Tempe Conventions & Visitors Bureau

I had a the opportunity to meet a couple of travel writers last night for dinner.  It had been a while since they had been to Arizona and they were, to be frank, surprised by the quality of life here.  Locals know the great weather, coupled with beautiful scenery and getaways like the Grand Canyon all combine to make this a great place to live and grow up.  But there is another side to this equation.  There is a spirit of entrepreneurship in Arizona that is leading to a number of small businesses, especially eateries, to open up.  The restaurant we had dinner at last night, St Francis,  just opened a few months ago along the light rail in Phoenix.  Just around the corner, a few other places have sprung up.  Along Tempe’s stretch on Apache Boulevard, a few residential developments have opened and the long missed Long Wongs has finally found a home near McClintock and Apache.  The travel writers not only saw the beauty of Arizona, but also felt the ‘vibe’ that is growing.  I hope this type of creative spirit becomes even more infectious and gives everyone something to talk and write about.