Ok, I'm going to give this place 5 stars because, technically, it is a cool place that not a lot of…read morepeople know about. It's actually a hydroelectric plant along the Arizona Canal. As we approached the building (you can't go in it), the smell hit us and I thought, oh no, I've made a huge mistake. I think I was just there on a bad day or something, because I didn't see many reviews mention the smell at all. What smell? Raw sewage, very sulphur- and trash-like. I mean, it STUNK. It was strongest at the top overlook, right next to the building. As we went down the staircase to the lower level, the smell began to dissipate and eventually, to my nose, disappeared altogether. On the lower level, we saw the waterfalls. You can walk under/behind two of them and there are "seats" made of stone blocks in front of the third. The water was flowing pretty hard the day we visited, so the seats and all the pavement was wet and there was a slight mist coming off the middle one. The overall place is like a mixture of industrial and environmental architechture. There are metal-looking columns holding up the upper deck, yet the waterfalls look like they were copied from Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, and there are large stones/rocks embedded into the walls everywhere. It sits on the edge of a small park with a decent sized lot and there are hiking paths. We only came for the falls, so I can't speak to the hike, but the area looked fairly nice. I'd like to see it at night as it looks pretty cool in pictures I've seen. If you're looking for something a little different to do or show your visitors from out of town, this is a neat place to go. Hopefully, the smell is a one off, but even if not, hold your breath and go down the stairs..... 13/2026

I heard about this place recently and was in the area and decided to check it out. It basically…read more mini-hydroelectric plant on the canal system and the origin of the canal system is traced back to the Hohokam Indians that lived in the valley about 1500 years ago. The water falls are a cool secondary benefit of the water works plant at Arizona Falls. There is a nice park and biking trail that we look forward to exploring on our next visit. Highly recommended for a unique opportunity to enjoy waterfalls in the valley of the sun and learn about how the innovative Hohokam Indians.

Roosevelt Row, Phoenix, AZ. Nov, 2025. This is Phoenix's walkable downtown arts and culture…read moredistrict. It is known for having vibrant, colorful street art, galleries, restaurants, bars, and shops. We ate lunch at a coffee shop, and enjoyed wondering through the neighborhoods and taking photographs of the building art. There is no admission fee to enter the area. Street parking and parking garages were available, but we took the convenient and inexpensive Valley Metro that runs along Central Ave.

If you're into murals, stop by Roosevelt Row (otherwise known as RoRo)!…read more I loved checking out the alley that had various murals from different local muralists. The area also has art galleries, boutiques, and various eateries. Easily accessible via the bus or the light rail. +murals

The workmen are making progress on the construction by the scenic drive. S temporary wall…read moreseparating drivers from the equipment has been removed. Drivers are now able to go along a newly paved street. Hooray! Several drivers have rebounded and nicked the wall, so it is good to have it removed. Good to see the progress.

The original intent of the scenic drive has seriously waned over the years, as the area has become…read morecommercialized. It's okay--but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it.

This spot should definitely be on your radar if you are an art lover and happen to be in Phoenix!…read moreTouring the spot Is as easy as driving your car down the alley! If you wanna get out and take some hot photos with some really dope backgrounds, that's a choice too but keep it cute because you are literally in someone's alley! I'm not sure of the story behind these installations but whoever owns these properties have to be cool AF and I tip my hat to them for allowing such an amazing situation to happen!

We purchased Zak's chocolates as part of a holiday gift. The online purchase and in-store pickup…read morewas seamless. I appreciated the prompt communication from the business when I requested pickup a bit early. I wasn't able to make it during their business hours, but let them know a courier would arrive to do so on my behalf. They immediately let me know when the order was picked up, and even sent a nice thank you. The chocolates themselves were beautiful. We purchased a larger assortment, and I loved the creative flavor options and wide variety of flavors to fit every palate. Our gift recipients gave them rave reviews. Supporting a local artisanal maker is worth the additional cost to me, and knowing the assortment was something that couldn't be found in a Godiva box made it all the more special & unique. We will absolutely be back as these chocolates make unique and delicious gifts.

WOW! I drove from Los Angeles to try these chocolates and…read moreit was 100% worth it. These chocolates are perfect, not too sweet, melt in my mouth, beautiful presentation and reasonably priced. These chocolates are very high quality and I now have a reason to come back to Scottsdale. The mug is so nice, very high quality. I bought 2 boxes and loved every piece. They are better than most chocolates I buy in Beverly Hills. I'm so happy Zak makes such high quality chocolates. This was the highlight of my trip.

We decided to try this place out for my mom in laws birthday. We were able to get a reservation for…read more9 of us on a Friday night. The patio area was cute and it accommodated us nicely. The service was quick. Our server I can't recall her name, but she had a longhorn tattoo on her arm. She was very friendly. She made sure we never ran out of water or other beverages. We ordered the zucchini flowers, meatballs, fried ravioli, and a couple pizzas. The Alba pizza, just wow. The food was all tasty, but the zucchini flowers were a little heavily breaded for my taste. Overall, though would definitely go back.

We finally decided to stop by and have pizza yesterday. Though it was a rainy day in Arizona. We…read moreshowed up around 415 and the staff had zero interest in even welcoming us in. Because the patio was all covered, and it was not but two tables with customers, the staff spent more time on their phones and drinking Starbucks rather than doing stuff or working behind the scenes. Our server was amazing. The rest of the staff who were waiting for customers to come in spend their time standing around and on their phone. For not having a lot of people in the restaurant, our water bottle was never refilled, our appetizer plates were not removed off our table before the guy came to put down two pies so I had to move plates around. It was almost like it was a burden us being there. The lady who was making the pizza, was in the kitchen, eating pizza... All visible from our table. The Alba pizza was amazing. The spinach dip was mediocre and you don't get much spinach dip for the amount of bread they give you. The fried raviolis are mediocre. The best part of this is if you're looking for a piece of pizza or a pie, the price point is decent. I would have upped the stars if the staff actually cared about the customers that were actually there to eat. This was the first time there for us and we probably won't be back.

A group of us drove from Sun City to Queen's Creek; which is a long drive. Once there we were told…read morethe train was not running due to high winds. Not anywhere online did it mention that high winds would be a factor. We took the class (you have to pay for) and was really just a sellathon. The food lines were out the door so we didn't get to eat. All in all it was a total disappointment.

I originally went for a tour of the olive mill and that was amazing. Our tour guide Wolfgang was so…read moreknowledgeable and answered all of our questions. When we were done and looking through the store he would help talk through the different flavors and types of oils they carry/make. The food is delicious I had a canoli and a bite of pizza and I'd absolutely go back to try other things. They have a full bar. They were very busy as it was the last day for the sangria social and the day before Mother's Day but the outdoor seating is pretty vast and the musician was wonderul to listen to. I would highly recommend for a day date, time with friends or just a fun activity!

Over the years, I have visited the ASU Downtown Phoenix Campus and Civic Space Park on a regular…read morebasis. While there have been different people, different roles, and even different buildings, one consistency has been the "Her Secret is Patience" sculpture in the park. In fact, almost 13 years ago, I even did a photo shoot under the sculpture. The sculpture is in the Civic Space Park, where there is a nice, grassy area, some tables, and chairs right next to the US Post Office and ASU Student Center. I have seen groups of students and even community members holding events in the park either in front of the Student Center entrance at the tables and chairs (gatherings by students or staff), on the grassy lawn area (community members playing soccer, frisbee, or having a picnic), or even on the south side of the walkway (though the lighting wasn't very good in the evening in that area). "Her Secret Is Patience" is a public art sculpture commission designed by artist Janet Echelman for the City of Phoenix. The sculpture consists of painted, galvanized steel, polyester twine netting, and colored lights. It is 145 feet tall and suspended as an aerial sculpture. It is monumental yet soft, fixed in place but constantly in motion. It dances gently in the air, choreographed by the flux of desert winds. During the day, the sculpture hovers high above heads, treetops, and buildings. The sculpture creates what the artist calls "shadow drawings," which she says are inspired by Phoenix's cloud shadows that captivated her from the first site visit. At night, the illumination changes color gradually through the seasons. The goal in selecting the colors is to provide residents some small climate relief through color, adding cool hues in summer, and warm tones in winter. The lighting design also changes what portion of the sculpture is illuminated, leaving parts obscured in mystery, much like the phases of the moon. I've heard students and staff at ASU discussing how the artist was supposedly inspired by monsoon cloud formations and the shadows they cast, in addition to forms found in desert flora. Now that I work only a short walk away from the sculpture, I see it almost every day at work!

This is one of the most eye-catching pieces of public art that I have had the pleasure of seeing…read more It is located in the Civic Space Park and is the work of artist Janet Echelman who made the piece in 2009. Echelman got the name of the piece from a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. It is constructed of painted, galvanized steel, polyester twine netting, and an assortment of ground mounted colored lights that give the nets its color. The piece is not cheap though and costed $2.5 million. The massive piece starts at 38 feet off the ground and extends to 100 feet in the air. To give it more perspective, the piece's largest ring is about 100 feet wide. The piece is intended to resemble a cumulus clouds. However, I see a tornado or jelly fish when I looked at it. It was given the title of Best Public Art by the Phoenix New Times. The wonderful mix of blue, orange and purple just draws you in like a moth to a flame. It is cool to visit during the day, but is amazing at night. The color of the piece changes constantly with the seasons throughout the year. The piece is not without its critics. Many people question the cost of the piece and whether that money could have been used elsewhere. Additionally, the piece's nets and lighting has to be replaced every five years, which makes this piece a gift that keeps on costing. It is unknown how much this periodic maintenance costs the city. This piece has metered street parking located within a reasonable walking distance, as well as commercial parking lots. There is also a train stop right in front of the piece, if you are plan on taking public transportation to get there. I really like this piece. It is a marvel, but I too am a critic of the price tag and reassuring maintenance fee. This piece can rally become the face of the city and one of its iconic images. It is very picturesque and Instagramable. Anyway, as with most public art that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. So, you may want to consider making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. You can start with Civic Space park, where the piece is located.

Step back to the 60s and go to your Nonni's for a family meal, Bam, welcome to Guido's. The tables…read moreare packed everywhere there is space, the entire store is talking and I had people I have never seen start talking to us like we were family, just like family dinners of old, this is what to expect when you walk into Guido's. The Food is no joke, everything is made to perfection. On this trip, we had Calamari, Salad w/ Italian dressing, roast beef sandwich, and Fettuccini alfredo with spicy sausage. The Calamari was very tender, not overcooked and rubbery, the salad was crisp and the dressing out of this world, Charles our waiter talked my wife into the roast beef sandwich, which I cringed a bit because she knows her roast beef, they brought it out with a side of gravy to dip it in. This was amazing, they cook this roast for 18hrs so it is super tender, loaded with flavor, her only regret was she didnt ask for more peppers. The Fettuccini Alfredo was creamy smooth well balanced, and with the spicy sausage became my new must have. The deli counter will tempt you with all kinds of delights, meats, cheeses, olives, salads, we took a anti pasta plate home with us with some of their fresh baked bread...Forget about it! If you want an old time feel of family with the taste of true Italian food, then there is only one place to go...Guido's!

Guido's is an Italian-American story. I walked through the door over 30 years ago and I was "Home."…read more Just the fact that it's been open for over 40 years warrants five stars. That kind of longevity doesn't happen by accident. The owner has recently passed and the place feels different now. Call it the vibe, the spirit. Call it sad. Regardless.... My go-to is still the sausage & pepper sandwich. Un-toasted roll, spicy sausage, peppers...maybe sauce on the side, no cheese. That's the North Jersey way. Here's the thing, you can count on Guido's. It gives Phoenix and Scottsdale some credibility in the big city department.