Posts

Showing posts from November, 2019

Where to Eat in Tempe, Arizona

Image
What makes Tempe, Arizona, a great destination for good eatin’? This college town is home to the main campus of Arizona State University. And as you’d expect, thousands of students live here in constant need of snacks and caffeine. Tempe is situated in the core of the Phoenix metro area, which means there are plenty of older constructions with inexpensive rents that independent bars, coffee shops, or restaurants can afford. A handful of regional chain restaurants like Cornish Pasty or Pita Jungle had their start here before branching out to other cities. And Tempe sits at the gateway of the East Valley’s pan-Asian immigrant community. The front patio of Casey Moore’s Oyster House I had the privilege of living in this city for three years—plenty of time to try a variety of coffee shops and restaurants in central Tempe. Moving to Tempe was a great introduction to Arizona for me, and while I’ve since moved across town, I’m glad I still work in Tempe and can keep going back to my

Top 10 Things to Do in Tempe, Arizona

Image
What draws people to Tempe, Arizona? You might not have ever heard of this city east of Phoenix, but it’s no mere Phoenix suburb. Downtown Tempe skyline reflected on Tempe Town Lake Tempe (pronounced “tem-PEE”) is home to the main campus of Arizona State University—one of the country’s largest public research universities—so you’ll often see people coming to this college town to drop off their kids at college or to attend academic conferences. Businesses like operating in a community with an educated workforce, so regional headquarters and office towers dot the city from north to south. Plus, Tempe’s location in the middle of the Phoenix metro area makes it an ideal home base for tourists exploring the region. Folks visiting Tempe and looking for things to do will often be told to check out places technically in Phoenix or Scottsdale, like the Desert Botanical Garden, Old Town Scottsdale, or even county parks and national forests. These are all great places to go to, but… Wh

Making New Memories in Galveston, Texas

Image
Do you have any un-memories? Something you know that happened to you when you were really young but you don’t remember? Like meeting your great-aunt Genevieve when you were a toddler, moving across the country as a baby, or—and I’m stating the obvious here—being born. Something I know that I’ve done before—but which I have zero memory at all of—is visiting the coastal city of Galveston, Texas, as a little tyke. My parents have a photo on their fireplace mantel of my dad and me at Galveston Beach, with him showing me some seashells…apparently it was my first time at the beach, ever. Historic building in the Strand But I have zero memory of this seashell encounter ever happening, so when I went “back” to this gorgeous city southeast of Houston over Memorial Day weekend, it really was like seeing it for the first time. I loved taking a daytrip to this historic Gulf Coast city, where I made “new” memories by exploring some historic districts, appreciating excellent architectur