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Pictures from Phoenix and sometimes from the surrounding cities that make up the "Valley of the Sun"
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Let’s go to the theatre
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Olive Trees
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Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Dates
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Monday, July 28, 2008
Martini Anyone?
Sunday, July 27, 2008
St Francis Xavier Church
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Saturday, July 26, 2008
St. Mary’s Basilica
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Friday, July 25, 2008
Desert Oasis
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Lunch Anyone?
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Wednesday, July 23, 2008
The British are coming…the British are coming
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Tuesday, July 22, 2008
History Preserved
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Monday, July 21, 2008
Code Talker
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Staying at yesterday’s location, the Phoenix Plaza Offices, this enormous bronze is prominently displayed at the corner of two busy streets, Thomas Road and Central Avenue. This bronze is a special tribute to the Navajo Code Talkers who bravely served the nation during WWII. The artist, Doug Hyde created this piece in 1989. The inscription says “This tribute represents the advancement of peace for all generations.” A beautiful thought.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
A Nice Way to Cool Off
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Saturday, July 19, 2008
To Market We Go
Today is Farmer’s Market day in my neighborhood. The extreme summer heat in Phoenix does not discourage the local farmers from selling their products in an open air market and it certainly doesn’t discourage the customers. I had a hard time finding a place to park last Saturday. This market employs the use of huge air coolers and fans to take the edge off of that 100+ degree heat.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Tribute to Survival
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Phoenix has many beautiful parks and green spaces. I’m sure I’ll have an opportunity to feature many of them on this blog as time goes by. Today I’m going to feature a very small park that is dedicated to survivors of cancer. Richard and Annette Bloch (he founded H & R Block) have sponsored Cancer Survivor Parks in many cities around the country and the Phoenix park was dedicated on March 6th 1999. One of the main features of this park is a sculpture by Victor Salmones that he claims to be his finest labor of love. The figures in the back represent cancer patients and their supporters, the maze in the middle represents treatment, and the figures in the front represent the joy of a successful treatment.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Relax in Luxury
Just picture yourself sitting on this lovely patio, enjoying a little afternoon refreshment and the warming Arizona sunshine. This patio is located just off of the lobby bar and faces a vast green lawn framed by the wings of the hotel. Many, many movie stars and other celebrities have enjoyed themselves at this famous resort. Fred Astaire, Marilyn Monroe, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Spencer Tracy have all vacationed here. I personally have seen Tony Bennett relaxing in the lobby lounge.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The Biltmore Sprites
Here is another picture from the famous Arizona Biltmore Hotel. In this picture, you can see some of the masonry work that was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright. In the foreground are two statues that are now called the Biltmore Sprites. These sprites have a long history. They were originally created for Midway Gardens in Chicago which closed in 1929. The building was demolished and pushed into Lake Michigan as a breakwall. It is said that the sprites were rescued by a member of the wrecking crew who held on to them at his farm for many years. They passed through many hands over the years and were eventually donated to the Arizona Biltmore by the Taliesin Associated Architects. They have found a welcome home here in familiar surroundings.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Frank Lloyd Wright Influences
Speaking of Frank Lloyd Wright influences, this beautiful stained glass window is located just inside the front entrance of the Arizona Biltmore. It is entitled Saguaro Forms and Cactus Flowers. It was originally a design Wright created for a cover of Liberty Magazine. It was later fabricated by students of Taliesin and installed in the hotel in 1973. Much of Wright's work was inspired by nature and the stark beauty of the Arizona desert influenced a great deal of his western work.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Desert Monsoon
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Yes, it does rain in Arizona. Between June 15th and September 30th (the official monsoon season in Arizona) storms may occur. These storms occur during the summer months throughout the southwest region of North America caused by a change in the wind flow to a southerly or southeasterly direction. That causes moisture to stream northward from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Monsoon storms can range from minor dust storms to violent thunderstorms. They usually start with heavy winds that sometimes result in a visible wall of dust hundreds of feet high moving across the valley. Or, they can be like the one I photographed last night, a little bit of wind and some very welcome rain. Best of all, the temperature cooled down to a balmy 75 degrees!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Phoenix Points of Pride
The Phoenix Pride Commission along with the citizens of Phoenix have named many locations as "Points of Pride". These are places people would be proud to tell friends and visitors to be sure to see. They are Phoenix's most popular landmarks. This sign names the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa. I'll post pictures of it in the future.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Welcome to Phoenix Arizona
Phoenix is the capital of the state of Arizona so I thought I'd start this blog with a picture of the state capitol building. It was dedicated in 1901, eleven years before Arizona attainded statehood (2/14/1912) in an effort to demonstrate that the Arizona territory was ready for statehood. The design is by James Riely Gordon and it is largely built of indigenous materials including it's copper dome.
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