Weekend!

Last weekend I went down to Phoenix to visit two of my lovely best friends.  I grew up in Arizona and, like many Arizonans (who are from any part besides the Phoenix area), I haven't always had the highest opinion of the Valley of the Sun.  Last year my mom and I did the Susan G Komen 3-Day Walk for the Cure and walked all (literally ALL) over Phoenix.  It gave me a totally new appreciation of the area.  There is a lot more to Phoenix than the malls, freeways and airport - you just need to know where to look!
Here are a few pics from my drive down, from the tall pines of Flagstaff to the saguaros of Phoenix...

My absolute favorite part of Phoenix is a neighborhood called the Willo Historic District.  I walked through it last November during the 3-Day Walk and have rarely loved any place as much.  Sometimes Phoenix can feel like a sea of mass-produced, cheap impermanence.  The Willo District is a wonderful, old neighborhood with unique architecture and beautiful yards.  It just so happened that there was a street fair going on when my BFF Caitlin and I decided to take our little tour.

We also went to a super cute little shop called Smeeks where we took some truly rediculous photobooth pictures.

Here are a few more pics that celebrate the beauty of the Southwest!