With the cold of autumn sweeping across Arizona, it's time to reflect. We have experienced another year, both hard and happy, both terrible and bright. As we cross the waning calendar of 2021 and look forward to the new year that awaits us, we want to pay attention to those sunny places. possible. There is fear. From natural wonders and food to international markets and vibrant art, there are so many things to be grateful for.

Let's count the reasons-30 to be precise.

If you have ever eaten burritos in Idaho, you will know what it's like to crave Mexican food in Arizona. Nothing else in this country is more like it, and this is usually the first thing I do when I leave home-especially the fresh Sonoran flour tortillas, they are cracked rather than boring Beautiful, fluffy preservative texture. They are the perfect packaging for cardamom barbecue floss or silken bean paste, filled with melted cheese and a touch of guacamole. If you want to taste another Mexican food, the Phoenix Metro may also have it. It has one of the most diverse Mexican cuisine in the United States, with restaurants serving Guadalajara, Oaxaca, Mexico City and Michoacan flavors. We have everything here, from cheese crisps to Chilean rellenos and homemade burritos from Chihuahua. 

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The value of Arizona’s national parks, monuments, and recreational areas is impossible to calculate, but I can tell you how much it costs to explore them: $80. This is the price of the annual American Beauty Pass, which allows unlimited access to all federal recreation areas that charge admission fees. In Arizona, these include the Grand Canyon (US$35 per week) and Glen Canyon (US$30 per week), as well as some gems such as Sunset Crater Volcano, Flagstaff’s Upaki National Monument, and the map Sen’s Cactus National Park (each cost is $25 per week). You can even use the pass instead of the Red Rock Pass in Sedona, which is required for the starting point of the most popular trail. You only need to visit a few times to recoup your investment, and you can't price the mark that these places will leave in your soul.

Aside from the past monsoons, there is not much rain here. This is expected. We live in the desert, so it is very common that it does not rain for a long time, let alone soaking. I think this is part of the reason why the showers we got looked so refreshing. When it rains here, we will smell the unique muddy flavor of the desert when it rains. Scientists call it petrichor. It is mainly composed of the odor released when rainwater hits creosote bushes. It just smells fresh and clean, making us forget how hot it will become again at least for a while.

Silicon Valley's enthusiasm for local companies is infectious.

When small businesses in Phoenix suffered the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, they saw so many Arizonans launching fundraising campaigns on behalf of business owners, sharing posts on social media about how to support businesses, and promising to place orders online as much as possible , I am very encouraged.

Of course, I've heard the mantra of "shopping locally" before, but it wasn't until last year that I felt that other than finding a good price, I never felt the need to prioritize shopping. But going to the maker market and looking for ideas on social media made me passionate about spending money to stay in my community. This is how I found artists such as Aileen Martinez (@look.see.draw), who sells prints of illustrations depicting well-known places throughout the valley, and businesses like Pot Heads Tea, which sells a Lavender Earl Grey tea blend. I cannot start my morning without me.

Randy Slack resurrected "Chaos Theory", and for various reasons, this drama feels very special. Since 2019, the typical annual contemporary art exhibition of Arizona creatives has been suspended. The roster maintains a balance between newcomers and reservers. The exhibition lasted for two days, giving those who were wary of the crowd on the first Friday the opportunity to participate in this huge exhibition.

It's silly to read, but I'm serious: it's great to go back to the legendary city warehouse and watch art with other people who like to watch art. 

Larry Madrigal, Gennaro Garcia and Annie Lopez are must-see attractions. Abbey Messmer's twisted water is fascinating. Gothic queen Rachel Bess' "Crumpled Time and Space" smoldered in black and blue, contrasting with the cream, red and gold of Yuko Yabuki's eye-catching tattooed portrait of a saint . The back wall displays neon-colored candies by Ben Willis, Daniel Funkhouser and Lisa Von Hoffner.

Then there are the performers: "Double Take" by Merryn Omotayo Alaka and Sam Fresquez, an incredible chandelier with shiny Kanekalon hair, clamped in layers and twisted to the ceiling. 

For those of us who care about these things, it’s always nice to see familiar faces find an audience outside of Silicon Valley, and watch creative people grow into the artists they become on the local stage. Of course, this is nothing new. We have seen this happen time and time again, from Duane Eddy to Gin Blossoms, Jimmy Eat World and Kongos. Although no one praised the scale of “Rebel Rouser” or “Hey Jealousy” in 2021, we did achieve victory, from Playboy Manbaby’s conquering Tik-Tok to Mega Ran’s “Live '95” leaderboard and Upsahl’s Released Arista debut.

A bowl of hot noodle soup should feel home. For a few days I yearned for a bowl of otherworldly noodles, so that every sip brought me closer to Nirvana. Okay, maybe I'm too exaggerated, but thank goodness, there are a lot of great noodles here.

When I moved here in 2018, Phở Thành quickly became my first choice phở, this is the ultimate comfort food I have eaten since I was a kid, and my favorite hangover meal when I was in college. Since then, I have started to try other Vietnamese noodles, such as Phoenix Que Huong's bánh canh cua glued to the bone and Mesa Huế Gourmet's salty and sour bún riêu-if you like crabs, I recommend these two kinds of noodles. My favorite bowl of umami ramen in Phoenix is ​​at Ahwatukee's Origami Ramen. My only problem is to choose between creamy chicken soup or classic pork bones. Everything at Lom Wong starts from scratch, featuring hand-pounded curry paste to hand-made egg noodles, which is an absolute high point for takeaways during the pandemic.

And those are only in Phoenix. Although I haven't explored many noodle options in other cities in Arizona, I know that traveling to Tucson without aptly naming Noodleholics will only make me regret.

Sedona's Red Rock State Park is right in the middle of the community, and other hiking routes in the town are more dramatic. So why is this my constant return to Arizona State Park? The winding trail system has been carefully arranged, so you can customize the length and difficulty of the outing. Each intersection is marked, making it easy for you to find your way. The benches along the trail allow you to rest and immerse yourself in the scenery, or sit quietly among the trees and listen to the sounds of birds and other animals. In any season, a walk along Oak Creek is a treat, especially in autumn when the aspen and sycamore leaves turn golden. Sedona’s iconic cathedral rock formation is within easy reach.

Looking for a new skill, in Silicon Valley, you will most likely find someone willing to teach you. Many creatives not only make coveted things, but also share their talents through seminars and interactive activities. This year, there are many things to learn. Monique Sandoval of Cleo and Clementine is famous for her wedding dress and bridal veil with metallic spots. She opened her perfect studio in Pemberton and opened a series of sewing courses. Students use their choice in these courses. The summer fabrics make completely chic gowns. Monika George of Cosmic Hour took a halo photo in Form Floral, and then the theme was assembled there for DIY layout, inspired by their energy colors. Amy Guerrero's Sunshine Craft Co. opened its doors and offered courses in everything from lace and loom weaving to painting and jewelry making. Of course, our art center in Silicon Valley offers courses throughout the year. 

Like many others, I regretted not seeing my favorite performer perform live in Phoenix last time for most of 2020. In order to keep those opponents who say we should live in the moment rather than filming concert videos, I spent a few nights in the quarantine and re-watched the footage I had recorded at concerts in the past few years.

Ed Sheeran's acoustic performance may shed a tear or two.

Since I was fully vaccinated against COVID-19 this year, after sitting on the sidelines as a casual fan for more than ten years, I wore a KN95 mask to participate in the Jonas Brothers at the Ak-Chin Pavilion to celebrate the Labor Day weekend along the Lower Salt River The pipeline, for the first time in many years, put on a Halloween costume.

I will never take these seemingly simple pleasures for granted.

In my weekly grocery run, I can travel the world without leaving Phoenix. There are Pan-Asian supermarkets such as 88 International and Asiana, Japanese stores New Tokyo and Vietnam Tấn Phát Oriental. I can buy cutlets in El Rancho, where the tamarind candies and full-size tortillas make me feel like I am in Mexico. Jars of pickled radish, freshly baked pita bread, thick yogurt and bags of basmati rice are waiting for you at the Baiz Middle East Market. For saffron water, barberry and kashk dehydrated yogurt, Scottsdale has Caspian.

Then there are H Mart, Lotus Market, Yenat Enjera Ethiopian Market and Grocery Store, Misha's Kosher Food Market and Euro Market—and there seem to be countless other specialty stores waiting to explore the entire valley. In these places, I can learn more about my neighbors and satisfy my wanderlust by bringing the taste of the world into my kitchen.

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When I moved to Phoenix about eight months ago, I was not sure where to live. What better way to find out if I like a community than living there? After testing different houses in different communities through Airbnb for a month, I learned that some of the city’s most precious gems are its historic houses.

One of my favorite neighborhoods is Encanto-Palmcroft, located between McDowell Road and Encanto Boulevard, between Seventh Avenue and 15th Avenue. Its history can be traced back to the early 1920s. It is characterized by large lawns, winding and long roads, a combination of French country-style houses, Spanish Revival architecture, southwest ranch houses and modern California bungalows. 

I also explored Coronado, Roosevelt Historic District and FQ stories. My personal favorite home is the Barbara Jean House, a Spanish-style house built in 1928, near Roosevelt Street. You can even book accommodation online! 

Until it comes back, you don't realize how much you miss it.

When you walk into the Harkins Theater, you will see a variety of bright lights and movie posters. But this is just window decoration. What makes people feel like going to a movie is the taste-the taste of popcorn.

Of all the things we missed during the COVID-19 pandemic, going to the cinema is not the most important. But this is a big one. Getting a bag of Harkins popcorn is an important part of this experience. This is definitely something to be thankful for.

It's just better than popcorn in other theaters. It is fresher. Add butter, shake well some seasoning (white cheddar cheese is highly recommended), and it's ready.

Yes, Harkins popcorn is now available in bags of popcorn in grocery stores, as well as in a food truck. all good. But if there are movies, it will taste better.

Want to stay away from the city but don't want to drive too far? In Phoenix, it is easy to get outdoors within the city limits. Phoenix Parks and Recreation manages one of the largest park systems in the country, covering more than 40,000 acres.

One of my favorite places is Pietewa Peak, which is a 2.1-mile round trip trail in the Phoenix Mountain Reserve. Expect steep turns on gravel and rocks—and 1,200 feet of elevation change. This is a great way to exercise, allowing you to see the metropolitan area in 360 degrees.

Want to see some big orange sandstone hills? Go to Papago Park. The Double Butte Loop Trail is a 2.3-mile hiking trail where you can visit famous rock caves.

Need more options? Nanshan Park/Protection Area covers more than 16,000 acres. Try Holbert Trail to Dobbins Lookout, a 4-mile round-trip trail.

What is green, tall and sharp? Or maybe it's short, full arms? The mighty cactus in the Sonoran Desert is one of the best things in Arizona. White flowers blooming on these huge cacti can be seen everywhere in the state. Planted plants greet tourists in Tiangang. Tucson has two national parks dedicated to them. What makes them even more special is that in the United States, cacti only grow here. Of course, some have entered California, but these huge, stunning plants are the iconic plants of Arizona.

Who doesn't harbor cozy tartans, steaming cups, crackling fires, and white romantic concepts? The beauty of living in Arizona is that most of us don’t have to scrape ice from the windshield every morning for months, we don’t have to trek through dirty snowmelt puddles to reach the office, and we don’t have to look Pretty and frozen or looks like Michelin people, and pray to stay warm. The burden of snow is not part of our daily life at all, but walking on the grass with snowshoes, watching snowflakes fall from a warm hut or making a snowman is just a few hours’ drive away.

The Sonoran Desert may seem rugged, but the hot weather provides a range of natural resources. For the past 4,000 years, people have been farming in southern Arizona, growing staple foods such as corn, beans, and pumpkins that are rich in nutrients such as iron. Before that, they grind legume beans into flour and forage cholla cactus sprouts from the desert landscape. These ingredients can still be found today in some high-end Arizona resorts and southwestern restaurants throughout the valley. Phoenix has a diverse range of indigenous restaurants and food stalls, serving everything from fried bread to blue burrito made with juniper ash.

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Are you tired of working on the kitchen table? Are you a history nerd? Need a quiet place to think? The Burton Barr Central Library on Central Avenue may be the solution. 

It houses the Arizona Room, which is a research book, magazine, postcard, and city document that records the history of the Southwest and Arizona. There is also the Rare Book Library, which contains the first edition of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species and more than 3,500 other rare books, some of which date back to 1478. You can also view a 4,000-year-old book Mesopotamia's clay tablet. 

In addition to numerous reading rooms and quiet spaces, you can also use the library’s computers and the free university planning center, and there is even a children’s space that provides interactive toys, books, and games. 

The COVID-19 closure may destroy all our favorite Phoenix subway music venues. After more than a year without a feasible way to pay the most basic expenses, the tourism industry will return in mid-2021, which is only a small part of the previous one. We have indeed lost some space, and they will feel the lack of these spaces in the communities they serve in the next few years, from Club Red to Char's Has the Blues and Lunchbox. However, due to the "Save Our Stage Act", the "U.S. Rescue Program Act of 2021" provide closed venue operator grants and the resilience of the people who invested the most to keep these arenas alive, the majority of touring artists were attracted to the valley The valley venues all returned to do what they did before the closure.

When I first moved to the Middle East, the last thing I wanted to see was shopping. But I quickly learned that the shopping district of the Middle East is a gleaming oasis of luxury brands and gourmet food, keeping you away from the heat, where you can walk through wide, scented marble corridors. 

Now in the valley, I often find myself walking happily on the palm tree promenade of Kierland Commons. I am not opposed to enjoying high-end meals at Francine in Scottsdale Fashion Square. I like to peep and enter a wealthy and air-conditioned world, serenade in the sounds of Arabic, Persian, Hindi, and Spanish, just like I was back then. My new home in the desert may be 8,000 miles from my old home, but the luxury shopping centers in and around Scottsdale provide me with a nostalgic gateway to that fascinating international life. 

Alice Cooper used his latest album "Detroit Stories" to pay tribute to his other hometown for a reason. After all, he was born there. He and his band members were sharing a farmhouse on the outskirts of Detroit while recording their breakthrough single "I am eighteen" (and he sang "Be my Valentine" and "I told her I am from Detroit"). ). But Cooper met the other founding members of the band in Phoenix, and he moved to Phoenix with his family when he was 12 years old. Three of them attended Cortez High School, where the lead singer wrote songs and made his first appearance on the cafeteria stage. "Detroit Story" found the singer in two songs "I Hate You" and "Social Fragment" with three other surviving members of the classic lineup-Dennis Dunaway, Neil Smith and Michael Bruce -Reunion. Now stop making fun of us and make a complete album with those people.

It’s easy to enjoy Punjabi American classics inspired by the Mughal Royal Kitchens in northern India and Lahore, from cheese-studded cheese to creamy dal makani and chicken tikka masala. In Phoenix, we have a unique opportunity to transcend takeaway classics and explore one of the oldest and most refined food cultures in the world. Try Kashmiri lamb rogan josh in Daba, Tempe. Try South Indian idli rice cakes at OM Indian Bistro in Phoenix, or taste sweet pongal rice cooked with milk and sugar at the aptly named Chennai Chettinaad Palace. Or taste Mumbai street food at Pastries N Chaat. The nuances of the South Asian restaurant menu in the Phoenix subway reflect the diversity of our community, which is one of my favorite things to call Phoenix home.

I contracted tennis at the age of 12, which became the way I spent most of my free time and night when I grew up in Michigan. In the years after that, I played very competitively in high school and in entertainment, but as I grew older, I didn't have that much. About five years ago, I saw a list called "Aerobic Tennis" on the Chandler Entertainment website and registered it. Since then, I have started taking classes, signing up for leagues, and even participating in tournaments. The weather in Arizona is very suitable for this situation. In the Midwest, you may have six months before the cold weather begins. If you don't mind the heat of summer, you can play here all year round. Just make sure to heat it up after dark.

In Arizona, local agricultural products are abundant. And not just in the farmers market. The state is famous for its citrus groves and lemon, grapefruit and orange trees all over the valley. A small cardboard box sits at the end of the driveway, encouraging passers-by to take more fruits. Phoenix has a rich agricultural history. Together with citrus, date palms were once all over the Arcadia area. There are some trees and boutique farms left in the valley. You can buy fresh sweet dates or harvest from the shared neighbor’s yard. Sphinx Date Co. in Scottsdale helps tourists and locals learn about the rich history and its sweet crops.

Driving along the AZ-87 Beeline Highway between Phoenix and Payson, this is a two-hour tour of Arizona’s spectacular biosphere. The highway was tortuous, the temperature dropped, and the smell of pine trees began to spread. The greenery of the largest ponderosa pine forest in the United States provides a dramatic welcome to Mogollon Rim, where there are more cross-country trails, mountain bike trails, scattered camping and hiking options that people cannot explore in a weekend, a month, or a year. My favorite is Canyon Lake of the Woods. Like the drive itself, it was crowded at first, and families and rowers kept the pier alive, but within half a mile, their voices gradually disappeared. Crossing a small stream, passing a man-made waterfall, the forest takes over.

Charlie Levy has opened the Crescent Ballroom, a music club with a capacity of 550 people, in downtown Phoenix for 10 years. In the days before the new moon, it was almost a ghost town after 6pm. The venue opened on Monday, and a sold-out performance by a little-known independent private group called Blind Pilot continued to reshape the music industry. If there is no Crescent to lead the way and show skeptics that downtown may become the new music center of Silicon Valley, it is questionable whether we will have Valley Bar or Van Buren. As former Phoenix City Mayor Greg Stanton (Greg Stanton) saw, "I believe that what Charlie did in downtown Crescent is as important to the success of downtown Phoenix as any other investment." Crescent is still performing strong, several games The upcoming shows are sold out in advance.

From deserts to canyons, from forests to mountains, Arizona has no shortage of natural wonders that make us breathtaking. Arizona is one of the most biologically diverse states in the country and is a meeting point of various ecological regions. Driving from one corner of the state to another, you can pass through arid, cactus-dotted basins, volcanic plateaus, and dense forests. 

Speaking of cacti, Arizonans have reason to have feelings for them. There are approximately 83 species of cacti in Arizona, ranging from stocky pincushion barrels to rare cacti with long arms beckoning the sun, to majestic cacti, the mascot of Arizona.

Then there are wild animals. There is a red squirrel that lives in only one place, namely Mount Graham on Sky Island, Arizona. We have roadrunners with illustrations on the bottle labels, and maybe one day we will catch a glimpse of the elusive jaguar El Jefe again. 

When it comes to internationally renowned cocktail cities, people might think of New York, London or New Orleans. But a powerful group of cocktail bars and bartenders continue to elevate Phoenix to the international stage. Places such as Bitter & Twisted and Little Rituals in downtown Phoenix and Century Grand and UnderTow in Arcadia have won too many awards. Some hotels and resorts in Phoenix offer first-class drinks, and the rising stars of Chandler and Gilbert are rapidly emerging, making the valley a truly world-class place to enjoy cocktails.

Many things make Phoenix a big and vibrant city-many people, every time they turn around, a new high-rise building, a legal dining place, pops up.

But as far as it looks like a real place, it is a mural. They are not just in Phoenix. They are all over the valley.

They are a surprising color, bursting from the sides of alleys, walls and buildings, illuminating the city landscape. Some are just cool. Some are more: they convey information. At the same time, they look great.

Some artists and their works are very famous, such as Antoinette Cauley, Nyla Lee, Lalo Cota, etc. Some are not. Phoenix Mural provides a convenient map, which contains more than 70 murals and their locations, which is a good way to get started. But the best way is to open your eyes and start searching. Discovery is part of the magic. 

I am grateful to be able to ride a bike along the multi-purpose path of criss-crossing canals. Before the pandemic, I mainly rode bicycles on weekends. Last year, when things started to close, I started cycling regularly. It started out to make me sweat and clear my head after get off work, but soon it became something I like to do. I don’t like long cycling on busy streets, so canal trails have become the best way to get more mileage. I started cycling along the Western and Consolidated canals near my home, but I also started exploring other canals, especially when I had more time to ride on weekends. It seems that wherever you bike, there are mountain views, and I can never see enough (thanks for another reason to live here).

Contact the editor at rbartkowsk@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @beckybartkowski. 

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