Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with arizona

What would I do without you guys, really?

Bageena — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:31:30 -0800

My friends and I are starting an artist collective in Phoenix, Arizona and we desperately need help thinking of a name. Can you help? Short explanation; I myself am an artist with, you know, the paper and the pencil and occasionally, some ink or acrylic or something. I have three friends that are photographers, another friend who's a painter, two friends who are musicians, and a few others who might also join. What we've decided we'd like to do is start a community blog where we all write individually what we're doing to try and break into the mainstream or just get our work seen. The main site will show all of our posts, broken down by individual members, along with a sort of swarm cloud that shows how often each artist works with the others.
Anyways, we've got a ton of great ideas already and we're excited to get a move on it, but we're stuck at what seems to be the first effing step! We need a name for our little community. We don't have a lot in common except that we all work normal 9-5 jobs outside of our passions for our individual work, we are all artists of one sort or another, and we all live in Phoenix, Arizona. I'm trying to think of names that are reminiscent of the desert or of Phoenix. I sort of like the idea of something ancient and awesome sounding. Really though, we're open to anything. I'd list the links to our websites so you could actually see our styles and who we 'are', so to speak, but I think that'd be a little too self-linky for me. So yeah - if your really that curious, you can look in my bio and I think there's a link there to my personal work.
So yes, I leave it once again to the most clever people I know to help me hop a hurdle in my life. Thanks Mefites!

Fuck death

Bageena — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:58:49 -0800

Both of my wife's parents died. Her dad first in January, now her mom in September. My wife is the oldest child. No will was left. What do we do? I tried this question before but I put way too much information on it and I had to get it removed. I thought we'd figured out what steps to take, but we're back at square one. There's several properties, several vehicles, life insurance policies, monies in bank accounts, bonds, et cetera. My questions are;
1. Is there any way to do this without a lawyer?
2. If not, is there cheap or free legal counsel I can find online or where we live, in Arizona?
3. What should we be expecting in the way of hurdles? Probate, taxes, things like that.

I don't know. I'm hyper-depressed. I really didn't want to handle all of this shit and with all the family in-fighting, I wish the state would take it all. However, my wife has a vested interest I guess, so here I am. Please help Mefi.

(I'm in AZ)
(If your an attorney who can help me, please, by all means, drop me an e-mail)

Help Me Pick: Tucson or Portland, Oregon For Under $1000/Month

justcorbly — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 17:05:27 -0800

I'm thinking about relocating to two cities that are wildly different. One city is Portland, OR and the other is Tucson, AZ. Yes, I have visited Portand, and I've visited Tucson and spent considerable time living in Phoenix. I do not intend to buy. So here are questions: What can I rent for no more than $1000 per month? What neighborhoods should I consider? Avoid? Is it realistically possible to live in Portland without a car? By that I mean within a 5-minute walk of groceries and other needed shops, like a pharmacy. Yes, I know it rains a lot in Portland, and that Tucson gets hot and almost never sees rain. Getting rid of the car has been a long-term goal, so that's why Portland is on the list. Otherwise, Arizona holds much more appeal.

What kind of insect stung me?

m_lazarus — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:36:38 -0800

InsectBiteFilter. Help! Last Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona I was chilling outside and then some insect stung/bit/injected my neck. It was not a bee/wasp/spider/ant. It was a tannish brown color and I think it had transparent green wings but I can't recall for sure. It was about half an inch long. I tried to just forget about it but each day the sting gets more painful. I just hope there's no brood in my neck. Anyone know what kind of critter this could be? And, yes, I know I should go to the doctor but I wanted some hive-mind reassurance that I'll be fine. Thank you so much! Dang bugs.

swimming holes between phx & la?

babsomatica — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:34:15 -0800

seeking oasis: roadtrip from phx to la - looking for good camping with natural water in between the two cities. mid-desert hot springs or cliff diving or swimming holes? i've exhausted all of my books & websites on arizona swimming holes - none noted west of phoenix.... i've found water on the map but no mention of available camping. i'm hoping to find a desert dweller or crosser that has a sweet spot they'd like to recommend - ideally midway-ish between the cities. high desert swimming can happen. i'm sure of it.

Driving from Arizona to Bozeman, Montana

curie — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:33:15 -0800

Driving from Arizona to Bozeman, Montana in about two weeks. What things must we see along the way? We don't have any specific route mapped out and are planning on taking two to three days for driving each direction. I'm not opposed to detouring a few hours out of the way. Bonus points for dog-friendly places as we're considering taking our two young dogs with us.

In Montana, we'll be spending about a week between Bozeman and Red Lodge. Is the drive to Glacier (about four to five hours one way?) worth it?

Perseids shower this summer 2009?

thatbrunette — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 08:28:58 -0800

Where and when in Arizona is the best time to catch the Perseids meteor shower? Previous years seem to indicate early August.

Hiking and Camping in Keet Seal

Science! — Sat, 30 May 2009 11:18:36 -0800

What information, advice and personal accounts can you give me regarding a hike into the Keet Seal site in the Navajo National Monument? My girlfriend (20s) and her mother (50s) are planning a trip to Arizona this summer and have a reservation to hike into and camp at the Keet Seal site. Both are active joggers and in good shape, though neither are experienced hikers, or campers. They are concerned about the hike and trail conditions, markers, weather, and about camping in the desert and would like some more information about what it's like carrying their gear on this trail for an overnight stay and a hike back out.

They know it's an 8.5 mile hike in and out and that they probably couldn't do the round trip in one day and still explore the ruins, so they would like to camp at the site. Is this trek too much for novice hikers and first time campers? They'll have a car and can keep an emergency supply of food and water, and it's only one night of camping.

I have no experience with this site and little with desert camping so I can't tell them they they'll need X more water than the guides say, or that the trail is actually harder or easier than described, etc.

What's your advice and personal accounts of the trail? Throw it all at us.

Extended Stay In Tucson, AZ

chrisalbon — Thu, 07 May 2009 21:10:49 -0800

Good Extended Stay Hotels / Suites in Tucson, AZ this summer? My wife and I are spending 23 days in Tucson, AZ. She will be taking a class at U of A and I will be working on my dissertation from "home".

Since I am going to be working out of wherever we stay, I wanted a furnished and quiet extended stay hotel room or suite. Sublets are a little cheaper, but kinda a crap-shoot in my opinion (plus, it is hard to find a sublet for less than a month).

Does anyone have recommendations for good and cheapish ($30-$40 per night) extended stay hotels or suites in Tucson, AZ for July?

Thanks in advance!

What are your experiences with Richmond American Homes?

Xuff — Sat, 02 May 2009 22:53:17 -0800

What are your experiences with Richmond American Homes? We're thinking about having a home built by Richmond American Homes (specifically something in the under $200,000 range in Gilbert, AZ) and we were wondering what the company is like. Have you dealt with them in the past? What are they like over the long term? Lots of details are very welcome.

Thanks!

Snow in Flagstaff in April?

selfnoise — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:57:40 -0800

We're thinking of visiting Flagstaff, Arizona in April... what is the danger of snow? My wife and I were thinking of traveling to the Flagstaff area to see canyons and pueblos. I have time blocked off for the week of April 20th. After doing some more research, it seems like it will be fairly cold there still due to the altitude. We'll be coming from Maine and seeing snow would be somewhat disheartening. Is there likely to be a lot of snow on the ground still, and will there be growing green things at that point, or are things still pretty dead?

If the latter, any suggestions for a warmer, more spring-y destination with a similar canyon/pueblo profile? Or will I have to resign myself to seeing such things another time?

Where to collect plant & animal specimens?

unmake — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:23:13 -0800

Where can I - legally - collect plant and insect specimens, in the southwest? One of my classes in Tucson this semester involves creating a plant-press notebook and a pinned-insect collection; every park website, be it state or national, says removal of anything other than garbage and buffelgrass is illegal.

Is there a category of terrain that's not privately owned where I could look for specimens? Or is this the sort of activity where participants generally just ignore the rules and regulations? (This isn't killing hundred year old cacti).

Yuma Vacation

Mitheral — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:30:21 -0800

Driving from San Diego, CA -> Yuma, AZ in early Febuary to spend a week in Yuma and then returning to San Diego. As our flight comes in early in the morning we're thinking of hitting the San Diego Zoo or Birch Aquarium before heading to Arizona. Suggestions on places to see/go either along the route or within a couple hours drive of Yuma?

Where should I go in the US Southwest?

nonmerci — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:46:26 -0800

I'm planning a road trip this spring break originating in Portland, Oregon and ending up somewhere within 900 miles one-way; I am particularly drawn to the Southwest, and Utah/Arizona. Can you help me think of interesting or less obvious ideas? I've thought of Great Basin, Bryce Canyon, the Grand Canyon (been there before but it's been a long time), Glen Canyon...I'm interested in less-obvious ideas, or anyone with a strong familiarity with the more remote parts of Utah, Arizona and Nevada. Colorado and Wyoming are also possibilities, so long as they are within 900 miles one-way.

Additionally, camping possibilities are a plus, though I don't think we are looking to really *rough it*.

Thanks!

Weeklong trip to SW America: advice?

cgs — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:22:59 -0800

Travel Filter: 7 day trip to SW America during holidays. Suggestions? I apologize for being so lazy, but you all rocked it last winter for my trip to Mexico, so I've come back for more:
- I have a week off (12/28 - 1/4) and want to go to the Southwest (traveling from NYC).
- I've been to Vegas and the Hoover dam, but that's it.
- I'm down for camping, hiking, white water rafting, mountain biking... all that.
- I'd love to see the Grand Canyon or Painted Canyon, Arches, whatever you think is worth it. It is all new to me.
- Ideally someplace warm.
- I will be traveling alone, and am down for solo stuff (as long as I can find my way back) or group package deals.
- Budget $1000 - 1500
- I can rent a car.

Thanks for your help!
-cgs

I'm a reverse snowbird!

phytage — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:56:05 -0800

Moving to New Hampshire from Arizona next week! We are driving across to OK, then up to Chicago and through Ontario from Detroit. From there I just don't know what route to take... ... What are some fantastic things to see, and what route would you go after you left Niagara Falls? I have never driven past Niagara before. I want to see anything from balls of twine to giant glacial rocks! My boyfriend has not traveled and I want to expose him to as many mind blowing and wacky things as possible! I've looked at RoadsideAmerica.com... but what am I missing?

How to make the most of a very brief trip to Arizona

horses, of courses — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:55:09 -0800

I am looking for advice about places to stay and things to do on a trip through Phoenix, Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon and Sedona. My mom is going to be in Phoenix for a conference soon and since neither of us have spent much time out west we decided to make a little vacation out of it. Help us make the most of it! After two days on my own in Phoenix, on Sunday afternoon/evening we are going to drive to Flagstaff. Monday we will drive to the Grand Canyon for the day and then return to the same hotel in Flagstaff. On Tuesday we want to see Sedona on our way back to Phoenix. Tuesday night we will sleep somewhere in Phoenix (probably just close to the airport) and then Wednesday morning we will both fly home.

As these are the biggest areas where I lack knowledge, can anyone help us out with…

1) More than anything else, we are looking for suggestions for what to do in Sedona. With only one day, what would you do? I have read suggestions in previous threads but most of those askers had more time! We are mostly looking to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. Walking and light hiking would generally be our preferred activity.

2) Any suggestions on places to stay and things to do in Flagstaff and Phoenix? As it’ll be largely unused, we’d rather not spend much on our room, but we’re flexible on cost. Are any of the museums worthwhile? Any cool coffee shops or unique shopping districts? What about solo excursions, as I’ll have two days on my own while my mom is at her conference?

3) My mom injured her knee recently and while she is fine for all normal activity and even moderate hiking we certainly won’t be trying to make the trek down into the Grand Canyon. How can we make the most of our trip while mostly staying along the rim?

4) Also, as a bonus, my mom is a pescetarian and I rarely eat meat, so any suggestions for good vegetarian food in any of these locations will be greatly appreciated.

What can I do to make it easier for my dog to pee?

whiskey point — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:05:55 -0800

Desert Dwelling Dog Owners: any tips for a puppy used to relieving himself on nice, cool, North Dakota grass? We (well just my fiance and puppy, I'm just visiting for now) just moved to the Phoenix area from North Dakota-any ideas as to making it easier for our 5 month old shih tzu/bishon frise cross to use the bathroom? He's used to my parents' plush lawn in ND, and we now he's stuck with boiling lava hot rocks...it seems to be really bothering his feet. We're thinking of maybe using some indoor outdoor carpet and hosing it off, but we're open to other ideas. Any advice will be gladly taken!

endothermic or exothermic?

phritosan — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:19:35 -0800

Apartment filter: I need my apartment to be cool inside! We moved into a very nice 3rd (top) floor, west facing apartment... in March... came home in June and no exaggeration, it was 94 degrees in my living room. The AC has a 20 degree difference and runs nonstop from 4pm to 11pm and its 84 degrees in the bed room till 11pm. We’ve had the maintenance people out three times. There’s a 20 degree difference between intake and output. The filters are new. Everything on the roof looks fine. But more than 2 feet from the vent and you can’t feel it anymore.

All the ceiling fans are going 24/7. The floor fan is on whenever we're home and not asleep. The sliding glass door is covered by UV/light blocking tinting designed for RVs, venetian blinds, and a blanket. The office window has venetian blinds and a blanket. The bedroom window has venetian blinds and very thick light blocking curtains. The AC is always set on 78. We cannot make any modifications that are visible from the outside.

Do you think it’s worth another $100 to tint the other two windows? The heat has to be coming through the walls, right?

I live in the Phoenix area, opening the windows after dark will not help. Moving is not an option till March and we still like everything else about the apartment.

What else can we do?! I’m not looking for stop-gap solutions like a bucket of ice water in front of a fan. I want my apartment enjoyable. There is no reason I should have a $230 electric bill for a 980 sq ft apartment when my parents have a $380 bill for a 5 bedroom house! Our electric bill in April was $76!

Help us mefi, you're our only hope!

Unique hotels in small to medium cities?

eileen — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:56:39 -0800

Does anyone know any hotels, in any city in the US, comparable to the Hotel Congress in Tucson, AZ? Basically, a hotel that "makes" the experience of visiting a city which you might not otherwise consider a vacation destination. The hotel is downtown within walking distance to a lot of stuff, driving distance to national parks, has a unique history and decor, and it has its own restaurant and bar and even nightclub. It's not fancy at all, in fact it is pretty cheap and feels like one step up from a hostel, but it is clean and has a great vibe. For my bf and I, staying in this hotel totally made our recent trip to Tucson. I was thinking that the trip would have felt very different and not nearly as special if we had stayed at some sort of chain hotel.

I would love to visit other small to medium cities off the beaten path if I knew where I could find a similar place to stay. And by similar I don't mean that it has to be exactly like the Hotel Congress, just similar in the fact that the hotel is itself a reason you might select the destination. I know it's hard to pinpont what exactly makes a hotel special in this way, so recommendations don't necessarily have to have all or even any of the amenities listed above. Day-trip closeness to national parks or other cool hiking is definitely a plus, though. Oh, and I am not a fan of shared bathroom situations, so a lot of B+Bs are probably not going to be my thing.

Thanks!! :)

It's 114 and I'm melting!

TungstenChef — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:24:36 -0800

We're looking for some short trips we can take to beat the heat in Arizona. This summer the wife and I are self-employed, and we've decided we want to use that flexibility to finally get away from the AC and actually see this beautiful state. Last weekend we went to Slide Rock State Park and Oak Creek Canyon and it was amazing.

We'd like to find some more day trips we can take from the Phoenix area to take in come cooler air, natural beauty, and maybe a little swimming. A drive of 2 hours or so would be ideal, but we're also amenable to the idea of a little longer drive for a weekend trip if there's cheap lodging nearby. We enjoy funky B&Bs and car camping, we unfortunately don't have the gear for serious backpacking.

You can't get that from here.

Lou Stuells — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 02:08:17 -0800

What goodies do we need from Phoenix, AZ? Husband is going there for a few days in July, and we're trying to think of what treats he ought to bring back to New England - stuff we can't find here at home. Cactus Cooler soda and prickly pear jelly/candy are all I can think of. See's Candies would be wonderful, but would not travel well. Any other regional favorites? Thanks in advance!

I Want my Roommate GONE!

TurquoiseZebra — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:53:52 -0800

I want my roommate GONE. We have no formal, signed agreement, all verbal. What do I do? What are my rights? I'm in Arizona. At the end of January, a girl (20 years old) I know moved in with me (29 year old female), into the condo that I own. We're more casual acquaintances rather than friends, but our parents are friends. We agreed on a rent amount, but I had her sign nothing. Dumb, I know. Anyway, in the 5 months since, she has never once paid me rent on time or in full. She has borrowed money from me and I have paid for many trips to the grocery store, dinner, etc.

She has a decent paying job and has received her stimulus check, which she told me she'd give me when she received to pay for back rent but didn't.

She moved in with me because her parents couldn't deal with her problems and issues, and wanted her gone. Now, she's gone nuts. She has a long history of really crazy, erratic behavior. I don't want to go into it, but all of that isn't really why I want her out.

I want her out because she still owes me half of last month's rent and all of this month's rent. On the 13th, I told her that her living with me wasn't going to work out and that I'd like her gone by the end of the month.

She hasn't spent the night at the house since I told her this, and she's still coming by and getting clothes, but all of her things are still there.

I want to change the locks and alarm code ASAP. I'd let her in the house, but only when I'm there. I don't know that she'd do something to my house or steal anything, but who knows...

I know from some volunteer experience with the police department that she's established residency (or whatever it's called) in my home, so I'm thinking that I may have to go through the normal eviction process.

I don't know if the normal tenant/landlord laws apply here since we have nothing in writing, I live in the house with her, etc.

What do I do?

Oh! Also! I have had NO contact with her since I asked her to move out. This morning, I sent her an email reminding her that rent was due, in full, next week. She responded threatening legal action. It actually made me laugh. I am not one bit worried or scared that she'll take action. Conversely, I DO have a lawyer and CAN take legal action. There's almost nothing I'd like better than to sic my lawyer on her, but I'll try to play nice...

Places to stay in Bisbee and Tucson?

intoxicate — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:52:50 -0800

Affordable places to stay in Bisbee and Tucson, AZ? I know everybody loves The Shady Dell in Bisbee, but we'd like to be downtown in walking distance of restaurants and shops. Also, bonus points for somewhere to stay in Tucson that has character and is locally owned. No kids or pets to worry about, but the budget is an issue.

Rental cars for unpaved roads, Las Vegas

thirteenkiller — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:12:36 -0800

We want to rent a car in Las Vegas, and drive it on dirt roads in Arizona and Utah. What is the cheapest company that allows this (or who will be unlikely to notice we've been doing it)? Bonus points if they provide reasonably-maintained cars. Also, should we get a "Standard SUV" rather than "Mid-Size"? Do they use GPS tracking, and if so does it just check that we stay in permitted states, or do they also check that we stick to paved roads?