There’s something very zen about cactus gardens,
and you can find them all over Phoenix. The above gardens are in front of the Paradise Valley post office near my hotel, and they are as prevalent in this town as Native American art:
All around Paradise Valley there are lovely homes surrounded by endless permutations of cactus arrangements:
Is it me or do some of the cacti seem to be giving me the finger after a while?
By the way a few weeks ago the founder of Sonic passed away (and if you grew up in Dallas you’d know that there’s a Sonic on practically every other block) so I thought it was fitting that I’d pay tribute to him by having a strawberry limeade at one of his joints. This one in Phoenix does not have the iconic drive-in windows but its dine-in area is rather funny, with a red phone on each table for you to place your order:
Here’s to you, Troy Smith Sr!
Tags: cactus garden, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Sonic
Phoenix is a quaint mix of a once small outpost in America’s southwest and a modern city trying to keep up with the Joneses. It is peppered by golf resorts and tony shops catering to the financially secure, and yet it has a very down home feeling to it. I think it might have to do with the year round sun, much like in LA. With all that sun in your blood you can’t help but be mellow. And here in this desert town, there’s not much to do except to just chill out and enjoy where you are.
For me, that means a heavy dose of southwest cooking…
The above picture is of my seabass with rock shrimp quesadillas, yam fries, and escabeche at the Tortilla Factory in Old Town Scottsdale. Miam.
After a big meal it’s a nice walk through Old Town to peek inside all the art galleries…
In fact, an oil painting lit from within a closed gallery stops me dead in my tracks,
so I have to come closer to look back into those eyes:
Would have loved to have taken that painting home with me. Maybe next time. In the morning I’d like to drive by the adobe houses and their cactus gardens again. I am smitten with how Phoenix has mastered monochromatic landscaping; the way the homes blend into the sand is almost like a trompe l’oeil. When you see them just in the right lighting, you almost wonder if you’re not seeing a mirage. In fact, look closer…is that a python on that horse? 
Tags: Phoenix, southwest cooking, Tortilla Factory
I lived in Phoenix for a very short time right after grad school. It was a somewhat confusing time in my life, but the aesthetics of the desertscape left a huge impact on my mind’s eye and it was clear that regardless of my internal chaos, I would always find the calm in the center of any storm by heading to the desert. When I left the city I didn’t know if I’d ever come back, and on this long overdue return I hardly recognize the town. Gentrification has come to this once sleepy haven for the snowbirds (retirees) escaping their winters. Yes, of course you can still see them in their golf attire walking around town today–and perhaps that’s why this city always feels like it’s on holiday to me–but now next to the endless array of golf resorts there are bars and restaurants full of swinging singles benefitting from the construction that must have mushroomed after my departure over a decade ago. Why couldn’t it have been this fun when I was there?
It’s a straight shot across the 10 freeway to get from LA to Phoenix, and along the way you cut through Palm Springs where you can see this wind farm. The mills are like stars…the longer you look, the more they appear across the horizon:
And as it’s on the way anyhow, I stop by one of my favorite outlet malls where I pick up this cardigan–Gucci is having an additional 50% off all RTW so I couldn’t resist:
After this quick shopping break, the rest of the drive is all desert. If you’re not the designated driver you’d probably snooze through most of the way, but I love looking at mountains and cacti and weeds and the way nature finds survival in such desolation. But let’s face it, after the 1000th cactus I do wish it were possible to teleport myself.
It’s just before sunset that I make it to downtown Phoenix then into Scottsdale. The golden sun glares over the red mountains but I have to remove my sunglasses to take it all in. The effect is incredible; the entire landscape glistens before me like a silky mirage.
Other than the orange-red shimmer over this entire city, the first thing I notice is how beautifully the adobe houses blend into the desert landscape. The camouflage effect is so sublime yet powerful that I have the urge to race back to LA, pack up all my books (and shoes…and bags), and move to the mountains here. Could any of this be the sanctuary I seek?
Tomorrow I’ll take you into town.
Tags: Arizona, Gucci, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Scottsdale, wind farm
