Phoenix installment 1

I found Phoenix to be an awesome place. Apparently August is its hottest month of the year. And consider the fact that my last rendezvous with PHX was approximately 8 years ago, when I was hating my life at one of those dreadful volleyball tournaments and eating at Hooters on Mill Ave with my equally as dreadful team of extremely annoying girls who would tear into me because I wouldn't subscribe to their drama and I would get flustered and I just really disliked them.... I think most of them have grown up.

OK.

However, I am secretly cold ALL THE TIME. Even in San Diego, where my parents moved because of the 'perfect weather' (it was that or Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia), I would not dress for it. So, I'd be in my Rainbow flip flops at high school in December and as miserable as i was walking to school in Provo in a blizzard (decked out in peacoat, scarves, boots and gloves). My feet and hands are always cold, I would love to wear sweaters year round everywhere except apparently Phoenix during the summer. Even New York City at dusk in the summer I prefer accompanied with a jacket. Finally, walking around in a shorts and t-shirt is not cold. Seriously. This coming from someone who comfortably wore jeans in Utah during the summer.

But I was warned. The man checking my ID at the airport said with a wry grin, You're heading somewhere 40 degrees warmer. "Uhh, thanks...?" I muttered.

Then my friend Ben picked me up from the airport, with the previous warning to "Call me when you land, then wait INSIDE until I get to the curb, then RUN to the car....or you'll FRY." (And being from Vegas, he knows heat). And don't worry, his ride was one he legitimately won on The Price is Right. A candy apple red Chrysler boat mobile of sorts. My friends are awesome like that.


And then I saw Aly! We were fake ladies of leisure, as we're both in 'life transition,' so we shopped, lunched, went to the phoenix art museum which has an amazing Cezanne exhibit right now, gelato like old times, Google Reader tutorials, empathized the ways we were gypped by being the oldest children, and watching all the TV that I can't watch at home because TiVo is to capacity with Mad Money and Texas Hold 'Em Poker shows (the last time I found television agreement with my father was the NBA Playoffs/Finals- because duh, it's the most wonderful time of year, maybe even better than Christmas). Let's just say my fam does not see that The Rachel Zoe Project is mind-clearing-in-a-way-that-only-compares-to-yoga. Bless Aly & Spenny! It was too bad Mandy was in South Carolina. We apparently keep missing each other by minutes and hours. Heartbreaking.

I'm kind of bashful about taking pictures. I think it's awkward most of the time, but you're always glad you did in hindsight. Too bad I forgot to remember this...