One thing that has surprised me recently is the beauty of the desert in the Phoenix metro area. I guess I had always simply thought of deserts as dry, rather barren places.

While a quarter million (250,000) currently live in Scottsdale, the original downtown/Old Town feels very much like a small town. There are many small shops of all types, fun restaurants, artwork and galleries galore, beautiful public areas, and an unbelievable amount of Western Americana.