"After taking in the retro charms of Route 66’s on a romp across northern Arizona, the desert was calling. I pointed the car south, driving through the achingly gorgeous Oak Creek Canyon route to Sedona, bound for Scottsdale. Towering red sandstone cliffs and an undulating quilt of ponderosa pine create a riveting scenic medley.

"Situated on the eastern flank of the sprawling Phoenix metroplex, Scottsdale has been dubbed “the Beverly Hills of the Southwest” and “a desert version of Miami’s South Beach.” It’s desert chic, unmistakably stylish and manicured, but it’s also stimulating, creative, and rugged. The singular beauty of the landscape is sublime, inspiring Frank Lloyd Wright to set up shop here, ninety years ago. It’s the same reason artists have been swooning over Scottsdale ever since – drawing inspiration from rugged nature and the soft light. And all of that derives from the Sonoran Desert, one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems."

Read Mike's full article here.

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