From the sky, Phoenix is brown and cracked, lifeless, a desert wasteland. But the bird’s-eye view does not do justice to this metropolis.
Hit the streets, the trails, and the summits and this place reveals itself, slowly, as an oasis. Against odds and for decades, modern pioneers have painted, planted, played, cooked, designed, built, and scavenged to make Phoenix a quirky mecca, and for those with the guts to stick around, the rewards are many. This place is not for the faint of heart, but it’s our place.
In the 37th annual Best of Phoenix, we’re showcasing the ways this city’s dwellers have painted the desert, making it their own and creating a city unlike any other.
The rest of the world should be green with envy.
