The Phoenix Traveler

In town visiting relatives, or are they visiting with you? Perhaps you’re wondering what you can do with everyone this holiday vacation. If you’ve already seen the lights and finished your shopping, and you still have two more weeks before you can open presents (Or maybe you’re looking for something to do once the unwrapping’s done.), how about a visit south to see a few of Arizona’s ghost towns?
I’m not talking Bisbee or Tombstone. I’m talking about the real ghost towns, the ones where no one, or practically no one, lives anymore. There was once a brochure called “Arizona Ghost …read more

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A fellow blogger here at b5media recently posted at Traveling the Green Way a how-to on greening your Christmas travels. She shared tips she learned at Responsible Travel. I thought I’d localize her post and let you know how you can follow those tips in Phoenix:
1)  Buy local. The blog post referred to produce, but you can extend that further to buy local produce as well as purchase gifts, services and other products sold right here in the Valley of the Sun by small business owners who live here. Look for the red symbol you see pictured above, or find …read more

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It had been nearly two years since I’d seen my friend who lives/works on the west side of town, in Glendale. We’d tried to schedule get-togethers before, but they just never panned out. You know how it goes. I should have known we’d find time for chocolate and wine. Can anyone resist that? Um, not me.
Of all times to visit–during the holiday season–we finally managed to set a solid date and agreed to meet at a restaurant near her, the “Italian trattoria” called NoRTH — It’s a Fox Concepts restaurant serving what they call “Modern Italian” cuisine. I’ve been there …read more

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How about a break from holiday planning? Would you like to see a little bit of Arizona that requires a trip off-the-beaten path?
This past year, I’ve been working on a travel guide that’s taken me all over Arizona. I’ve shot the typical landscapes you might expect to see in Arizona: saguaros, desert mountain views, red rock cliffs, dry river beds. But I’ve also seen some pretty quirky images, things you won’t see if you don’t hop on a back road or two…most of which aren’t even paved, and are often closed during the winter. Not to worry. You can plan …read more

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It’s all lit up in Prescott for the holidays. The Yavapai County Courthouse (pictured above), Whiskey Row behind it, the gift shops, boutiques and restaurants downtown–they all take part in the holiday festivities that have helped turn this former territorial town into Arizona’s official “Christmas City.”
With a heritage dating back to Victorian times and earlier, they know how to do Christmas here. Phoenicians drive the 90 miles north to see what’s been billed as the world’s largest Gingerbread Village. This year, more than 100 gingerbread structures decorate the lobby of the Prescott Resort now through December 28. The resort is …read more

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You’ve probably heard about the recent store closings (Mervyn’s, Circuit City, Linens & Things), but this economic downturn is affecting other Metro Phoenix venues as well, especially the young ones. 
MOSS WELLNESS SPA
I didn’t even have time to write about Scottsdale’s first luxury eco spa–less than a year old–at the Scottsdale Waterfront. It was LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, a unique place for the socially conscious. I had made a mental note to go and try out the coffee wrap treatment. It sounded like a much better way to start a day than at Starbucks. But, too late. …read more

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Mill Avenue in Tempe hustles and bustles with pedestrian traffic year-round. It’s not the place to go if you want peace and quiet. And though I’d say the majority of the people you’ll see milling around are Arizona State University students, urbanites from all over the Valley of the Sun head over on evenings and weekends to shop, dine at the many restaurants, hang out in the taverns, and walk, ride bikes or rollerblade over to Tempe Town Lake.
This coming weekend, however, pedestrians will flock to Mill Avenue–one of America’s “ten great streets” (American Planning Association, 2008)–for one of …read more

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Today, December 1, marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. The World Health Organization established World AIDS Day in 1988, to provide governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations, and individuals the opportunity to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic.
Worldwide special events take place to continue this mission. Here’s what’s happening in Phoenix:
_Planned Parenthood offers HIV/AIDS testing today at half the regular price, from $70 to $46. Call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) to make an appointment or to find out where the nearest health center is to you; they’ll accept walk-ins.
_Join folks at 2 p.m., at …read more

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