ValTrans: An Idea Ahead of Its Time

Phoenix is a large metropolitan city with a population of about 4.1 million people. When you compare Phoenix to similar cities like Boston (4.6 million people) and Atlanta (5.5 million people), they have something we do not: a large-scale mass-transit system.

There is a reason for this: Phoenix is a much larger city geographically than these other cities. The greater Boston area is about 4,676 square miles while Atlanta is about 8,376 square miles. Phoenix, by comparison, is a staggering 16,573 square miles - more than double the size of Atlanta with a million fewer residents!

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10 Things to Get Over About Phoenix

I got the idea for this post after reading an article on BuzzFeed called "10 Things to Get Over About Los Angeles" and realizing that many of the same complaints about LA could also apply to Phoenix. Well, here's my list of 10 Things to Get Over About Phoenix.

1. The Heat
Phoenix gets ridiculously hot with summer temperatures hitting as high as 120°F (49°C). And as the locals are quick to point out, it's a DRY heat. The air is not thick and muggy like in other parts of the country. The low relative humidity actually helps the human body cool itself more effectively (read more).

While the heat may be brutal, it must not be that unbearable if 4.2 million people are willing to live here. There are ways to adapt to the heat including air conditioning, evaporative cooling, wearing light-colored and loose-fitting clothing, drinking lots of water, and staying in the shade. Yes it gets scorchingly hot during the summer, but over 4 million people make it work and you can, too.

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What's the Deal with WinCo Foods?

Savvy Phoenix shoppers may have noticed a new chain of grocery stores popping up around town. WinCo Foods is a new player in a landscape that has been dominated by Safeway, Albertson's, Wal-Mart, Food City, and Fry's.

So here's the lowdown on WinCo Foods: the company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Boise, Idaho. Prior to 1999, they were known as Waremart Food Centers.   

Their first store opened in Phoenix in 2012. They have 5 valley locations in Phoenix, Glendale, Mesa, and a new one in Gilbert.

If you are thinking about checking them out, there are a couple of things you should know about WinCo Foods:

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2 Arizona Restaurants Make Yelp's Top 100 List in 2014

One of the most popular websites for restaurant reviews is Yelp! With thousands of user-submitted reviews of restaurants in major cities all over the U.S., Yelp has become an authority for diners who want the inside scoop on hot new eateries.

Recently, the site published a list of their Top 100 Places to Eat in 2014. Of the 100 restaurants named, two of them are located right here in Phoenix!

Coming in at #81 we have the Short Leash Hot Dogs in downtown Phoenix. This gourmet food truck is owned by a husband and wife team and can often be found at local events such as Food Truck Fridays.

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Harkins Camelview 5 to be Replaced by Luxury Cinema in 2015

For 40 years, the Harkins Camelview 5 at Scottsdale Fashion Square mall has been the best place in town to catch an independent or limited-release film.

Located in a small building which is detached from the main mall, the Camelview 5 has dutifully served its clientele of indie moviegoers since 1973. The building's exterior is distinguished by several large metal "mushrooms" adorned with neon lights, which are a local landmark all of their own.

Nearby in the main section of Fashion Square Mall, Harkins Theaters also operates a 7 screen theater showing the latest new releases. For a long time, this proved to be a good setup. However, Harkins has recently announced plans to combine the two theaters into a new 14-screen theater under one roof.

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