View Full Version : Anyone in Phoenix?
I am coming towards the end of my 6 month contract and I may (*may*) have two opportunities to look at. One is quite likely - the continuation of this contract as a permanent position. The other is a more senior position in Phoenix, AZ. DH is okay with either but marginally prefers Phoenix.
I have obviously been poking around online for info on Phoenix, but other than a) it's hot (duh!) and b) you pretty much need a car, I am struggling to get a "feel" for the city. So is there anyone who's willing to share their experience of Phoenix?
I lived in the Phx metro area for 5 years, and in Tucson for another 5, during which I periodically visited friends in Phx. What do you want to know? What kind of area do you like to live in? What type of housing would you look for? Where in the city is the job located - it's an enormous metro area.
The job is south of the airport off I10 (right across the Salt River, I think). I'd be looking for (initially) a quiet 1 bed apartment; when DH joins me we'd be looking for a small 1 or 2 bed house (rental), such as a guest house. Or perhaps the latter right off the bat depending on price. It needs to be in a reasonably safe area as I'd be there mostly by myself for perhaps several months. I'd like it to be transit accessible, although I am guessing a car is necessary (unfortunately). Walking distance to basic amenities such as at least one decent grocery store, and preferably a walkable area in general (i.e. sidewalks and walk signals that actually work). Ideally a couple of nice cafes/libraries/bookstores in the area too - or somewhere that we could head out for a Saturday afternoon cup of tea or snack. Even if those are "chains" (Starbucks, Barnes & Noble), that would be okay, I guess. Just somewhere to go that's right around the corner. A park or cemetery or some place pleasant to walk would be nice too.
I don't know the area at all, so any guidance would be helpful. There are a couple of other possibilities beyond this one, but I know the areas those are located in. In a perfect world, I'd be within 10 minutes of work and within walking distance of a Whole Foods/Trader Joes/health food store like I am right now, but I'll settle for some combination of livability, convenience, safety and reasonably priced. Oh, and bike paths/trails/lanes nearby too, if possible.
I've lived in a lot of different places in a lot of different kinds of areas, from downtown in a small town, to old suburbs (walkable with their own amenities), to suburban sprawl. All have their pros and cons. I hate noisy environments and ones where there's nowhere to walk or otherwise get out. I've lived in apartments, detached houses of various sizes and in a shared house. I don't need a "happening trendy scene" but I like to have somewhere to go nearby.
All input welcome!
I've lived here for the last year. I moved here from Ohio for a job.
we love it here, but we had to get used to some things, and make some adjustments once we got here. Here's what I wish I had known when we moved:
it is safe to live in the downtown. We lived in the north part near the 101 loop and tatum drive for the first year, because it felt safe to us, and I commuted about 20 miles to Roosevelt and 24th street for work. We just moved downtown and I now have a 5 minute drive to work. We sold one car last month, and are now sharing one car between me and my husband. we also each have a bike. since moving downtown, we really don't need the car except for me to go to work, so we are only filling the tank less than once a month. before, we were filling each car at least weekly. my husband walks 2 blocks to work. he works for the arizona pedal cab company, http://www.azpedicab.com/ which is another mode of transport. He took me to the Phoenix Market http://foodconnect.org/phxmarket/ yesterday in the pedal cab for groceries. there is also bus and light rail. if i get comfortable walking those last 3 blocks to work, i could take light rail there, as it runs one block from my home. but its a sketchy part of town, and i'm not ready for that, at least not yet.
the weather is awesome. we didn't mind the heat this summer at all. i was a little worried about that, but when its 110 degrees, the humidity is less than 10%. so it really did feel like 95 in Ohio. I work in air conditioning and our home has AC, but we still did some outdoor stuff in the summer - late in the evening. we often went swimming in our apartment pool as the sun was setting, and when we got out of the pool in the dark with the temp at about 100, we shivered. thats because its so dry that you evaporate quickly and feel cool. there's about 3 months where it can be that hot, although it drops into the 90s at times during the summer. otherwise its just gorgeous here from sept thru may. we sometimes wear a jacket. its almost always sunny. we took a 9 mile one way bike trip today, stopping for a meal with friends at church, and at other places along the way. shorts and summer shirts weather.
if you leave the city, you are in the wild west with almost nothing out there but long dry desert drives. its beautiful, but its also a place where you want to have a plan for if your car breaks down, etc. we are more careful with travel outside of the city than we were in the midwest where there is a house and a village every couple of miles.
we live in a one bedroom apartment in a gated area with all the amenities -- 2 blocks from the tall downtown buildings - for about 900 a month. that includes water and cable. we don't heat at all. it drops to maybe 65 in the morning in our house in the coldest times. we will cool for about 6-8 months of the year.
its an odd downtown. lots of people drive in for work and then leave, so its kind of empty on weekends and evenings, although that is changing. there is a lot of revitalization going on. there is an artisan area that is making great use of the older homes and businesses just a few blocks north of the downtown. there is a new area called city scape that is a mixed use urban area - shopping, clubs, gyms, outdoor spaces, etc. very beautiful. they had an outdoor ice skating rink there throughout december.
i highly recommend this city. if you move here, send me an email and we can meet up for lunch.
gimmethesimplelife
2-13-11, 9:31pm
I have lived in Phoenix a good chunk of my life and have a love/hate relationship going on with this city. I live in an area that is primarily Hispanic - though this is changing a bit due to the effects of SB 1070 - fairly close in to downtown, in a house that dates to 1930. (this tells anyone familiar with Phoenix that yes indeed I live close to downtown). I have been leaving for the summers the past few years and I am glad to do so as the summers here really are difficult to deal with IMHO. But Spring and Fall and Winter are incredible! I live here without a car so I can say that such is possible but it helps that I am within walking distance of a large supermarket and bus stops to pretty much whatever I need. I don't leave my part of town very often but I am in between jobs, were I working this would probably not hold true. I love the light rail that we have here now, and I love that every Wednesday from three to nine PM the art museum is free! I can tell you where good thrift shops are and where good cheap food is available, and pretty much some good weekend trip to take if you are interested. I can also recommend a free clinic where I get my scrips if you don't have health insurance.....Send me an email, I will be glad to tell you what I can. And one more thing, Arizona has had a lot of negative publicity lately due to the Giffords shooting and also due to our governor's support of SB1070 and also some pretty Draconian spending cuts.....the real truth about Arizona is that it can not be one dimensionalized that easily. This state can be very unexpectedly liberal when you least expect it, and never ceases to amaze me, both good and bad. I think this is one of the reasons I remain here, that this state is such a complex tapistry. Rob of the North Rim Summer 2011
Thanks all for your input. If this process moves forward, I may be in Phoenix for a visit in March, and hopefully I'll have time to take a look at the city beyond the airport and office. I suspect like all major cities that finding what I like is a matter of figuring out the right area to live in. There's a number of factors to consider here, not least of which is whether or not they still like me after interviews 2, 3, 4 and 5. But getting a sense of whether it's somewhere I'd like to live or not helps me figure out if I want to pursue the job or not.
The southwest part of Chandler is close to the area of your job and has a Whole Foods (or at least, it did). There are lots of neighborhoods there within walking distance of various stores and restaurants, depending on how far you like to walk. There are many smaller houses in that area, too, and "patio homes" - houses that are on tiny lots and may be connected - if you'd like something quieter than an apartment.
One bit of advice. If you dislike creepy-crawlies, don't live too close to newly-developed or total desert areas. Scorpions find their way into many apartments and houses. I never had them in my house in the metro area, but had many friends who did.
I have to agree with Rob of the North Rim about Phx summers. It is HOT. You know how it feels hotter than the air temp when you're in the direct sun? Well, the air temp can be 110F routinely in the summer there, and there aren't a lot of large trees. When you're looking at lodging, consider where there might be shade in the summer. Shade is invaluable! You'll definitely want covered parking if you get an apartment. And trees if possible to shade wherever you live.
There are so many beautiful landscapes around AZ. It is a fascinating place to live if you like to go hiking and exploring.
Rob - We are practically neighbors. I didn't know you spent your winters here.
one example of our surprisingly liberal nature is the new medicinal marijuana law that will go into effect in another month or so.
I've lived in Phoenix for 2.5 years. I can't say it's my favorite place though I think a large part of that stems from the fact that I have discovered I am really not a city person. That said, there are some advantages to Phoenix if they appeal to you:
-a large, year-round farmer's market with most of the vegetables and fruit you would need, at prices comparable to or cheaper than Whole Foods or other organic stores (I shop at ours most of the time, and notice a big quality difference when I can't get to it)
-baseball stadium, basketball court, variety of theaters and other entertainment venues within close walking distance in the downtown
-a small (for the overall city's size) downtown that's growing and figuring itself out, which may lead to opportunities
-compared to many large cities outside of the midwest, relatively inexpensive housing for either renting or buying
-fairly convenient public transportation if one chooses wisely where one lives
-weather that is generally fairly good. If you concentrate on adapting to the heat you'll be OK. Natural disasters are rare and consist of the occasional violent thunderstorm, which is nothing compared to most of the rest of the country esp when you consider there are no blizzards or ice storms. Yes, people have trouble driving in the rain and you can't leave chapstick in your car but it's not like you have to negotiate icy roads, ever. Without A/C life would be miserable for 2-3 months when it often only gets down to the high 80s if that, but some people do survive with only swamp coolers and Native people have been around for thousands of years. We don't have a pool and keep our house at 85F in the day and 82 at night in summer to cut down on the electric bill. We also turn off the hot water heater, as it becomes unnecessary from partway through June until about the end of Sept.
-Interesting ethnic mix of all types, of course dominated by Hispanic culture. Any kind of Mexican food can be had from $2 "Sonoran hot dogs" to $30 gourmet mariscos. There are Asian markets, Middle Eastern markets, kosher delis, German sausage shops and on and on.
You mentioned libraries-there's a huge one just north of downtown, accessible by light rail or vehicle plus a number of different branches. There are restaurants and coffee shops in walking distance of that, and a large park (Encanto) that would be a long walk or reasonable bike ride. If you visit in March, esp if you're coming from somewhere north, it's going to seem like Paradise. Keep in mind what is 75F in March is 115F in July and 55F in December. Things that are green or blooming in March are dry and sad in August. As far as getting out and walking, it's possible year-round though it really, really helps to be a morning person. 5am is a little hot in July and August but doable. 5pm is pretty darn hot in the summer, and pleasant in winter. Also, AZ has no time change, so dawn is like 4:30 am in June. If you do have a vehicle, there are in-city hikes close by and some do make you feel like you're far away. These would be difficult to get to via public transportation with the possible exception of Papago park (next to the zoo and botanical gardens, served by at least one bus route).
As far as noise, the downtown is going to be more noisy with traffic than some of the suburban locations, but it's not like a 24hr city the way Vegas or NYC would be. Traffic tends to follow a regular schedule, heavy during the commute times (6-9am; 3-7pm) then reasonable outside of that unlike, say, LA.
Anyway, I hope that info helps, and good luck on your interviews and decision!
gimmethesimplelife
2-14-11, 1:22am
Rob - We are practically neighbors. I didn't know you spent your winters here.
one example of our surprisingly liberal nature is the new medicinal marijuana law that will go into effect in another month or so.What a small world this can be! Wouldn't it be amazing if you had passed by me sometime while I was waiting at the bus stop? I am pretty much based here in Phoenix as I co-own a house with a relative but like I said, have been a summer run-away the past few years. And I was a little amazed at medical marijuana passing - on the other hand, this is Arizona, a part of me is not the slightest bit surprised. BTW - howdy neighbor! Rob
my husband is a pedicab driver, so chances are you have seen him. he goes by the name Opa. I'm out and about evenings and weekends. we are usually on bikes or walking. but took the light rail home sunday after a ride all the way to glendale. 9 miles one way, so on the way home we hopped on the light rail with our bikes.
we should meet up sometime.
gimmethesimplelife
2-16-11, 1:23am
my husband is a pedicab driver, so chances are you have seen him. he goes by the name Opa. I'm out and about evenings and weekends. we are usually on bikes or walking. but took the light rail home sunday after a ride all the way to glendale. 9 miles one way, so on the way home we hopped on the light rail with our bikes.
we should meet up sometime.Does your husband work downtown by any chance, around say the Hyatt or the Wyndham or the Sheraton? He has quite likely pedaled right past me if so, what a small world!!!! I'd love to meet up sometime, maybe somewhere downtown? I will be here in Phoenix most likely until the first week of May. Rob
he is there a lot in the evenings, especially when there's an event downtown. mornings he tends to work in the Matt's Big Breakfast and Phoenix Public Market area.
I'll private message you ...
I've lived here in Phx for 30 years, so I'll echo what others have said above. I've also lived in other parts of the country and what I've ultimately come to realize is that each place is what you make of it. Especially now with google, and with meet-up.com, it's super easy to find stuff you like to do and people you like to do it with, not to mention restaurants, bookstores, apartments with specific amenities, you name it. And with Phx being the 5th largest city, we've got pretty much anything you'd like.
That said, I live in Ahwatukee which is an area about 15-20 minutes south of the airport, so it's close to where your potential job is. I'm in the older section which is has bus lines to downtown, and the nearby I-10, but is suburban in every other way. Also excellent schools if that's a consideration. Worth checking out.
and Tammy and Rob: don't forget me if you're having a Phx get-together :-)
gimmethesimplelife
2-17-11, 11:24pm
I've lived here in Phx for 30 years, so I'll echo what others have said above. I've also lived in other parts of the country and what I've ultimately come to realize is that each place is what you make of it. Especially now with google, and with meet-up.com, it's super easy to find stuff you like to do and people you like to do it with, not to mention restaurants, bookstores, apartments with specific amenities, you name it. And with Phx being the 5th largest city, we've got pretty much anything you'd like.
That said, I live in Ahwatukee which is an area about 15-20 minutes south of the airport, so it's close to where your potential job is. I'm in the older section which is has bus lines to downtown, and the nearby I-10, but is suburban in every other way. Also excellent schools if that's a consideration. Worth checking out.
and Tammy and Rob: don't forget me if you're having a Phx get-together :-)Hi Lainey, good to see you here! Just wanted to ask, whatever happened to that Simplicity Group at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe? Now with the light rail it would be SO much easier to get to!!!!! Rob
Our little Simplicity group has not been meeting for months now - alas, with everyone as spread out as we were (another issue about Phx that people forget how geographically big this city is) - we couldn't find a free decent central meeting place.
Also I think you need a core group size of 12-15 people to make it workable and we didn't have quite that many. I don't want people to feel like obligated to a monthly meeting; maybe it's better to just post some fun, simple events somewhere and let whoever wants to show up do so.
for example, this monday is a work holiday so I'm going to Turf Paradise horse racing with a friend. It's $1 day, so it's $1 admission, $1 hot dogs, $1 popcorn, $1 program, etc. Weather should be great and it's cheap entertainment - isn't that the definition of simple living?
a Phx meetup would be fun
gimmethesimplelife
2-18-11, 1:17pm
a Phx meetup would be funHow would you'all like to meet up somewhere downtown say next Saturday, a week after tommorow,I think the date is the 26th? Maybe somewhere for coffee or at the Public Market? PM me if you like and let me know.....Rob
whole weekend of the 26th Jim (husband) is out of town, and I am entertaining out of town friends.
I like the idea of posting what we are doing, and whoever can show up can meet there. like the horse racing thing posted above ... but alas, I am working that holiday. what a deal ...
We can use this thread to post our various future plans, and we'll see what happens ...I like the sound of that, as opposed to regular organized meet ups, etc .....
gimmethesimplelife
2-20-11, 12:22am
I have an idea for a meetup that would be frugal and I think cultural and fun - Wednesday nights the Phoenix Art Museum has free admission from 3PM to 9PM - I have been going most weeks to look at some of the very old Asian artifacts they have - does this sound like it might work for anyone? It is a weeknight though and most people don't have the flexibility I have being in between jobs.....Rob
i like that. on good days i'm out of work at 4. on busy days it can be as late as 6.
maybe March 2 would work for us .... if its a good day. or we could just be a little later to join the group.
I'm out of town this week but actually March 2 at the Phx Art Museum sounds good. I'm done work by 4:30, so anytime from 5 pm forward would work.
gimmethesimplelife
2-22-11, 1:46am
This sounds great, March 2nd would work for me, too! As it gets closer, why don't we all post if we are still able to make it? Rob
I'll check my work schedule and see if March 2 at the art museum would work too! Couldn't make it by 3pm but maybe like 5:30 or 6. DH might be able to come too though Wed are his later days. Rob, I go to the Public Market nearly every Sat so meeting there would work for me. I like to get there early so am usually done by 9 but could bring a cooler and stay later. May have actually seen you if you're there early and just didn't realize it....
I also go to the public market at least weekly. love it there.
my husband and I plan to take a bike ride over to the art museum tomorrow evening at about 6. where shall we meet?
The lobby/entrance? Folks who come earlier can wander back out. Unless someone has a better suggestion....I'll try to check at work before I leave in case things have changed. BTW, I have curly dark hair & probably be with a blond man who has a goatee (if DH is able to come).
you will see me with my tiger print bike.
I'll be there - am 5'4", probably will be wearing tan colored jeans and a vest. See you guys at 6 pm!
gimmethesimplelife
3-1-11, 11:31pm
Hi everyone! I am just checking in to say I might or might not be there. I am in the process of passing a kidney stone, this is day 2, and I am on percoset so there is no pain but I am feeling dizzy and woozy and not too good. If this stone passes though I will be there as I would like to meet up with some folks on this board, that would be great. Why don't I post sometime tomorrow afternoon if I am going to make it or not? You'all will love the museum I bet! The Asian section on the first floor around the corner from the entry is incredibe! Rob
gimmethesimplelife
3-2-11, 5:08pm
Bummer deal, stone still unpassed and me still woozy from the percoset. I think I better stay home, but I will be there in spirit. I wish this had not happened and I were able to go though.....That museum is such an incredible place and I have made a nice habit of taking myself out on Wednesday nights for free admission and to experience art.....Please post and let me know what you'all thought of it. Rob
I ended up working late and so did my husband. so we are not there, obviously .... :(
We waited for a few minutes then went in. Great to meet you Lainey, and see some interesting art! Hope you can join us for something in the future, Rob and Tammy!
yes, thanks, likewise - and I think we're all open to trying another meet-up when the schedules fit. Spring and early summer is too nice to not be outdoors here enjoying some of the events.
get better soon, Rob.
gimmethesimplelife
3-6-11, 3:56pm
EUREKA!!! Stone passed this morning, I am so glad to have that done and gone out of my system!!!!! So now it looks like I am back to the land of the living so to speak. Please let me know if there will be any meetups happening any time soon! Rob
Glad to hear, Rob! When do you leave for GC?
gimmethesimplelife
3-10-11, 12:44am
Glad to hear, Rob! When do you leave for GC?Hi RosieTR! I am leaving Phoenix on May 4th, spending four nights in Las Vegas at a killer cheap room a block off the Strip, and then am taking a shuttle to St. George, UT where the North Rim employee van comes and picks me up and takes me up to the North Rim again. Thus begins my season, stretching to October 17th.....Rob
this is sort of last minute, but today (sunday March 13) from 3-5 pm, our friend Shelby James is playing his music (country, americana, Johnny Cash, and some of his own stuff) at the Rula Bula on Mill St in Tempe. It's across the street from the light rail stop. We will be there, and are inviting some of our friends who live in this area as well. If any of you Phoenix SL people would like to join us, that would be great!
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