I can be pretty self deprecating about Calgary, but to get on your high horse about Phoenix of all places? Phoenix has got to be the dullest, most most boring US destination I have ever visited. My parents in their 70's were considering buying a winter condo there, and spent a month. They got 'too bored' came back a week early. All they could say was. "It was warm I guess."
Calgary is no San Francisco. But Phoenix isn't exactly Fiji either. It's a strip mall in the middle of the desert that closes at 5:30 every night.
As a complete aside, how awesome is San Francisco? Doesn't get talked about enough here.
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As a complete aside, how awesome is San Francisco? Doesn't get talked about enough here.
I'm not the biggest fan of the city itself, but the surrounding areas are amazing. My sister lives in Mountain View so I tend to get down a few times a year.
I'm 90% certain my death will be wine tour related. Whichever one had the gondola that takes you up the hill *Nod*
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Perhaps not (Haven't visited Caesar's in a while but they'd likely contend for my personal fave), still better than any I've had abroad though. Out of curiosity, what's your recommendation? I'm feeling like a steak right now
Not really in Calgary, but not too far away would be Longview Steakhouse. Went there end of last summer for the first time and it wasn't just the best steak I've ever had, but maybe straight up the best meal I've ever eaten. I really cannot overstate how good it was.
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Perhaps not (Haven't visited Caesar's in a while but they'd likely contend for my personal fave), still better than any I've had abroad though. Out of curiosity, what's your recommendation? I'm feeling like a steak right now
I've never had a bad steak at Open Range. Good Elk, to. And their scallop potato side dish is awesome.
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One thing I've found after moving abroad is that Albertans are very defensive about their steaks. I tried to convince my dad Australian beef was just as good and got a very serious "No, Alberta beef is the best in the world, end of story".
Things I miss from Calgary:
-Ginger beef from Kam Han
-Shawarma King/Station
-Wing night at the KP
-That awesome outdoor rink in Tuscany
-Floating down the Bow.
I didn't think Phoenix was THAT bad, but I wouldn't want to spend much more than a week there. Get's really old really fast. Spring training baseball there is awesome though.
Man, what a depressing upbringing if A&W and Westbrook Mall constitute worthwhile memories of a city. I mean, fast food restaurants and malls are two things Phoenix does unequivocally better than Calgary, why waste your time? But the thread does remind me of this
Why would I go to just any old restaurant when I can do that in PHX? I'm going to enjoy things that I remember from my past for better or worse that I do miss. I moved out of Calgary for a change.. I didn't follow my parents. My mom lives in Kelowna and my dad is American and lives in NYC. My brother lives here and we're also U.S. Citizens. You guys makes it seem like I have no history to be in this country full time or that I have no history at all in PHX.
I left Calgary for a lot of reasons, the biggest of which are that I am an American citizen and can... I live in an awesome place with unreal weather that THOUSANDS of Canadians save their entire lives to retire here for 6 months a year.
To those that were actually helpful, thank you. If you viewed this thread narrowly, that is on you. I didn't think it needed to be said that I would take my long time GF to more than terrible malls and fast food.
What Canadians are saving their entire life to buy a house in Arizona? A house down there would barely change the monthly mortgage payment to most Canadians that live in in any of the economic hubs of Canada.
I go to Phoenix many times a year for work. Outside of the Cardinal games and Spring Training (which I do enjoy), every time I start driving around I think to myself "Why the hell would anyone buy a vacation property here?". By the end of the trip though it becomes quite apparent to me while people do. It's because the entire area is full snowbird Canadians and Americans that really can't afford a vacation property in a nice spot, and they take what they can get with the money they have.
Last edited by TheAlpineOracle; 02-22-2016 at 12:53 PM.
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So many Calgarians think it's a world class city when it really isn't (It's no Vancouver, that's for sure) and really is NO different than Edmonton, Phoenix isn't the pinnacle for culture for sure and i'd rather live in any number of cities (NYC, SF, Portland or Seattle) but it's affordable, the weather is amazing 8 months out of the year and there is wayyyyyy more to do here than Calgary, close to California and Las Vegas for the odd weekend getaway, sports galore, amazing restaurants, bars, hiking IN THE CITY itself. I don't live for fast food and strip malls and that won't be all we will be doing when we visit. But Calgary isn't exactly a worldly destination..
The places i've mentioned previously take me back, so i'll go enjoy them again amongst other things,
Keep on wearing your socks and sandals snowbirds!! haha
I've been to Phoenix twice. It never occurred to me anybody would actually prefer it over Calgary. I know old people like going there during the thick of winter to get away from the cold, but I just assumed those were less well-to-do types that accepted they were going to be hanging out in a lifeless, depressing desert in exchange for warm weather. Like they were picking what they perceived to be the lesser of two evils. I'd take California for six weeks over Phoenix for six months every time.
Personally, I love the winter. I love the different seasons (with the exception of April, which is an ugly month around here). My family has been snowboarding about 20 times so far this winter and there are a lot of days left. We've been tobogganing, skating, built a snow fort, etc. How fun is that? We've been to the mountains numerous times. They're beautiful in the winter. I'm totally not ready for winter to end. Isn't all that stuff objectively better than hanging out in a nasty ass desert?
As for the hiking, I've hiked in one of those in-city desert walks in Phoenix. It was hot and very, very ugly. What's so great about rocks and cacti? It's a very ugly landscape imo. I prefer to see life, or at least a huge blanket of snow.
Anyway, I kind of get why old people that can't really enjoy the winter outdoors like Arizona, but somebody in there 20s, 30s or 40s actually opting to live in that shizin hole? That's a new one to me.
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I'd take California for six weeks over Phoenix for six months every time.
So would I
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sliver
Anyway, I kind of get why old people that can't really enjoy the winter outdoors like Arizona, but somebody in there 20s, 30s or 40s actually opting to live in that shizin hole? That's a new one to me.
I don't think you really know anything about this city.. Downtown PHX has gotten really awesome and the Arcadia area is a hotbed for awesome draft houses, restaurants, ect. This isn't even counting what Old Town Scottsdale has to offer.
It's not all bedroom communities and strip malls here. Central Phoenix kills anything Calgary has
