Yeah, we're aware that Queen Creek is about three trillion miles away from most of you.But we also promise that the schlep to Desert Horizon Nursery will be worth it for the Instagram posts alone, though it would be pretty silly to make the trek without a few things to pick up — or a few questions for the experts on hand at the sprawling plant store. We're talking citrus trees, an abundance of cactuses and succulents, and statues of dinosaurs (how could we even make something like that up?) to create the outdoor space of your wildest and weirdest dreams.

Pretty sure flowers work for any occasion, particularly when they're from Camelback Flowershop. From "sorry" and "thanks" to "I love you" and "I might be over it," the shop's got an option. Air plants, succulents, bundles of ranunculus, and towering clematis are just a few bloomers you'll spot (when they're in season, that is). To make a splash, custom arrangements are your best bet. Or, arrive on a Friday afternoon for flower happy hour if you're more the DIY type. You can even build a gift box — complete with chocolates or handmade soaps and a handwritten card tucked into a wooden gift box. And, hey, we've had the privilege of never receiving hate flowers, but we wouldn't mind a nastygram if it came with an arrangement of peonies from this place.

Though the title of her nail art blog, Chalkboard Nails, gives us pinching chills just imagining that dry screech, what Sarah Waite does with a nail bed often leaves us asking the annoying question, "How does she do it?!" Thing is, you can see how she does it — both through her online tutorials and by making an appointment with Waite to take you on as a client at The Spa at Camelback Village. Bring your own big ideas or let the artist have at it. After all, she's the one with experience painting perfectly spaced plaid, oozing galaxies, and whirling tie-dye on fingernails.

Ninety minutes for a facial? In the immortal words of YouTube sensation Kimberly "Sweet Brown" Wilkins, ain't nobody got time for that. Ten minutes, on the other hand, is a practically perfect amount of time to spend on professional skincare. And at Skin Laundry, that's all the time you'll need for a laser and light facial treatment. It's a quick treatment that deep-cleans pores, and at the risk of sounding like science nerds, all we really can tell you is that people who get into it become sort of obsessed with the slight snapping sensation the laser delivers, followed by a bright light treatment. (You wear protective goggles the whole time — kinda like the ones from tanning beds in 2006.) The first facial's free, and the results are said to cumulate over time. Which, ya know, you'll have plenty of.

No judgment, but you look like a spa day might be in order. And we know just the one. Try reading this without relaxing (and feeling just a twinge of longing): The Spa at Camelback Inn sits amid a desert scape with tranquil offerings revolving around such water treatments as whirlpools, a Turkish steam bath, Finnish saunas, and a heated outdoor pool. If you aren't already staying at the Inn, you gain access to all the aforementioned amenities with the purchase of a one-hour spa appointment. Your options there include massages, facials, and assorted salon services. We'd recommend the aromatic Sonoran Rose Facial ($160) or the Native Stone Hot Massage ($165). For the best of both treatments, indulge in a combination of treatments ranging from the Soother Package, which comprises a massage and loofah treatment for $200, to the Camelback Day Package, which stretches for three and a half hours and includes a massage, facial, and your choice of two salon treatments, for $375.

We are all for hopping into the makeup chair at Sephora for the occasional over-the-top primping session. But the eyeliner gods know two things: We will never execute an immaculate winged liquid look if we do it ourselves, and if we can avoid being bare-faced at the mall, we will. Enter the Sparkle Bar, a full-service makeup studio. It's one of a kind here in Arizona and offers an array of services, ranging from quickie makeovers and false eyelash applications to in-depth master makeup lessons and glam-squad makeup at a location of your choosing for $65 (plus applicable travel fees). Packages and memberships are also available, too, should you need that sparkle in your life.

If you've ever walked through Christown Spectrum Mall, then you know what it means to be simultaneously confused and disappointed. Ever heard of BBB Fashion? How about Wave? No? We didn't think so. Imagine our surprise, then, when we discovered that, hidden inside this graveyard of godawful retail, there is (wait for it) a Sephora. Yes, an honest to God Sephora. Not a full-size one like you'd find in Scottsdale, but it gets the job done with a good selection of your favorite luxury cosmetics. To access this black-and-white diamond in the rough, simply walk through the JCPenney on the building's north side. Goodbye, trips to Fashion Square. Hello, VIB Rouge status.

Looking for glasses that are anything but sheepish? Get your eyeballs to Framed Ewe. The eyewear boutique specializes in high-end brands with artsy cred such as Garrett Leight, Moscot, and Krewe. Framed Ewe is one of just a few shops to stick around at Biltmore Fashion Park after participating in the failed mini-store shopping experiment that was UNION. In June, the shop opened a second location at the newly developed Colony, where you'll find the likes of cartoonishly polarized lenses by Retrosuperfuture alongside See Concept's bendy Barbie-pink readers on the contemporary white shelving. And we almost forgot to mention: The new shop's a one-stop situation, since it's home to an optometry office to help get your prescription in order for those crystalline gray Salt frames. Would ya lookie there.

Whether you're new to Phoenix or just delving into the city's art world, MADE is the place to start. On the corner of Fifth and Roosevelt streets in a converted bungalow, the shop spotlights locally crafted functional art pieces that are lovely to look at and serve a purpose. The 700-square-foot space is packed with ceramic wares from Danielle Wood and Jeff May, jewelry by Alex Ozers, and delightfully plush animals from Sighfoo. Be sure to spend a few minutes eyeing the wall above the fireplace. Dubbed the "Mantle at MADE," it serves as a showcase of local artists' work, having presented pieces from notable creatives including Space Boy Robot and Alexandra Bowers.

On a summertime First Friday, we stumbled into Unexpected Art Gallery just off Grand Avenue to find a fashion show with original dance choreography that was inspired by meditation, crystals, and lasers, which shot from projectors to create the rectangular runway. Turns out, such out-there fare is fairly standard for the open warehouse-style space, which does nothing if not live up to its name. Besides hosting events and exhibitions, the space serves as a store where shoppers will find oddball works of art and a rotating selection of objects for sale. Pop in on a First or Third Friday and expect the, well, you know.