I find this review of my hometown/place of permanent address pretty spot on. You other AZ peeps can correct me, but I think meg is totally right.
I came back from AZ and hit the ground running, so I never got around to sharing much about my trip. I’ve never been to Arizona before- holy cacti is it THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF CONNECTICUT.
Key observances include:
- It is HOT. REALLY HOT. But then you go to wipe the sweat off your brow and you find it to be BONE DRY. Apparently the desert dryness straight up evaporates your sweat before it even gets to drip.
- Similarly, if you are at basically any common area outside, you will get watered like lettuce in the produce department. Most bizarre experience of the trip- these places pump mist over common areas to keep you cool.
- Yogurtland is incredible. Madagascar Vanilla with FRUITY PEBBLES on top. Chris’ little heart was crying that he’d never have it again until I enlightened him that Yogurtland, is in fact a chain. Crisis - averted.
- If you drive from Scottsdale to Sedona, you will see nothing but mirages, cacti, and SAND for two hours. Slightly terrifying.
- All females in Scottsdale, regardless of their age, look absolutely identical. Blonde, curled, teeny, lycra-wearing, french-manicured robotic perfection. I found this terrifying. Not surprisingly, the boys didn’t quite agree with me.
- Also not surprisingly, apparently Scottsdale is the #2 biggest hub for plastic surgery in the US, right between LA and Miami.
- In Scottsdale, it’s totally kosher for boys to wear REALLY deep v-necks.
- AZ is clean. REALLY clean.
- AZ = culinary empire (aka a burrito joint on nearly every corner).
- People smoke in Arizona. So wierd to get used to- it’s definitely socially frowned upon to be a smoker in Connecticut. People were lighting up left and right, even by the pool. I found this strange, considering how health and body-conscious everyone seemed to be.
- There are no Volvo’s or minivans. Everyone drove Infiniti’s, BMW’s, Acura’s, and Honda’s.
- Everything is brand-spanking new. Highways, buildings, apartment complex’s- EVERYTHING.
- You must drive the speed limit, at all times, because stealthy little cameras WILL snap your picture, record your speed, and send you a cute little package with a ticket and a picture of your smiling face driving too fast. Big Brother much?
- AZ is much more dog-friendly then CT. Our friend’s apartment complex had little pooper-scooper stations and everything.
I guess pooper-scooper stations are a good place to stop. My complete review? It’s gorgeous. Our hosts were amazing, and I’d be up for a repeat trip in a heartbeat to escape the humidity of the Northeast.
