YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Phoenix area

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Phoenix area https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 18 Apr 2026 20:42:14 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php kellygirl on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area/page/2#post-2254346 Tue, 08 Mar 2022 20:13:11 +0000 kellygirl 2254346@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ @Anna: I know, right? I'm a CA native so the bar is pretty high weather wise. I like the temperature "just right" and can deal with it a smidge over and under. Ha! annagybe on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area/page/2#post-2254257 Tue, 08 Mar 2022 05:00:19 +0000 annagybe 2254257@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Very late, and no real advice. But the idea of place that can get so hot that airplanes can’t take off, eeek. kellygirl on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area/page/2#post-2254233 Tue, 08 Mar 2022 01:34:34 +0000 kellygirl 2254233@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thanks, Kyle! I’ll check it out! Kyle on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area/page/2#post-2254163 Mon, 07 Mar 2022 14:19:47 +0000 Kyle 2254163@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Kelly, if Asian food shopping and restaurants are of interest, you might like to know about the relatively large Asian District in Mesa, with an array of stores and restaurants. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.asiandistrictmesa.com">https://www.asiandistrictmesa.com</a><div> </div><div> </div> kellygirl on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2254081 Sat, 05 Mar 2022 23:16:21 +0000 kellygirl 2254081@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ @rachy: We did check out the grocery stores. The produce was beautiful. We even went to Costco. The selections are a little different than around here--not a lot of asian food for example. All were very clean though--I didn't see any litter on the freeways either.  @Jaileen: Lol. I can imagine. I actually had to buy some lip balm because my lipstick wasn't cutting it. I don't feel like I have to drink a lot of water at home but over there, I couldn't seem to feel hydrated. I suppose it will take a bit of getting used to. Even the sun felt hotter--I can work in the yard here for hours but just standing in the sun 68-70 temp in AZ and I felt baked.  JAileen on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2254070 Sat, 05 Mar 2022 19:36:46 +0000 JAileen 2254070@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Here in Northern Nevada, it’s super dry.  I put on lip balm at least twenty times a day.  I also make sure it has sun screen in it.  It’s just different from the Bay Area.  We really hydrate, too.  The dryness makes me thirsty all the time. rachylou on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2254065 Sat, 05 Mar 2022 19:00:57 +0000 rachylou 2254065@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I just had a thought… your next trip, go visit the grocery stores, etc., clock the basics of life. When I lived in Az, wow, that was eye-opening. It was a long time ago, but the veg was really bad… lol kellygirl on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2254058 Sat, 05 Mar 2022 17:15:10 +0000 kellygirl 2254058@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ After lots of rescheduling, we finally made it to Arizona. Wow, talk about a unique landscape and boy, is it dry! @Marlene: you're not kidding about adjusting to drier climate. I felt like all the moisture was sucked out of my body and it will take some time to get used to that. Nothing like getting home and enjoying some humidity! It was a short trip but we looked at homes in Scottsdale near the golf courses that DH is interested in joining and some hiking including Pinnacle Peak. Also had the opportunity to talk to residents--mostly people relocating from places with four seasons who really like not having to deal with snow. Scorpions are definitely a concern--same with javelinas but I'd imagine that those concerns are similar to earthquakes to non-Californians.  kellygirl on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2251073 Sun, 06 Feb 2022 17:53:46 +0000 kellygirl 2251073@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thank you so much for all of your replies! Your perspectives are so helpful--I knew I could count on you! I'm definitely going into this with my eyes open. You touched on many of my concerns--long term water resources, heat and political climate (although the last could not be any worse than where I work, tbh.)  Retirement is on the horizon but the time line is subject to a lot of different factors which we aren't 100% in agreement on. However, one of the things we do agree on is giving ourselves enough time to evaluate locations. The other is not selling our home in CA until we are sure.(I'm a native CA and have a hard time imagining any place will be as nice as home...) Will report back after our trip! Bijou on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250947 Sat, 05 Feb 2022 07:18:59 +0000 Bijou 2250947@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Kelly, you need to make sure you can stand the heat, especially the dry desert heat. When the temperature is above 40C, it is dangerous to be outside, moisture evaporates from the skin and it is easy to get dehydrated. I live in Western Australia and we had the hottest January on record with a run of days above 40C, and a number at 42C, each degree makes a big difference at those temperatures. Our weather has been too hot for comfort and we have had our aircon running all day. The plus side of such a dry climate is that your hair will not frizz from humidity. Getting washing dry is a breeze, it pretty much dries as soon as you put it outside. Today it is 42C. Margot is indoors sitting in the coolest room of the house under an aircon vent, we got up early to give her a walk and she just pottered around. When it is cooler, she love to run around. We get her a summer cut, where they shave her belly and she stays cool by lying on our tiles. My karate school is air conditioned and my gym is as well, they struggle to get the temp down to 30C, but at least at those temperatures it is safe to exercise as long as you stay hydrated. If I want to exercise outdoors, I get up early and head to the beach for a swim in the ocean. Where I live, it is realistically only about 15 days a year like this over a period of 3 months and most of the time the weather is great. However, I would never move to a place hotter than where I now live. UmmLila (Lisa) on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250840 Fri, 04 Feb 2022 15:40:53 +0000 UmmLila (Lisa) 2250840@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I have a friend who's a realtor in Phoenix, and if you'd like her information you can PM me. avicennia on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250833 Fri, 04 Feb 2022 13:40:12 +0000 avicennia 2250833@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I live in AZ and this is not going to be where I retire. And it’s about 10 degrees cooler here than in Phoenix. I remember a day 5 years ago when I bought tickets to LA to escape the heat and was praying the plane could get off the ground before the temps reached 120F and the tarmac melted. If you can afford to maintain a second summer home, it might be doable. But with climate change and dwindling water supplies, I expect things to only get worse. JAileen thanks for the paint tip — I bookmarked the page. Anonymous on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250810 Fri, 04 Feb 2022 01:27:30 +0000 Anonymous 2250810@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I have never been to Phoenix but I know that their flag is highly ranked in best city flag lists. Best of luck in your retirement destination search JAileen on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250728 Thu, 03 Feb 2022 16:54:10 +0000 JAileen 2250728@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ If I were to move to the hottest city, I would look into this whitest paint.  It would cut down on AC (and also global warming).  I talk about it incessantly here, because our summers are so hot.  One friend (and neighbor) said it would make our house ugly.  Our house has a hipped roof.  It would definitely work on a house with a flat roof, though. <div> </div><div><a rel="nofollow" href="https://stories.purdue.edu/the-whitest-paint-is-here-and-its-the-coolest-literally/">https://stories.purdue.edu/the.....literally/</a> </div> Marlene on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250721 Thu, 03 Feb 2022 16:26:24 +0000 Marlene 2250721@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ We just bought a small “winter” house in Scottsdale to escape the damp cold PNW winters. We’ve been here since mid-November. It’s been great! The weather is chillier than I expected but soooo much better than the relentless rain and chill of the north. I have some heath issues that are benefiting from a warm/dry climate. I’ve been busy setting up the new household so haven’t ventured out as much as I’d like. But every weekend we make sure we do something outdoorsy and something “arty”. There’s just so much to do around here! The food is amazing. The streets and freeways are very well planned. Our house is centrally located so it’s 10 minutes to everything. My husband is keeping busy with a very vibrant pickle ball community! I may need to take up golf! Lol! The winter weather has been very nice. We are heading into spring and I’m looking forward to exploring a new season. I’ve been able to wear leather jackets without fear of rain damage. Leather sole shoes I’ve long ignored are getting some mileage! People are much more stylish here than in my Seattle suburb. Not dealing with wet weather definitely allows you to have more sartorial options. My body is adjusting to the dry desert climate…new moisturizers and hair products to combat the dryness. We’re keeping our house near Seattle for at least a couple years until my daughter graduates from college. By then we’ll know if we’ll want to settle in Scottsdale full time. Meanwhile, we’re enjoying the snow bird lifestyle! Picture of hand squeezed OJ made with oranges from my backyard tree! JAileen on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250647 Thu, 03 Feb 2022 01:51:28 +0000 JAileen 2250647@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Article about America’s “hottest city”: <div><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jan/27/phoenix-arizona-hottest-city-cooling-technologies">https://www.theguardian.com/us.....chnologies</a> </div><div> </div> Laurie on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250616 Wed, 02 Feb 2022 21:38:22 +0000 Laurie 2250616@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh - I'm totally following your progress on this on Kelly! My husband and I love AZ so much, but the longest we've spent is a week at a time. We have been to the Scottsdale/Phx area, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon many times in October (awesome weather), at Christmas (actually experienced snow in Phoenix one year....were hoping it would be warm!), July (yes, very hot), September (very hot, but nights cooling off). If I have to pick a weather extreme I'd rather be hot than cold, and I love evenings when it is warm enough to not need my arms to be covered. Like you, we love hiking. I could see getting back into cycling (safely, on paths & sidewalks), and yoga with a view of the sky and the mountains. We have driven and camped all over the state - from Monument Valley to the Grand Canyon to Canyon de Chelly, and up to the White Mountains. It is on my list of places I could spend several months a year, but I haven't gotten to considering relocation.  Unfortunately, for me, the politics are currently ruling it, and so many other geographically nice places, out of consideration. Otherwise, we'd be actively exploring as soon as travel gets easier. I had tix in September for a long weekend in Scottsdale, but cancelled due to Delta. From a natural beauty perspective, I find that area of the country to be one of the places I feel physically and (politics aside) spiritually the very best. Something about the light and the colors.... Anonymous on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250564 Wed, 02 Feb 2022 06:42:03 +0000 Anonymous 2250564@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ We have been only once.  Temperatures in the first part of June were above 100F that year .  We were told that the extreme heat can start in February.  It did that year. During the day everything was deserted , even pools.  We were told that people came out at night.the realtor who helped us find a home  cautioned us not to buy in some areas where the political climate was not ours.  I am so glad now that people here wear masks and are careful of others.  We have seen counties that are embarrassing in their beliefs and behavior, and are glad we live where we do. Bonnie on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250495 Tue, 01 Feb 2022 17:00:00 +0000 Bonnie 2250495@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ If you plan to live there year round, I would suggest renting a home for condo for a few months that include summer. April is the nicest month and June is the hottest so I would suggest them. It would give you a good idea of what it is  like. We lived in Tucson, a much nicer city in my opinion, for five years which is a bit cooler than PHX. Summer seems to last forever, sometimes until Nov/Dec, and is very hot. If you like outdoor sports, you should start as soon as dawn breaks and be home by 9:00 AM. Pools are nice but only when you are in the water, I sat and read in a tube tethered to an umbrella for a couple of hours most days to get out of the air conditioning and enjoy the pool. We loved Tucson with its wonderful restaurants, music, and cultural opportunities (the university is there), but are much happier now that we have moved to an area where we can get outdoors every day and feel comfortable. We still like to visit there but only in Feb, Mar, Apr. NancyW on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250491 Tue, 01 Feb 2022 16:01:59 +0000 NancyW 2250491@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ We retired from New England to North Carolina in 2018. We first threw out a few different ideas about how to live next. Could we keep our apartment and just rent in a warm place? Could we buy a studio in our present place, or in the country nearby and be snowbirds for the bulk of the year? That decided, we wrote our lists of non-negotiable items: clay court tennis club, great hospitals, proximity to major airport. Then we visited and talked to people we knew. We did eliminate the desert because of water issues (which also impacts clay courts). We also worked with realtors who had lived in the area for all their lives or for many decades. Have fun while looking! Kyle on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250490 Tue, 01 Feb 2022 15:51:26 +0000 Kyle 2250490@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I live in Mesa and find it a great quality of life overall. Yes, it’s conservative, and the politics do not align with my own beliefs. Other places like Phoenix and and Tempe, for example, would be considered more progressive if this is important to you. And, yes, it is very hot in the summer. I find you either adjust to this, or you don’t, and I find it far preferable to the winter sleet, snow and ice I lived with in Ohio. I think you would want to visit in the summer and see how you like it. Many people here live in the Valley (greater Phoenix area) in the summer and have a second home in the mountains (where you can snowboard and ski in the winter) 2 or 3 hours away. Of course the cost of living and housing is much better than in California, although housing prices have risen considerably in the last couple of years, as I think they have in many places. Traffic and congestion are also less daunting here than what we have experienced in California (especially the LA area where my husband is from). Scottsdale is great for shopping and restaurants, Tempe has the University, Phoenix has the urban vibe, and Gilbert is a growing suburb with a vibrant downtown. There’s not a lot to do in Mesa, honestly —it’s a bedroom community popular with families for its highly rated school system and with retirees for its more affordable (relatively) housing. Another forum member lives in scenic Fountain Hills, perhaps she will chime in with her perspective and experiences as she is relatively new to the area, whereas I’ve been here for 40 years. You can easily enjoy an active retirement here if you enjoy the outdoors, but that is definitely more challenging in the summer. Many hard core golfers are on the course 12 months a year, heat or no heat, while walkers, runners and hikers do their workouts very early In the morning during the summer months. We also have lakes nearby if you enjoy waterskiing or boating. As you can see, there are many considerations and many pros and cons, just as there are with most places. I’m here for you as a resource and will be happy to help with more information and to answer questions as you move forward with this process. Christina F. on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250487 Tue, 01 Feb 2022 14:45:52 +0000 Christina F. 2250487@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <div>I have no real input here since I have never been--but since I work for environmental org, I echo the climate-related concerns above. Whatever is happening there now will only get worse over the years, and potentially exponentially so. </div><div> </div><div>Our retirement plan was to buy a home we could retire and stay in, and so we have. (NYC ride-or-die, both of us.) Our plan instead of moving is for extensive travels early in retirement.</div> Stagiaire Fash on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250482 Tue, 01 Feb 2022 13:30:54 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2250482@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Suz, you’ve reminded me of friends we visited in Tucson 14 years ago. She absolutely loves that area and refuses to leave their home, even though they must spend much of the academic year elsewhere, meaning that her Tucson time is in summer. When storms blow through, she opens up the whole house to the wind. Every day, she is very careful to open & close windows in accordance with the sun moving. She runs miles in a canyon every morning. I don’t think Phoenix has storms like the one we experienced while visiting them, but she does prove that it’s possible to live in the state, not barricade yourself from the climate, & be happy. Kellygirl, a bit of advice I gave my parents when they considered selling their Midwestern house & relocating entirely to the snowbird home they love: stay in the new place through an entire year before selling the old one. Visiting at different times of year doesn’t do the trick; part of what we found so hard in Florida was how relentless the 93 degree days are, one after another from April to October. If you just dip into it, it can even be pleasant—whee, let’s go to the beach! But if you wake up to one muggy, warm morning after another, it isn’t so fun any more. Repeating my advice from above: don’t wait until you’re about ready to retire to start researching! RobinF on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250480 Tue, 01 Feb 2022 13:22:56 +0000 RobinF 2250480@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I have never been there so can't offer any advice but wanted to add to the good vibes! Very exciting to start doing some retirement research! Suz on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250467 Tue, 01 Feb 2022 06:00:20 +0000 Suz 2250467@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Carla is wise and her advice makes a lot of sense.  We have friends who live outside Phoenix and we visited them there once. Per Joy's point -- they find it unbearably hot in summer and they actually go to northern California for part of the year (and other places) to escape the heat.  However, one member of this couple is a serious hiker and he does hike there in the desert. In winter and fall and early spring. In summer he goes elsewhere to hike.  Our visit was in November and it was hot then (hot enough for summer clothes). But it was not too hot to do some early morning hiking, and the landscape was extraordinary. I found it fascinating. The plant life is completely different from everything I know. And the light is beautiful.   I'd gladly visit again. But I would never live there, no way, no how. Where our friend lives, people are utterly car-dependent. It's too hot to go out for about half the year. The politics (as others have said) are...well, not my own. So it wouldn't work for us.  Anonymous on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250456 Tue, 01 Feb 2022 03:32:35 +0000 Anonymous 2250456@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Everyone I know who has retired near Phoenix has had to get a summer home in a cooler area. Carla on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250443 Tue, 01 Feb 2022 00:04:56 +0000 Carla 2250443@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Definitely take some mini-breaks to explore places where you might like to live, before you retire!  DH and I started taking 1 week ‘escapes’ whilst in our late 40’s in order to explore potential retirement areas.  (I’m a planner.)  We always came back from those trips with a giant bag of brochures, and lots to think about.  Coincidentally, when we relocated for employment (4 years before retirement) we elected to buy (and downsized) in a place we had explored on one of those trips, and commuted to our respective worksites until we actually did retire.  Very happy, and no regrets. Do make a visit to Phoenix and check out the places that might become your stomping ground.  DH visited all the golf courses and I checked out the community centres, swimming pools and sports clubs.  We both checked out libraries, churches, and yes (!) the seniors’ center!  Also, access to easy public transportation to other places (trains, busses) and proximity to an airport that flies international.   Good luck, and have fun figuring it out! kkards on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250442 Mon, 31 Jan 2022 23:55:35 +0000 kkards 2250442@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Echoing Helena, no idea what it’s like to live in Phoenix, but I’m so excited for you that your mapping out and getting ready for the next adventure  Stagiaire Fash on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250441 Mon, 31 Jan 2022 23:50:35 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2250441@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I grew up visiting relatives in Scottsdale every few years back when Camelback was a cool park at the edge of town; my cousin and her family live in Mesa. I would never. The extreme right-wing politics are a main reason. They are related to the false notion that the earth can somehow be forced to put more water into the Colorado River. It cannot. Xeriscape and water shortages were a thing when we visited in the 70s and 80s, and population has shot up exponentially since then. Also, I couldn’t handle the climate. Life in Florida, where 93 F heat and 90%+ humidity forced us into AC for over half the year, was physically and emotionally unhealthy for my son and me. Arizona’s temps of over 100 would do the same thing. And I need humidity. Briefly considered going to university there, had my (other) cousin take me to Tucson, where she had gone to college. After a day (probably just an afternoon) walking around campus, she was fine, but I was dead. Yes, one could hydrate even more, but how could you have a walking/biking healthy lifestyle in that, or enjoy exercising outdoors? I have no idea if your tastes are similar to mine. I’ve laid mine out clearly, so you can decide. My parents began annual vacations together when they were around 40. They got to know resort areas and visited friends who had second homes or (eventually) had retired there. I think that made their eventual choice of where to buy, when they were around 60, much easier. SarahD8 on "Phoenix area" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/phoenix-area#post-2250437 Mon, 31 Jan 2022 23:38:02 +0000 SarahD8 2250437@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ My parents live outside of Phoenix. It would not be my choice as a retirement destination. Summers are so hot that you really cannot be outside for 5-6 months of the year. Temperatures will become even more unlivable over time. I also suspect that water shortages will become an issue sooner than people expect.