot of driving would be a huge understatement. You really have to have a decent vehicle here in top working condition. Breaking down in this heat where distance could be so far from your home etc, could be dangerous to say the least. So an investment in a decent vehicle is just about mandatory, and that means expense and upkeep Unless you live in the central core there is very limited transit here. I am not liking that at all, and I think it will become a problem with me. There are walls everywhere around residences, or so it can seem to someone not from here. I detect a vibe of withdrawal from people here that is very noticeable. Rather insular enviroment, that is compounded by the throngs of seasonal visitors coming and going. There doesn't seem to be a sense of place here at all and that is not good. Yes it will be nice weather for about 6 maybe 7 months of the year. The rest I am told and what I am seeing now. (Oct and we have had high 90's and 100 heat still). I'm guessing Phoenix is getting hotter earlier and staying hotter longer now, with whatever is going on with the worlds climate. So its a nice place but I think I am going to find other than the months of comfortable weather. This Metro will hold little of interest for me. Miles of driving to basically strip mall after strip mall. Chain restaurants and throngs of people coming and going, doesn't seem like it will end up being a thrill for me. I don't get the design of the region and the lack of planning, beyond its entirely commerical with some residences thrown in. Mostly concrete desert is what it seems.All this concrete world obvioulsy contributes to the high heat here. Downtown Phoenix is the dullest downtown I have ever seen for a big city. To each thier own though. You could do worse than Phx metro in the USA, but for me I don't think this place is all that great. So please visit and spend as much time here as you can before moving here. Visiting and living in a place are two very different experiences. Also rent before buying dispite how cheap the housing is. You really need to learn about the area before buying. So you know if the fit is right for you or not. All in all as far as a lower cost of living. Add it all up and it probably isn't all that cheap. Yes cheap house and thats it. Very high high electric bills with all this AC going. Car insurance is higher. I can figure that one out for myself after living here awhile. Lots of accidents. Alot of gas to be spent for all this driving. Food isn't any cheaper by no means. There is sales tax that always seems to be close to 10% on just about everyhing, other than grocery bought food. Keep that in mind it may not be so cheap for you here. So like anywhere not just Phoenix. Really make sure a place is better for you before moving there, and add everything up about a place. Not just the warmer weather and cheaper house should be part of your criteria. You need the full picture of life where your moving to. You can really self defeat your purpose in life if your not careful. Again this is my review and not meant to slam the place even if may come across that way. I just wanted to be honest and this is really an honest appraisal of a place in the sun. [more...]

Villa Montessori - 9/28/2012

I have had a great experience with some of the teachers at Villa. Especially the E-1 teachers. Dedicated, compassionate...Villa is great for those looking to be a part of a tight knit community. Administration is well-intentioned, but not forward thinking. Not very open to doing things differently. In particular, I was hoping they would offer something in terms of foreign language. Not going to happen. Things get a little chaotic/logjammed. Communcation is not consistent. Currently my child is on E-2 campus which is miles from main campus. Teachers are great. Assistants are great. Love the no-bullying approach. Good group of kids. Hardest thing as a parent is inability to get a clear read on child's academic progress before the semester is nearly over with! No "systems" in place that focus on "measurables". That is frustrating.[more...]

phoenix oh how i hate you - 9/16/2012

phoenix is a piece of shit and while being here for 11 years of my life (i am now 17)i hope to soon escape from the grips of this hell. it seems like in phoenix getting pregnant at 14 is the popular thing to do.there are more teen moms whitch makes no sense what so ever when used condoms decorate the sidewalks around middle schools!!! i hate passing through 37th ave an indain school and seeing the trashy strip clubs name with a picture of a woman spreading her legs up in the air! its as if it were phoenix's mascott. phoenix should not just be known for the 115 ddegree summer but for all the teenage girls that seem to be in heat like cats and dogs just waitng to be humped and dumped. phoenix is just the worst place to raise children unless your hopes were for them to become trailer trash.[more...]

Trying not to move back - 9/9/2012

I'm an Arizona native, most of my childhood was spent in Chandler and my college and working years spent in Tempe and Scottsdale. I got fed up with everything and moved to Europe, currently I am in Prague. With the economic crisis hitting Europe quite hard at this moment I am forced to make a decision to either try to tough it out here in Prague or go back to Phoenix. Its a really tough decision to make because even though I don't make a killing here, I would make about 3 times as much money in Phoenix doing the same job. However, like some of the people have been saying, I have a big problem with the lack of culture here and that it seems that Phoenix is a magnet for a-holes from all across the country. to me it seems that people come to Phoenix to 're-invent' themselves and they try to be as arrogant and just plain mean. For those thinking to move to Phoenix, keep a few things in mind. If you are a sports fanatic (watching and participating) Phoenix is a pretty good place for you (even though the teams are average at best). You can see a live sports match at least once a week as there is hockey, basketball, baseball and college and pro football. In terms of doing sport, hiking is great (except during the high points of summer), there are water sports available, skiing is not too far away, though I always would just take a week off work and go to Colorado. Rock climbing is supposed to be very good in AZ, though I don't practice it myself. In terms of culture, its real crap. Though if you like music, every single big act will come through Phoenix, and actually Phoenix is in a pretty good position for California musicians and bands that prefer to do shorter tours. But there is no art, no sophisticated culture, restaurants are mostly chains and if you are looking to go to a bar or dancing all night you had better make sure that you either have plenty of cash to pay $100 cab rides or make sure you have a DD with you. Houses are relatively cheap now and its still pretty easy to get a mortgage if you at least have a stable job. But on the other hand, the houses all look the same and in the older traditional parts of phoenix, like Arcadia are losing their charm, with housing development companies buying up older quaint houses, tearing them down, and building monstrosities for those who couldn't make it in Hollywood but would like to have a house that compensates their vanity. There are some nice areas to live that have something like a vibe, but they are smaller areas. These are the places close to downtown tempe and downtown Scottsdale. Tempe seems to be more of a relaxed, student and young professional area. I would say its pretty cool and mixed and there's plenty to do close to ASU and its not far from downtown Scottsdale. There is also somewhat of an urban feel to it, and again the only other place where you can see that is in Downtown Scottsdale. If I have to go back to Phoenix, Tempe is definitely where I would live. Scottsdale is full of hipsters and jersey shore idiots with all the same hair style, completely roided up, drinking horrible beer at horrible prices and basically getting completely out of control. Women WILL ask you what kind of car you drive and how much money you make within the first 3 minutes of talking to them. But if you like shopping, its heaven and there are some decent restaurants there. The other negative thing is another thing people have mentioned before. The people. Most people are genuinely ok, but you really have to be careful choosing friends, I wouldn't recommend becoming good friends with people at work because there are a lot of back-stabbing bastards out there who will try to out ass kiss you with the boss. I never really noticed how bad it was until I left. It looks like Phoenix just gets the rejects from other big cities (including pissed off Californians who can't afford to live there anymore so they come to Phx). I'd recommend meeting with a group of people who share your interest. Also we have an ignorant, arrogant and brainless governor and sheriff. So- advantages: year round weather and nature disadvantages: almost everything else The only thing that makes me want to go back is my family[more...]

Long Hot Summers - 9/3/2012

I have lived in Phoenix for 20 years now and regardless what people say, you never truly get used to the un-relenting heat in the summer months that can stretch from late May well into October. The only reprieve you may get in the early and latter parts of the season is the nights will cool below 100 degrees and you can sleep and wake to bearable temperatures. Consider that four months of the year you will rarely see temperatures drop below 95 degrees, even at night. There will be weeks that the daily temperature never falls below 105 degrees and can get as high as 115 degrees. In 1993 Phoenix had a record 76 days over 100 degrees. I grew up in the Midwest with bitter winters and I find that the long hot summers are much more debilitating than the long cold winters of the Midwest. I do not prefer either though. The only outdoor activities in Phoenix during the hot summers are centered around water…swimming, skiing, sailing, etc. There are several lakes within a two hour drive of Phoenix but be prepared to fight the crowds that rush to the lakes in order to launch their boats before the lake reaches capacity. Oh yea, If you are a die-hard golfer you can golf some of the best courses cheap in the summer. Wear plenty of sunscreen, drink lots of fluids (non-alcoholic) and wear a wide-brimmed hat. Phoenix has some great attributes but the long hot summers are not for everyone. [more...]

Chateau Thierry - 9/3/2012

Chateau Thierry , Shadow Mountain area in Phoenix AZ is a beautiful little neighborhood at the base of Shadow mountain. Most properties are horse property and it has the feel of the southwest country. But the city is accessible in just a few blocks. Winters are beautiful, summers a bit hot. It is the state that pays the highest salary in my field of Sonography/ultrasound. [more...]

A natives view - 8/20/2012

Being a native I am determined they are running adds in every other state saying " If you are a selfish asshole move to Phoenix"[more...]

Modern Phoenix - 8/9/2012

Phoenix Arizona was once a nice middle sized city in the 1970's, until the flood of Californian's and midwesterners turned it into a mini Los Angeles. How on earth are these people going to support a 4 million plus population in the middle of a desert during one of the worst droughts in centuries. If you drive through the city and suburbs you will see lawns in front yards, tropical plants on the side and sprinklers running fulltime! The recent housing crash has made for un ending abanodoned line of strip malls and track home developements. Las Vegas is already turning into a bust town with unfinished high rise casinos and empty foreclosed houses. Stop the madness and return Pheonix to the people who grew up there, not some New York or Los Angeles corrupt real estate investors who cut and run![more...]

Jarrow - 7/11/2012

I dont reside in the USA. I was born and raised in the north east of England, in a town that has suffered a great deal of unemployment. As a result I got outa town pretty quick as the years rolled bye. I have visited the USA on two occasion's and really enjoyed my stay. I have visited the East Coast and the West, and have to say I prefer,Just mind you, the west coast. I could settle down rightly in Santa Monica. I had to add a few fake details in order to get on the site, hope you dont mind.[more...]

Ahwatukee - 6/24/2012

I live in an area of Phoenix called Ahwatukee. Situated n the foothills of South Mountain, this area is secluded from the busy urban setting of Phoenix. Ahwatukee, aka Pleasantville, offers everything of a suburban landscape along with the benefits of living in a large city. [more...]

Strongly consider before moving here. - 6/14/2012

I'm currently researching moving to a new home state and came across this site. With all it's helpful information and local insight, I couldn't just leave the site without adding my two cents. I have lived in four states and traveled quiet a bit. I consider myself an open minded person and felt that I could deal with any situation or climate. I am very, very, wrong. I have been in Phoenix/Gilbert Arizona for almost seven years. I noticed right away upon moving here how difficult the people were. But, figured I can deal with anything for two years. Somehow I'm still here and biting at the bit to move as quickly as possible, broke or not. The first thing I wish someone told me or at least reminded me is this is an inhospitable desert, period. Very Dry, Very Harsh, Very unfriendly, Extremely Hot! The people and climate both. There is never enough lotion, water, electrolytes, shade,..you name it. Dehydration is a constant. If you don't continually drink fluid, especially in summer, you will get violently ill from the heat, without warning because most people don't sweat. It's so dry your sweat evaporates off your skin before you realize it. You don't even realize your getting thirsty until its too late. Once you've had heat stroke, it's easier to get it again the next time. Anyone considering moving here must love heat and dryness! Many summer day's are 120degrees in a row. Also, don't forget to bring your large rimmed hat, flip flops (20+ pairs designer with bling), short shorts, and tank tops. It doesn't matter what shape or size you are, most people are just trying to stay cool and wear hardly anything in summer. Now, after the 5 months of hell, the weather is actually quiet nice. But, if the heat doesn't kill you, the allergies will. I never had allergies until I moved here. Many people share the allergy issue here, due to the specific desert plants. Also, the cooler months are filled with retirees from Midwest. Literally the population doubles as they arrive. Streets get clogged and slow down. Traffic nightmare. A nice fact is there are hardly bugs here. Nothing like the Midwest. But, the nasty desert reptiles will likely sting badly. Scorpions for one, ugly large desert spiders. Plus the other biting or stinging desert creatures, snakes, etc. will most likely kill you. To have fun out there get quads or a 4x4 truck, and high top hiking boots. Bring your hat. Lot's of trails, mountains, and terrain. Go off the trail and it could mean death from dehydration. If the helicopters have to pick you up off camel back mountain, you will most likely have to pay for that ride out of your pocket. Many people go out hiking without enough water, get dehydrated, bitten, fall off a cliff, etc. Especially for the visitors. Just use caution, but playing in the desert can be a lot of fun. Oh, and Arizona people really love their guns too. Really love guns of all kinds. Really. People never quiet accept you, but eventually tolerate your presence. They are as inhospitable as the climate. It's good to be a winter visitor (aka: snow bird), or very independent/loner type person. It is also very transient. Most people are from somewhere else and merely passing through. A typical stay here is 3-5 years, then people move onto a new place or back to where they came from. Culture is almost obsolete. There are some small art venues, museums, etc, but are scaled back, small, and sometimes difficult to find out about. A lot of art is kitschy, not original. Although, when you do find true artists work here, it is quiet breathtakingly original and beautiful. If your coming from a large metro place like Los Angeles, be prepared to cry for culture. Food/Dining, they have small pockets of hole in the wall places that have decent food. I have had really good food here from places we frequent, but nothing to write home about. Local people will know where to go. Good dining is out there, just not easily found. If you like desert living and the color brown, you should really like it here. Every place has it's good and bad qualities. This ones scales are tipped in the bad direction for me. Time to move on.[more...]

Can't stand the heat. - 6/12/2012

I've lived in Phoenix since 1983--I'm tired of the heat, crime, and transplants bringing plant, trees, and laws that don't make sense to Arizona. If you like branding yourself on seat belt buckles, temperatures over 100 at midnight and nobody getting along, then Phoenix is your place---and did I fail to mention the severely under-performing school systems? You can have it.[more...]