Duppa Homestead: The Oldest House in Phoenix

Like the mythical bird that rises from the ashes, the City of Phoenix really does keep re-inventing itself. In the city's real estate-driven economy, little thought is given to razing historic buildings when a new project is in the works.

Miraculously though, this house has managed to survive for 143 years. That makes it the oldest surviving structure in Phoenix!

The Duppa Homestead was originally built by Lord Darrell Duppa, an Englishman who came to Prescott in 1863 and settled in the Salt River Valley in 1867. The house is believed to have been constructed in 1870.

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Discovering Arizona's Point of Origin

Phoenix is a surprisingly easy city to navigate because it is built around a grid system. Roads with names run East and West while streets and avenues run North and South.

As it turns out, it's not just Phoenix that is divided up into a grid, but the whole state of Arizona! How did this system start, and where is the center of the grid? There's an interesting story behind all of this.

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Top 15 Hipster Hangouts in Phoenix

It's hard to ignore the hipster craze that has taken America by storm. It seems like everywhere these days, more and more people are wearing scarves, drinking fair-trade coffee, and riding fixed-gear bicycles. This is the age of the hipster!

It may surprise you to learn that the hipster phenomenon is not contained only in major cities like Williamsburg or San Francisco. In fact, Phoenix has quite a selection of businesses where you're likely to find some hip young people hanging out. I have compiled a list of what I feel are the top 15 hipster hangouts in Phoenix. Let's count them down:

15). Fez on Central
105 W. Portland St., Phoenix, AZ 85003
Need a bite to eat? Stop by this hipster restaurant on Central Avenue, within walking distance of the Light Rail. They are open late and feature a selection of gourmet menu items to satisfy your inner foodie.

14). Harkins Valley Art Theater509 S Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281
Located on Mill Ave within walking distance of Arizona State University, this one-screen cinema shows a variety of independent, special and limited-run movies. Nearby attractions include a Vespa dealership and numerous smoke shops and bars.

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Taliesin West Night Lights Tours

Summer is just around the corner, and that means it's about to get seriously hot. Fortunately, Taliesin West allows you to beat the heat with their Night Lights Tours.

These special tours allow you to experience the wonder of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West school in the cooler hours of the day after the sun has started to go down.

If you've never been before, the Taliesin West school is a pretty unique place to visit. You don't even have to be an architecture geek to enjoy Wright's cool designs and hear about his interesting life. There are just a lot of neat things to look at in general as they take you on a tour of the campus.

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Remembering Paolo Soleri: Visionary Architect

I am very sad to report that notable Italian architect and Arizona resident Paolo Soleri has passed away on Tuesday, April 9th, 2013.

He died of natural causes at the age of 93.

Paolo Soleri was more than just an architect, he was a creative thinker, an artist, a father, a husband, a writer, and so much more. It's a real shame that more people haven't heard of him.

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