I should say traveling “Internationally” from Sky Harbor Airport as I’m about to take my first overseas trip to Europe and I thought this would be a great place to share tips I learn along the way! Keep watching this space for the next few weeks for updates as I travel along the way. First […]
Traveling from Sky Harbor – Intro Read More »
I came across a post on the neighborhood social feed, Next Door, lamenting yet another vehicle break-in and further lamenting that Goodyear (the town where said break-in occurred) was turning into or had become a “ghetto”. I’ve seen variations of this post too many times to count with the author asserting that their neighborhood, street,
I should have posted this advice earlier in the summer but better late than never! It’s one of the things that all transplants should know as you move into your first summer in Arizona. The sun is a silent killer of automobile parts! That sounds so crazy but imagine that you’re heading out to a
Vehicle Maintenance Read More »
It’s back!!! Arizona Restaurant Week September 20 -29 2024. If you missed the spring event last May, don’t fret, it’s back! You can get answers to all your questions on the FAQ page at:https://arizonarestaurantweek.com/ Here are just a few of the facts from that page: What is Arizona Restaurant Week? Arizona Restaurant Week is the
Fall Restaurant Week! Read More »
One of the things you will need to do (sooner or later) after you move to Arizona is find a new family doctor. You may think that because Arizona is a haven for retirees, doctors should be plentiful, right? Well, that may not necessarily be the case and coming from the Midwest you may have
That is the question and there is no clear-cut answer! One of the things I just knew I wanted in my first home in Arizona was a backyard pool. Fortunately, I lived here for about 7 months before we purchased our first home and that gave me some time to not only think this through
Should I Have a Pool or Not ? Read More »
I promise this is not a political opinion post! But rather an informational post about how you can vote in Arizona and register if you need to. I think we all can agree the 2024 election on November 5, 2024, will be one of the most consequential and interesting elections of our lifetime. So, as
It’s hot! That is an understatement and if you’re new to the area, there are some things you definitely need to know especially if you are an outdoor adventurer. The Phoenix Fire Department in conjunction with the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department has published a checklist with 8 great rules that should be
Summer in the Valley Read More »
This article was first published in mid 2022 and I bring it out again because today is the start of Monsoon Season 2024 and it’s a great reminder of what we can look forward to for the next 100 days or so. 2022 was an active season – 2023 not so much. We have no
The “Monsoon” – 2024 Version Read More »
In August of 2023, I published the following blurb on our blog page (Arizona Sports Teams) about our hockey team: The Coyotes, our hockey team, is another story entirely. They are still looking for a stadium to call home after several tumultuous seasons in Glendale and then losing a referendum to build a new stadium
Arizona Coyotes Move to Utah Read More »
Twice each year, Arizona residents and visitors can participate in a culinary feast! It’s Arizona Restaurant Week! This year, the dates are from May 17th thru May 26th and again from September 20th thru September 29th, 2024. Currently, there are 197 restaurants participating in the spring week event and that number could increase so you
Arizona Restaurant Week Read More »
According to the 2020 census, the population in Phoenix was 4.85 million people. Currently, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population in Phoenix to surge to around 7.5 million by mid-year! We can officially say that it is one of the fastest growing metro areas in the country. Ranked the 11th largest metro area (Wikipedia)
Greater Phoenix Area Forecast Read More »
The Phoenix Valley has enjoyed another exciting spring season. The Cactus League broke camp on March 27th and made way for the College Basketball Final Four Championship weekend! Spring Training, once again, was expected to be a big financial boom for the valley especially with the 2023 World Series teams training here! I was lucky
Championship Weekend in the Valley! Read More »
I ran across an article the other day that mentioned Valley Fever and I thought it’s a good mention for our blog. The main reason is that in my years in the valley, I knew about it but haven’t thought about it recently and it bears mentioning. Coccidioidomycosis is the longer technical name. Have you
It’s that time again, Spring Training is just days aways from starting in the valley! Spring Training is truly a great time for baseball fans in Arizona. The Cactus League makes its home here in February and March. This year, pitchers and catchers are reporting (depending on the team) as early as February 9th with
Happy New Year! I got an email from a blog/site I subscribe to (Experience Scottsdale) and it was all about “Scottsdale Super Season” Never heard of it! But I kept reading and it made sense. There was a list of events starting in January centered in the Scottsdale area and when you remember that in
Scottsdale Super Season Read More »
Christmas is tomorrow! And many of you are starting a winter vacation since the kids are now on break. I hope you decided to visit the Phoenix area for your winter break and if you did, perhaps you need to know what there is to do. A lot! I’m going to list a few links
It’s the Holiday Season! Read More »
If you are thinking about purchasing a new home in the Phoenix valley, one of the things that new home realtors and sales agents will tell you about is Next Door – a social media platform. It’s a great thing and wonderful that they introduce it to you, because it was meant to socialize neighbors
Next Door – The Social Media Conundrum Read More »
When you move to Arizona from the Midwest, West, or the East coast, you will experience a time change. That is to be expected and no big deal. What you may not realize is that in the state of Arizona we don’t recognize Daylight Savings Time. What that means is that our time does not
When I moved to Arizona from Illinois 14 years ago, I never gave much thought to what the holidays would be like. I guess I didn’t think about the fact that there wouldn’t be snow which adds to the festive holiday atmosphere. I only knew that it was going to be warm year-round, but I
Holidays in Arizona Read More »
I made a promise to myself when I started this blog that I would keep the info shared and posted here about moving to and living in Arizona. I didn’t want to venture into the political arena or speak about any of the topics that bring out the nasty in todays’ society. I’m going to
Bugs!! There are a lot of them in Arizona and it doesn’t matter where you live in the valley! Near the mountains, in the heart of the city, in remote areas, bugs and things that crawl will be a part of your life. So, what can you do so that you can cohabitate? When I
Creepy Crawlies and Things That Go Bump in the Night! Read More »
We talked about the state of housing in the Phoenix area a few weeks ago, let’s continue that conversation! New housing and apartments are popping up all around the valley at a crazy rate! All of the major builders have projects currently in progress or what they call “shovel ready’ projects starting any day or
More Real Estate Stuff! Read More »
It is not a new species! I’m talking about the hundreds nay thousands of people that live in Arizona from November until May each year. Returning to their native states just when the temperatures start to rise, we call them “Snow Birds”. Florida and other warm winter weather states have them too I’m sure. What
It’s actually over for 2023 – yay! We made it through another year. By the time you are reading this, it’s October and the Monsoon season of 2023 is officially over. That doesn’t mean that it won’t be 100+ degrees again but what it does mean is that the threat of heavy or violent rain
Monsoon 2023 Update! Read More »
I mentioned in my bio that I am a licensed Real Estate Agent. I’m not currently practicing but I watch the housing market here because it has always fascinated me. From the time that I bought my first home (2010) until today, there have been so many ups and downs in the market – it’s
Arizona Real Estate Market Read More »
I happened upon a post on a social media website where people were grumbling about the most recent tax bills received. It seems that we had an increase. I can’t complain yet, because I haven’t seen my latest tax bill but I’m reasonably sure that whatever it is will be MUCH less than what I
Don’t Overlook Sales Tax Read More »
According to recent data released by the U.S Census Bureau in May 2023, Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the US moving ahead of Philadelphia. So what travel options are available to move you into and out of the Phoenix area? Phoenix has 2 main airports; Sky Harbor which is the main airport located
Travel to and from Phoenix Read More »
I’m sure I’ve shared that I’m originally from Chicago Illinois and let me tell you that the one thing I miss is Chicago food! Restaurant food, carryout food even grocery store food! It’s a different food vibe here in the valley than we Midwesterners are used to, but things are changing, and they are certainly
Food Ideas for Chicagoans (or anyone!) Read More »
So, what is a Sissoo tree you ask? I found an article on my friend Google written by David Meek back in 2016 and it says everything you could possibly want to know about this tree. I’ve included the link at the bottom of this post for your reading pleasure. Love it or hate it?
Sissoo Trees – I hate them! Read More »
Funny thing about sports in the valley, since there are so many “transplants”, a lot of the fan base and participation comes from people following the visiting team. Take my household for instance; we are Chicago Cub, Bear and Bulls fans and so we always go to see them when they visit. The Phoenix Suns,
Arizona Sports Teams Read More »
You just bought a new head of lettuce and are looking forward to making a great salad for dinner. You rush home and unpack the lettuce and put it in the sink and turn on the cold water to wash it and you watch as it shrivels before your eyes! What the heck, the water
No Cold Water from May to October? Read More »
You’ve decided to make the move and become an Arizona resident – congratulations! All that talk about the “Monsoon” didn’t scare you and it’s already the first of August and nothing catastrophic has happened. This could really be OK. So, you head to the mailbox to pick up today’s mail and there it is; your
Back home in Chicago, we called it the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). Here in Arizona, it is the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) and 14 years later I still call it the DMV! It was not somewhere you looked forward to visiting but honestly, it is a well-oiled machine. The use of technology is first
Navigating the MVD Read More »
This past weekend was a movie blockbuster weekend with Oppenheimer and Barbie competing for box office glory. Add to that, we are in the middle of 24 consecutive days of 110 degree plus weather. What can you do in conditions like that? Well…. are you a movie fan? Cinema buff? Air-conditioned comfort awaits you at
Harkins Popcorn is the Bomb! Read More »
A Freeway is a multiple lane highway with fully controlled access – on-off ramps or cloverleafs, a highway without toll charges. While Expressways are divided highways with partial control of access. Freeways have full control of access. So, all freeways are expressways, but all expressways are not freeways. Access to freeways is completely controlled via
Arizona Freeway Terms Read More »
Arizona highways, especially in the Phoenix Metro area are so very nice! That’s especially true for this mid-western girl used to 3 lanes of stand still rush hour traffic on Chicago’s Eisenhower expressway. The prospect of 4 lanes of traffic each way, an HOV lane added to that AND 65 miles per hour? Well, it’s
THEY DON’T USE TURN SIGNALS! Read More »
I mentioned in another post that there was a story behind our move to Arizona. I’ll tell you the short version and you will understand why I might consider myself an expert on the best way to move a household across country. We committed to moving to Arizona in 2009 and had a home to
Which is the best place to live? That’s a question that has been debated for years! You’ll have to decide but just to help you understand which is which, let’s define them. East Valley is commonly defined as those cities and towns in Maricopa County that are south and east of Phoenix: Apache Junction, Chandler,
East Valley or West Valley? Read More »
It’s a real thing in the State of Arizona. Previously, we talked about the monsoon season and this law becomes very important during this time. The law says that any motorist who becomes stranded after driving around barricades to enter a flooded stretch of roadway may be charged for the cost of their rescue. The law
The “Stupid Motorist Law”. Read More »