Desert Sunsets and Other Tidbits on Arizona

Remember those art projects in elementary school where you rip pieces of black, pink, and red paper to make a desert sunset? Well during my recent work trip to Arizona, I realized that those paper creations were an accurate depiction of the real thing.

It's hard to beat a desert sunset, just look:

Even twilight has this cool pink/blue combo going on! 

Now, I didn't have a ton of time to take pictures since I was working (ya know!), but I managed to capture a few cool spots you should stop at if ever passing through Arizona. 

For instance, Arizona is not all desert, as I found out the hard way. You would think someone pretty well-traveled would know to check the weather before going to a new city, but I assumed that Arizona would be quite warm everywhere. Ummmm...not Flagstaff! Wearing a dress with no tights, I was welcomed to 37 degree weather (3 degrees Celsius). So, I learned my lesson (as I froze my butt off).

Definitely make a stop in Flagstaff if driving through Arizona. It's gorgeous! With its snow covered mountains, pine trees, and crisp air, this will be a refreshing stop on your journey! 

Of course, the rest of Arizona is mostly desert: 

And then out of the blue, like a mirage, you'll hit Phoenix--a city smack dab in the middle of the desert: 

 I would describe Phoenix as a sort of sleepy/renovated city, with splatters of art throughout.

And I do have one restaurant recommendation! Arrogant Butcher, located right in the heart of downtown, has scrumptious meat and cheese board options to make you squeal in glee.

Yes, you can pretty much count on sunny weather in this city. November seems to have been a good time to go for a perfect 75 degree day.

I ordered a chicken tabouleh salad, which sounds uneventful, but was one of the best chicken salads I have ever had! And service was outstandingly pleasant. But seriously, give this place a try! 

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Arizona is great place to road trip through: friendly people, good food, varying climates (as I found out). Sometimes middle states are overlooked, when actually they have great things to offer. Arizona, you're a little gun crazy, but besides that--you're pretty alright!