Arizona

[pugsrule]

Hi!

Any Cathe fans from Arizona? I am moving to Scottsdale in two weeks and wondering if anyone can give me any advice about the area.

I have been a Jerseyan my whole life! My husband and I decided that we need a change. So, we are going in two weeks!

I can't wait, but am a little nervous. Just wondering if anyone on the site is from that area or thereabouts.

Thank you and have a great day!!

 

[Timber99]

How a former Jersey girl that loves Arizona (but doesn't live there)? Does that count!? Kudos to you both for trying something so completely new and different! You will LOVE living there. I have many collegues that go there in the winter (I now live in Boston) and Scottsdale is one of the places that everyone raves about.

I love Arizona and try to get back there once every couple of years for some incredible bike tours. Biking is very big out there and a relative of mine organizes tours out there. You will be so shocked how cars literally stop dead in their tracks to let bikers go by, etc. (when in Jersey, we try to pick them off - bad joke, sorry).

If nothing else, I bumped up your post for an AZ person to respond, but enjoy! and let us know how you like it when you get settled!

 

[LadyLwyr]

Welcome in advance to the Grand Canyon State.

I'm a native Arizonan and currently live in a growing rural community just SW of Phoenix. Scottsdale is a very nice city, and I'm sure you will be happy there. By moving here at this time of year, you're going to get to experience the Arizona heat in all its glory. It is, fortunately, a dry heat, which, after having spent a month (mid Aug. thru mid Sept.) in the Yucatan Peninsula, I can say makes a HUGE difference. And, once you survive the summer, you're in for a treat b/c our winters are beautiful.

I'm going to make a move soon myself--to Tucson--because of a job offer I couldn't refuse. I plan to be back to Phoenix in a couple of years, however.

Again, welcome.

Tracy

 

[DesertRose]

I am a native Arizonan who lived 5 years in San Diego. So I have experience living here, moving away, and then moving back and all the adjustments that come with.

When I first moved back from San Diego, I had to adjust back to the dry climate. Your skin and hair will be a bit wierd for a while. Double up on your lotion, sunscreen, and chapstick for a few months. One thing I can't live without is my water cooler. It's worth every penny....especially during June, July and August.

Welcome to Arizona! "It's a dry heat"

Lynn

 

[naughtoj]

This is good for a laugh. We Arizonans have surely seen this a few times....


This is from someone who just moved to Arizona......

May 30th:
Just moved to Arizona...Now this is a state that knows how to live!!
Beautiful sunny days and warm balmy evenings. What a place! Watched
the sunset from a park lying on a blanket. It was beautiful. I've finally
found my home. I love it here!

June 14th:
Really heating up. Got to 100 today. Not a problem. Live in an
air-conditioned home, drive an air-conditioned car. What a pleasure
to see the sun everyday like this. I'm turning into a sun worshipper.

June 30th:
Had the backyard landscaped with western plants today. Lots of cactus
and rocks. What a breeze to maintain. No more mowing lawn for me. Another scorcher today, but I love it here.

July 10th:
The temperature hasn't been below 100 all week. How do people get
used to this kind of heat? At least it's kind of windy though. But getting
used to the heat is taking longer that I expected.

July 15th:
Fell asleep by the pool. (Got 3rd degree burns over 60% of my body).
Missed 3 days of work. What a dumb thing to do. I learned my lesson
though. Got to respect the ol' sun in a climate like this.

July 20th:
I missed Morgan (our cat) sneaking into the car when I left this morning.
By the time I got to the hot car for lunch, Morgan had died and swollen up
to the size of a shopping bag an d stank up the $2,000 leather upholstery.
I told the kids that she ran away. The car now smells like Kibbles and
Bits. I learned my lesson though. No more pets in this heat.

July 25th:
The wind sucks. It feels like a giant freaking blow dryer!! And it's
hot as hell. The home air-conditioner is on the fritz and the AC repairman
charged $200 just to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts.

July 30th:
Been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now. $1,500 in damn
house payments and we can't even go inside. Why did I ever come here?

Aug. 4th:
It's 115 degrees. Finally got the air-conditioner fixed today. It cost
$500 and gets the temperature down to 85. Stupid repairman pissed in
my pool. I hate this stupid state.

Aug. 8th:
If another wise ass cracks, "Hot enough for you today?", I'm going to
strangle him. Damn heat. By the time I get to work the radiator is boiling
over, my clothes are soaking wet, and I smell like baked cat!!

Aug. 9th:
Tried to run some errands after work. Wore shorts, and sat on the black
leather seats in the ol' car. I thought my ass was on fire. I lost 2 layers of flesh and all the hair on the back of my legs and ass. Now my car smells like burnt hair, fried ass, and baked cat.

Aug. 10th:
The weather report might as well be a damn recording. Hot and sunny.
Hot and sunny. Hot and sunny. It's been too hot to do #### for 2 damn
months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week. Doesn't it ever rain in this damn desert?? Water rat ironing will be next, so might $1700 worth of cactus just dry up and blow up into the damn pool. Even the cactus can't live in this damn heat.

Aug. 14th:
Welcome to HELL!!! Temperature got to 118 today. Forgot to crack the
window and blew the damn windshield out of the car. The installer came to
fix it and said, "Hot enough for you today?" My wife had to spend the $1500
house payment to bail me out of jail. Freaking Arizona. What kind of a
sick demented idiot would want to live here??

 

[wendyloo]

Oh, I could cry! I spent the last 5 years living in Phoenix/Scottsdale and I absolutely LOVED it. I was happy all the time there--that much sun will do it! Unfortunately, we were transferred back to PA (and Pittsburgh, no less!) in January. I've been crying for the past 5 months.

When I first moved to Scottsdale, I didn't think it was that pretty. Everything looked brown to me, and the saguaro cactus looked so odd. I now think it is the most beautiful place I've ever been. The morning drive to work, with mountains all around, and the sky always clear and lovely, started each day off perfectly. The heat can get to you in the summer, but I found it much better than the opressive humidity of PA.

There are wonderful places to hike all around you. Check out Squaw Peak and Camelback Mountains. Dreamy Draw park is good for light to moderate hikes, horseback rides and mountain biking. (There are various entrances to the park--I like the one off of 40th Street and Shea.)

You're so lucky to be living in a place that has great food! The Cheesecake Factory on Scottsdale Road is fun and fattening and yummy. MedaZona (sp?) is in Old Town Scottsdale (3rd Street?). It is expensive, but very worth it. The food is incredible, and not a lot of people have heard of it, so it isn't too crowded. Shogun is a great Sushi restaurant on Tatum across from the Paradise Valley Mall--Paco is a wonderful sushi chef! There's a Cold Stone Creamery right next door, or go up Tatum to Marble Slab for the best peppermint icecream! If you like Thai food, try The Pink Pepper (not sure what street it's on, but it will be in the phone book.) I can't remember the name of the Indian Restaurant we always went to... There is a "speakeasy" in Old Town Scottsdale, too--argh! 5 months away has made me forget so much! Ask around.

The shopping is so convenient there! A Target on every corner, a mall next door to every Target. Everything is so clean--especially in Scottsdale. Not as much in Phoenix, but still a cool place to live.

Drive up Scottsdale Road the WHOLE way, and you'll come to the Carefree/ Cave Creek area. Very pretty. The Territorial is a neat old bar on a Sunday afternoon. Hang out with cowboys there Head the opposite way on Shea and you'll reach Fountain Hills. Gorgeous area, with another little dive bar--The Alamo. Pool tables and video golf with crappy beer. Lots of bikers on a Sunday. A nice escape from the sometimes snooty Scottsdale!


Have fun. Sob. I am so jealous.