The Sweeneys in Scottsdale Part Two

Scenes of Scottsdale on Instagram

Mr. TWS and I are finally settled in at our new home and loving it here in Scottsdale.

We’ve been enjoying the sights, activities, and places of our new hometown and have much more exploration to do. It’s easy for us to see why Scottsdale is a desirable destination for travelers as well as being a great place to live. In our first Sweeneys in Scottsdale post in December, I shared a few photos from our Instagram gallery to introduce you to our new little corner of the world. Here is a follow up with a further glimpse of Scottsdale from our Instagram galleries where I post as @travelingwithsweeney and @scottsdaleblogger. If you’re on Instagram, give us a follow!

Our new neighborhood views

Oh, how I love the desert and the dramatic skies above it. This is a scene from a walk through our McDowell Mountain ranch neighborhood looking towards Camelback Mountain.

We were quite spoiled with bay and city views from our home in California, so we were focused on finding a great view in Scottsdale, too. We found it!

Desert flora and faux fauna

There are quite a few of these wildlife sculptures on the desert landscape throughout the McDowell Mountain Ranch community. Pretty cool, don’t you think?

When we took our nephew on a short trip to San Diego last year, he was in awe of the cacti at Old Town San Diego. Just wait until he visits us here in Scottsdale.

Holiday spirit

There was plenty of holiday spirit in Scottsdale at Christmas. Families had a blast taking in the lights and festivities at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park.

Native American Culture

The annual Native Trails festival celebrates Native American culture through dance, song, and storytelling. This year’s festival theme is “unity”. The free performances are held at Scottsdale Civic Center Mall.

So many trails… so little time

We are looking forward to exploring all of the great hiking and biking trails in and around Scottsdale — there are many! This is Mr. TWS getting some exercise and sunshine on the Sunrise Trail.

One of my favorite outdoor activities is bike riding and there are so many awesome trails in and around Scottsdale for cyclists of all levels. This photo comes from the Indian Bend Wash Path.

Happy hour

There isn’t a shortage of great places for happy hour and dining in the Scottsdale area. At AZ88, friendly bartender Shaun smiles beneath the bar’s current installation of a beating heart — always cool art and great drinks at this bar/restaurant at Scottsdale Civic Center Mall.

It doesn’t just look mouth-watering, it’s totally delicious. This is (currently) my favorite main dish at The Herb Box restaurant on Market Street at DC Ranch in Scottsdale — short rib enchiladas.

I hope you enjoyed this taste of Scottsdale from our Instagram galleries. Stay tuned on the blog and in social media for more from Scottsdale and beyond.

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11 thoughts on “The Sweeneys in Scottsdale Part Two

  1. Janice Chung

    I want to live with you! (ha ha!) I’ve been to Scottsdale and not only is it beautiful, but it’s WARM!!!! (Darn Toronto winter weather). I especially love how active one can be. You’ve picked a perfect place to live!

  2. Sue Reddel

    Beautiful photo essay of Scottsdale. We’ve only breezed through but clearly that’s a lot to see and do. Plus there’s so many people there from Chicago! We noticed lots of “Chicago pizza” and “Chicago Hot Dog” signs. Go to know we can get our home town classics in AZ!

    1. Catherine Sweeney Post author

      I’m meeting people from Chicago all the time here. Last night I was at a performance at ASU Kerr that featured musicians with Windy City roots. I often saw jazz singer/pianist Judy Roberts perform when I lived in Chicago and I was thrilled to see her there last night. Portillo’s is now here and I heard that there’s a Lou Malnati’s. My current favorite pizza is Rosati’s (begun in Chicago).

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