Cheer me up about moving to Phoenix??? (Tucson, Mesa: hotel, home)

[jessrscott]

Hi all,

My husband is graduating medical school and has been placed in Phoenix for his residency. Basically, they told him he was going to Phoenix for the next 5 years and we had no say in the issue. To be perfectly honest, Phoenix was not one of our top places of cities we hoped to end up in (I'm finishing up my PhD and university jobs in the area have been a bit scarce), and we are both a bit bummed about it since we are from the Midwest and will be very far away from friends and family, and my job prospects are slim to none for at least the next year.

I was hoping that those of you who do live (or have lived) in Phoenix can share what you like (or even better-LOVE) about living there to help me be a bit more positive about this move. I've seen all of the "this city is a hell hole" posts, which haven't been too helpful! I know there is good and bad in any city, but hearing the good would be much appreciated right about now!

We are both very outdoorsy people who love to hike, bike, go to the lake, ski, or just walk around in pretty, natural settings, so any recommendations about things that we can do on weekends in that vain without too terribly long of a drive would also be appreciated.

Thanks much!

[Howard Roark]

I grew up in California and lived in Tucson before moving to Phoenix in 2000. I lived in the northeast a couple of times and also in the Sierra Nevada where it snows deep. I have been through extremes.

You will enjoy Phoenix in the months from November to the end of April for the weather alone. But in the off-season, you should focus on going to the resorts to indulge, and also the fine restaurants - Phoenix has them.

You and your husband are going to do well with Phds. My ex girlfriend earned hers, while I only have an MS degree. You should be able to indulge now while you are young because you will have high earning power (it gets better) when you are years deep in your field. I work mostly in other states but come home every couple of weeks. You can find anything you want without crowds in Phoenix.

Case in point: Costco (it's like Sams Club - or like BJs Wholesale on the east coast): In L.A. where I work the Costcos are super crowded. Several Shopping carts width deep. In Phoenix I don't have that problem. Costco is popular but not insane like in LA.

Or Whole Foods Market. There are some good ones in Phoenix. I favor the one on Ray Road east of I-10. It's huge. Again not crowded. Where I usually go in Redondo Beach the WF is about half the size of the Chandler one.

Restaurants: In Phoenix driving is easy. To get to good restaurants. In LA you have to drive tens of miles to the awesomest restaurant and then you get there (Beverly Hills) and end up paying for the atmosphere and pretense but not the food. But yes, Phoenix has Flemings, Donovans, Mortons, Ruth Crisp and my favorite - Kincaids.

[shiphead]

Originally Posted by jessrscott

I was hoping that those of you who do live (or have lived) in Phoenix can share what you like (or even better-LOVE) about living there to help me be a bit more positive about this move. I've seen all of the "this city is a hell hole" posts, which haven't been too helpful! I know there is good and bad in any city, but hearing the good would be much appreciated right about now!

We are both very outdoorsy people who love to hike, bike, go to the lake, ski, or just walk around in pretty, natural settings, so any recommendations about things that we can do on weekends in that vain without too terribly long of a drive would also be appreciated.

Thanks much!

I would be one of those people that hate this place, but more because of my situation and what I've had to deal with. But with that said, I am not in the medical field so I don't know what kind of schedule you guys will have.

If you can get two days off in a row, you can escape to places like Pinetop(4 hour drive) or Strawberry(1 to 2 hour drive). During the summer, you can still hike, but it MUST be in the early morning. During the winter you could easily hike during the day at many of the mountains. The best hiking is in the fall when everything blooms, its beautiful. If you are going to do things at night, don't go alone and you can go to lots of outdoor things. Tempe town lake, green belt in the downtown scottsdale area. There is Canyon lake too. Flagstaff(2 hour drive), Pinetop(4 hour drive), and Mt. Lemmon all have skiing.

[sh9730]

Yeah, my brother just got "matched" this week too....but he got lucky....he and his family live in Boston and at least he got a Bronx, NY hospital, so he can get home often enough to not force a move for his kids etc...

You will adjust fine is my guess....and there will be other residents and their significant others that will be going through the same things you will be.

Also, you will have LOTS of visitors from the midwest in the winter - since as you know - its not like this year was for you guys very often (80 degrees today - cmon!), but for us, its nice all the time! (Well...except tomorrow....but will be back to 80 again by Wednesday for us..).

Best to you.

[ReadyFreddy]

hike, bike, go to the lake, ski, or just walk around in pretty, natural settings

Lots of that here. Well, if you mean water ski. I think you could like it.

Are you looking for a teaching job? Don't overlook Maricopa County Community Colleges.

[SubconsciousMe]

What I love most about Phoenix is the local scene. It is thriving. I do live in Central Phoenix though--and I don't know what hospital your husband was placed at, so this is all relative I guess.

I particularly love the restaurants/foodie places (think: Windsor, Churn, St. Francis, Postino, Hula's, Maizies...) that I can easily stroll to. Further, I love that I can go to a farmer's market comfortably most of the year. Many of the people I have met are just downright awesome and often lack any degree of pretentiousness. Most aren't concerned with fashion (the people who frequent Old Town Scottsdale area not considered here).

The other day I saw people in bikinis working on their tan in a park. Yes. This was in February.

[synapse]

You'll be fine. Seriously. The complainers are talking about Phoenix as a long term place to live. Though I agree with some of their objections - it's too hot in the summer, there isn't a sense of community, there's too much sprawl, housing costs have dropped, educational system is poor, the state's too Republican, etc. - all of that is generally for those who *live* there for a long period.

But for residency, it's terrific. I mean that. Phoenix is one of the best medical areas in the country. The hospitals are good, the training is excellent, and best of all, being in the west, you're not going to have the "gunner" competition amongst residents and doctors that exist in the east, and even - to some extent - in the Midwest. So you'll have free time - as well as a good medical education.

Plus, the place is filled with Midwesterners. You're not going to be lonely. There are Bears bars and Packers bars and places to get decent Chicago pizza and Milwaukee custard. There are tons of excellent resturants up and down Central Avenue. Phoenix has all four major sports, so you can watch the Suns, Cardinals, Coyotes, and Diamondbacks play any teams you happen to like. And whatever team is in the Midwest - the Brewers, Cubs, etc. - they all do Spring training in Arizona. For $5 you can sit on a lawn in 80 degree temperatures in the middle of March and watch baseball.

And if you like hiking, biking, lakes, and skiing, you really can't do better than Arizona. The hiking is superb - some of the best in the country, not only in Phoenix, but all over the state, especially Sedona and Flagstaff. Biking? Trails everywhere that extend literally across the entire state. Lakes? Sure. Even in Phoenix (check out Lake Pleasant). Skiing? Flagstaff has plenty of it and it's barely a two hour drive away.

I don't recommend Phoenix in the long term, for a variety of reasons. But for residency, four or five years? You'll be fine.

[crazyme4878]

I am from the midwest and we have be in Arizona for four years now. I am definately not in love with Arizona, but it has it strong points. I don't live in Phoenix, but I did live in the high desert for a year and a half and now live at 5100 feet. I recently read that it takes three years on average to adjust from a cold climate to a hot climate, and one year vice-versa. So it may seem like you are going to die this summer, but you won't. Before you leave, you may find yourself putting on a sweater when it is 60 degrees.

I love the beauty of the Sonoran desert, especially in Spring. I like being able to go swimming in February. I love the cliffs, mountains, and boulders.

Check out the Crescent Ballroom in downtown--we went to a show shortly after they opened and it was great (good food too). Also, try Gallo Blanco at the Clarendon Hotel in Phoenix--yummy! Which reminds me: you will never want to eat "Mexican" back home again. While on the topic of food, I just discovered Essence Bakery in Tempe--I'm still dreaming of the absolutely perfect latte I had there (not to mention the pastries!).

We use Southwest to fly home--it always seems to be the cheapest. Unless Allegiance (flies out of Mesa Gateway) flies into your hometown.

But here are some tips: backroads are kind of crappy compared to the upper midwest (if that happens to be where you are from. I would like to say that they are crappy compared to everywhere, but I don't know this as a fact.). Make sure you fill up before you leave town. Any town. Don't be afraid of snakes and such, just keep an eye out. A vacuum cleaner is the easiest way to get rid of scorpions (I think). A cat is even better. You never met anything more wonderful than a misted restuarant patio in July. Always, Always wear sunscreen. Always. Treat yourself to a "staycation" in the summer--there is an abundance of great resorts around Phoenix and they all go on sale. Duct tape works wonders on getting out cactus spines.

Lastly, monsoon storms are amazing.

I have lived in a more than a couple states and I have found that every town has it's own positives and negatives. The key is remembering the good things while you are still there, not after. I am not staying Arizona (I hope!), but I have learned so many things here that I would never would anywhere else. Look at this as an adventure and have fun.

[Chelito23]

Contrary to many opinions, I would say traffic isn't that bad here. Or not as bad as people claim. Then again I moved from Socal. I agree, stores are less crowded also which makes running errands more convenient. Better customer service (although not great, but not horrible either) than in Socal. Nice scenery, the air isn't anywhere near as bad as in LA....you can be very vocal and voice conservative viewpoints and be mainstream and not shunned if that is your point of view....it is relatively affordable as well...and people genuinely seem to like living here based on whom I have met.

Oh, lot's of suburban type shopping options, lots of housing alternatives....the downtown is not as dead as one may think...reasonable overall.

In general, PHX isn't bad. You just have to enjoy extreme heat or not mind it...and other than that, there is a great airport so you can travel to a lot of places with ease, even though they are far away.

PHX wasn't my first choice either, but it is doable. It isn't hell, don't be scared off. PHX is what you make it to be. If you choose to be happy or miserable here, you will be. There is nothing remarkably good or bad about the city IMO to have to warn people about other than the heat.

[Skywayy2001]

My wife got matched here 10 years ago....we never left. Nothing but good things to say about the Phoenix/Scottsdale area...just learn to laugh at the 30k millionaire Moderator cut: snip