Nov 02, 2009 13:19 - By: Laura Charon

Stylin' girls at the mall.
There are twenty-five days until Black Friday, my friends! Time to get your gameplan together!
Black Friday, that traditional chaotic Christmas shopping day that qualifies as a quasi-holiday all on its own, is the Friday after Thanksgiving in the U.S. every year. This year, plan your Arizona shopping to visit these fine establishments:
The Scottsdale Fashion Square- 7014-7590 East Camelback Road – Phoenix, Arizona. Swank shops and boutiques mingle with great dining and people watching near the heart of Scottsdale.
The Chandler Fashion Center – 3111 West Chandler Boulevard – Chandler, Arizona. Indoor and outdoor shopping, dining, movies, and much more.
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Sep 09, 2009 12:43 - By: Laura Charon
Tenure is a great thing, especially when it equates to four paid weeks of vacation per year. Unfortunately, my husband doesn’t have as much vacation time as I do. Since mine is a “use it or lose it” kind of situation, there are a couple of weeks out of the year that I find myself on vacation while my husband still works.
One such vacation week is coming up in October. I’ve started making tentative plans for how to occupy my time – you know, OTHER than the cleaning and “honey-do” list the vacationing spouse is required to take care of. My ambition is to make myself feel like I’ve been fully entertained for the week for as little money as possible. I want to feel like I’ve actually taken a vacation, not just sit on the couch at home all week trying to avoid spending money.

DAY ONE:
I will dedicate a leisurely hour lounging in the tub, followed by a trip to my local library. I will then take any books I procure to nearby Desert Breeze Park, lay down a blanket (because by that time it’ll be cool enough to stand the sunshine), and read for as long as I want. I might even take a ride on Desert Breeze’s miniature train, if I’m feeling adventurous.
Total Cost of Day One: $2.00 for the mini train ride.
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Jun 28, 2009 9:44 - By: Laura Charon

Photo by simax105
If you’re going to be in Arizona during the July 4th weekend, here are some celebrations that are going on around the state. There’s something going on in virtually every town, but here are ten key events that are sure to please:
Phoenix: Enjoy the 24th Annual Fabulous Phoenix 4th, at Steele Indian School Park. Entertainment (on three stages!) begins at 6:00 p.m., with the fireworks show beginning at 9:20. The event features local entertainment, a cooling misting area, inflatable rides, a Classic Car exhibit, food and beverage vendors, and a water spray zone manned by the Phoenix Fire Department.
Tempe: Check out the 58th annual Tempe 4th of July Festival, taking place in Tempe Beach Park alongside the man-made Tempe Town Lake. The extravagant fireworks show, local food vendors, and live entertainment more than make up for the crowds.
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May 20, 2009 14:45 - By: Laura Charon
It’s May. High school seniors are graduating and looking forward (or maybe not) to college. Parents are looking forward (or maybe not) to their children leaving the nest, and tuition costs. It’s the time of year when parents and prospective students tour the colleges of their choice before making a final decision.

ASU Campus - Normal School building, built in 1884.
Arizona State University’s main campus is in Tempe Arizona, and has one of the largest annual enrollments for a single campus in the nation. ASU also has several satellite campuses in the Phoenix Metro area. It is a member of the PAC-10 conference, and offers a dizzying array of technical and business programs, at the Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate levels.
There’s lots more information and pictures! Click here to Read More »