Thursday, May 21, 2015

Father’s Day Delights

tegavah

He changes light bulbs at the blink of an eye, patches up scraped knees like a pro, and does the best darn Daffy Duck impression you’ve ever heard. Isn’t it time dad got a little TLC? Celebrate pops this Father’s Day with any of these man-certified Scottsdale activities.

Par for the Course

Scottsdale’s golf courses are putting a spin on the traditional game of golf with specials like the Scottish Golf Experience at Kierland Golf Club. Make a date with dad and you can don rented kilts, enjoy a hand-rolled cigar and sip Johnnie Walker on the links. And instead of the standard golf cart, test your maneuverability with Kierland’s Segway Golf Transporter or surf the earth with their golf boards. If pop’s clubs need an upgrade, make arrangements with Cool Clubs for a custom fitting and treat dad to some new equipment matched to his individual swing characteristics.

Dad-Style Dining

If you’re looking for an upscale dining experience that will knock dad’s socks off, Mastro’s City Hall Steakhouse in downtown Scottsdale is just the ticket. Primo steaks and chops are served in a chic, lounge-like atmosphere. And while the proteins pack a tasty punch, side dishes like the lobster mashed potatoes and Alaskan king crab black truffle gnocchi are major showstoppers. Looking for something more laid-back? Go for the housemade brats and imported brews at Brat Haüs or traditional Chicago-style barbeque at Don & Charlie’s.

Scottsdale Beer Palooza

The day before fathers day, June 20, over 30 breweries will descend on WestWorld of Scottsdale for the second annual Beer Palooza. All that beer deserves some delicious grub to along with it though! Sausages, pizza, nacho’s, burgers and more will be prepared by M Culinary Concepts. Don’t miss out on the life-size foosball table or beer trivia either! Click here for more information.



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Wednesday, May 20, 2015

T. Cook’s at Royal Palms New Executive Chef

viacapello_01_hi-resT. Cook’s has hired Todd Allison as Executive Chef. Bringing more than 10 years of luxury culinary experience to Royal Palms Resort and Spa, a Destination Hotel, Chef Allison previously served as Executive Chef at The Inn at Rancho Sante Fe in San Diego. Allison also worked as Executive Chef at a number of restaurants in California including the 350-seat restaurant, Anthology, Hilton Checkers in Downtown Los Angeles and Bollinger’s in Santa Barbara, to name a few.” T. Cook’s celebrates it’s fresh, seasonal food style and has collected both local and national recognition for it.

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Monday, May 18, 2015

Scottsdale in Action – Mai 2015

HIGHLIGHT
Der Hitze trotzen beim Beat the Heat Race 
Beat the Heat – Ein Rennen, das selbst den Iron Man auf Hawaii in den Schatten stellt. Bei Temperaturen von über 40 Grad Celsius wagen sich am 27. Juni 2015 wieder die härtesten Läufer der Welt auf die 11,22 Km lange Strecke durch die Sonora-Wüste rund um Scottsdale. Die Länge erinnert dabei an die jemals höchste Temperatur von 122 Grad Fahrenheit (50 Grad Celsius), welche im Juni 1990 in Phoenix gemessen wurde. Auch die Startzeit von exakt 14:47 Uhr steht in Erinnerung an die exakte Tageszeit, an der vor 35 Jahren die Rekordmarke geknackt wurde. Entlang der Route durch die glühende Sonne Scottsdales, sorgen natürlich ausreichend Wasserausgabestationen sowie medizinisches Fachpersonal für das Wohlbefinden der Teilnehmer. Can you beat the heat? Weitere Informationen unter: Beat the Heat Race 2015

FOOD AND DRINKS

Scottsdales Brauereien freuen sich auf ihre deutschen Bierfans
Scottsdale‘s Ale Trail gehört zu einem Besuch der besonderen Stadt inmitten der Sonorawüste Arizonas einfach dazu. Gerade die deutschen Bierliebhaber, die auch gerne einmal regionale Spezialitäten anderer Länder probieren möchten, kommen hier voll auf Ihre Kosten. Beginnen kann man zum Beispiel hervorragend im Sip Coffee & Beer House. Das Restaurant mit Bar bietet eine ungewöhnliche Kombination von lokaler Kaffeeröstungen wie dem Cartel Coffee Lab, einem Kaffeeröster in Tempe und Scottsdale und regionalen Bierspezialitäten, wie der Dragoon Brewing in Tucson oder der Papago Brewing in Scottsdale. Nur zwei Minuten entfernt wartet schon das Union Barrelhouse auf seine Gäste. Die erste Nanobrauerei Scottsdales bietet gleich fünf hausgemachte Biere. Im Anschluss erwartet Gäste dann das Two Brothers, eine familiengeführte Brauerei aus Naperville / Illinios. Die Brauerei bietet ganzjährig acht Biere an, zudem ganze acht Saisonbiere. Dabei haben sich die beiden Brüder durch mehrere Aufenthalte in Europa, wie Belgien, Frankreich oder auch Deutschland inspirieren lassen, was man in ihren Bieren zweifelsohne wiedererkennt. Danach geht es am Besten in die Bad Water Brewing, einem Schankraum mit 30 Sitzplätzen. Keine Angst, der Name ist nicht Programm. Wem das noch nicht reicht, dem sei versichert, dass sich die Anzahl an Brauereien in der Innenstadt Scottsdales weiterhin ständig erhöht. So kommen noch die Goldwater Brewing sowie die Scottsdale Beer Company und die Fate Brewing hinzu. Na dann – Prost! Alle Infos und Adressen unter: Scottsdale Ale Trail

KUNST

Bruce Munro bringt Scottsdale zum Leuchten
Ab Oktober 2015 präsentiert der britische Künstler Bruce Munro seine neuesten farbenfrohen Lichtinstallationen im Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA). Im Rahmen der Ausstellung Ferryman´s Crossing, inspiriert von Herman Hesses Erzählung Siddhartha, werden seine Werke bis April 2016 an vielen Orten Scottsdales zu bewundern sein. Dabei nutzt Munro Mengen an herkömmlichen CD´s mit denen er unter Zuhilfenahme von künstlichem Licht Eindrücke erzeugt, die Sonnenlicht wie auf einer Wasseroberfläche spiegeln. Im Rahmen der Ausstellung wird auch der Arizona Canal  ab November 2015 durch die Blooms Installation Munros beleuchtet sowie der Desert Botanical Garden, der sich ab dem 20. November über gleich acht Exponate Munros freuen darf, welche den Garten bei Nacht illuminieren werden. Hierfür wurden zwei Exponate eigens für den Desert Botanical Garden in Scottsdale von dem Ausnahmekünstler entworfen. Die Werke Saguaro und Temperate Zone reflektieren die einzigartige Wüstenlandschaft kombiniert mit der beeindruckenden Kultur des amerikanischen Südwestens. Weitere Informationen zur Ausstellung unter: Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

FREIZEIT

Meeresvielfalt inmitten der Wüste
Mitte 2016 öffnet die neue Freizeitattraktion OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale ihre Pforten für kleine und große Meeresforscher. Das rund 12 Hektar große Aquarium findet seinen Platz in der bereits bestehenden, rund 170 Millionen Dollar teuren Erlebniswelt OdySea In Desert Complex. Neben Amerikas größtem Schmetterlingspavillon, dem Butterfly Wonderland und dem Erlebnis Irrgarten Odysea Mirros Maze finden dort nun auch tausende Meeresbewohner ihren Platz inmitten der Sonorawüste. Besucher können das facettenreiche Leben unter Wasser aber nicht wie gewöhnlich nur betrachten, sondern mit auch allen Sinnen erleben. Wer sich traut, der nimmt, mit Badebekleidung und einem speziellen Taucherhelm ausgestattet, an einer geführten Tour zu Fuß durch die Unterwasserwelt teil. Die Erlebnisse von Angesicht zu Angesicht mit exotischen Lebewesen sorgen noch lange für schöne Erinnerungen. Alle Infos unter: OdySea Aquarium

WELLNESS

Golfball-Massage für müde Golfer im Four Seasons
Zukünftig werden Golfbälle in Scottsdale nicht nur auf dem Golf Course gespielt, sondern finden auch im Spa des Four Seasons-Resort Scootsdale Verwendung. Das 5-Sterne-Luxus Hotel bietet exklusiv eine innovative Massagetechnik, ganz unter dem Motto Golf meets Wellness. Die Kombination aus Massageelementen mit warmen Golfbällen und leichten Stretching-Übungen, wirkt wahre Wunder auf müde Golfermuskeln. So sind die Anwendungen genau auf die Bedürfnisse der Sportler ausgerichtet und behandeln Muskeln in Nacken, Schultern, Armen und Beinen. Schon ab $ 165 für 50 Minuten kann man sich von dem Wohlfühlprogramm überzeugen lassen. Weitere Informationen über die Golfer´s Massage im Four Seasons-Resort Scottsdale.

KULINARIK

Ein Paradies für Weinliebhaber
Wer einen ganz besonders guten Wein sucht, findet diesen in Scottsdale ab sofort in der Lawrence Dunham Vineyard Wine Gallery. Hier bietet die Familie Dunham ihre preisgekrönten Tropfen aus der benachbarten Weinregion Chiricahua Mountain an. Bevor man sich für einen Wein entscheidet, testet man sich durch das Sortiment, um die richtige Wahl zu treffen. Und auf den schattigen Terrassen lässt es sich gesellig sitzen und die Verkostung bei einer wundervollen Aussicht auf Scottsdales einmalige Wüstenlandschaft genießen. Die Wine Gallery ist allerdings mehr als nur ein Ladenlokal und versteht sich selbst als eine Anlaufstelle für Genießer. Der Veranstaltungskalender bietet verschiedene Abend-Events aber auch Workshops wie Wein und Schokolade oder Schlürfen und Lernen. Alle Informationen unter:  Lawrence Dunham Vineyard Wine Gallery

Kontakt für die Presse & Konsumenten:
Scottsdale Convention and Visitors Bureau
c/o Kaus Media Services
Marcus Feuerstein
Sophienstrasse 6
30159 Hannover
Germany

Tel:  +49 (0)511-899 890 0
Fax: +49 (0)511-899 890 69

E-Mail: Scottsdale-Presse@kaus.net
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Arizona Restaurant Week: Some Favorites

Mission_Chile

Hundreds of Valley restaurants are partaking in the weeklong celebration of deliciousness known as Arizona Restaurant Week, September 19 -28. Many of Scottsdale’s most acclaimed restaurants will be serving up decadent dishes. Venture out to try some of this city’s most notable eateries, including Cowboy Ciao, Relish Burger Bistro, Beckett’s Table, Kazimierz World Wine Bar, Second Story Liquor Bar, Posh, Culinary Dropout and many more.

How does a bruschetta duet with wild boar bacon jam and gorgonzola, peperonata & mascarpone, sherry reduction sound to you? This is what you’ll find on the menu at Cowboy Ciao. And that’s just the appetizer! Choose from filet mingon, pork tenderloin or seared swordfish for your entrée. Don’t forget the chocolate budino to end a fabulous dinner! This is a meal to be remembered for days, dare we say months.

For an exciting and tantalizing spin on the traditional burger, make your way over to Relish Burger Bistro at The Phoenician. Prepare for the main course by sinking your teeth into the corn on the cob or fried oyster rockefeller sliders . Now for the beloved burger – the “Cob Burger” is a kobe burger topped with avocado, bacon, fried egg, maytag blue cheese, chive, roasted jalapeno ranch, tomato and crispy iceberg lettuce. served on a fresh baked baguette bun is packed with fresh and flavorful ingredients. Check out the menu to see what’s in store for dessert!

Chef Justin Beckett dishes up some delicious comfort food in this cozy setting at Beckett’s Table. Locally sourced food means that a fresh plate awaits you. Start off with a fire roasted tomato and red bell pepper soup, with super sweet corn. Then make your way into the main meal with your choice of chicken pot pie, tender pork osso buco confit, pan seared Hawaiian pink snapper or summer corn risotto.

Restaurants and menus are being added daily. Make sure to check out the full list here, and don’t forget to come hungry!



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Friday, May 15, 2015

Great Places to Snap a Memorable Moment

You’ve conquered the toughest peak in Scottsdale and biked down the stunning McDowell Mountain foothills. Don’t leave without proof! Here, some of the coolest Scottsdale photo ops that are sure to impress your friends back home.

Taliesin-west

Taliesin West

Stunning architecture, whimsical art and desert views are the hallmarks of Frank Lloyd Wright’s desert masterpiece. A variety of guided public tours are offered year-round.

civic-center-park

Scottsdale Civic Center Park

From public art and flowing fountains to unique architecture, this park-like setting is a photographer’s paradise. Don’t miss Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE sculpture.
DBG

Desert Botanical Garden

Located at the base of the rugged Papago Buttes, the Garden gives you easy access to thousands of colorful plants and cacti along its five thematic trails.
Frank-Kehren-Camelback

Camelback Mountain Summit

A horizon-to-horizon view of the Valley of the Sun is your reward for a challenging hike to the top of this legendary landmark. Check our Camelback hiking guide!

McDowell-Scene

McDowell Mountain Preserve

This portal to Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve offers magnificent scenic vistas of the McDowell Mountain foothills, desert plants and wildlife.

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Thursday, May 14, 2015

Stay and Play

With more than 70 resorts and hotels and nearly endless itinerary options, Scottsdale makes for a memorable vacation. The city radiates a warm and welcoming atmosphere with numerous TAG-approved hotels and resorts, a vibrant dining and nightlife scene, and an abundance of outdoor adventures, art galleries and upscale shopping venues. Here are a few of our favorite places to stay and play.

  • Rest and Refresh

    A true urban gem, the Hotel Valley Ho* is a mid-century, retro-chic hotel in downtown Scottsdale. Enjoy the hotel’s hip outdoor scene at the OH Pool, or try the relaxing and newly added OHasis pool offering serene water features, towering palm trees, and food and drink service all day long. Both pool areas are perfect for soaking up the Arizona sunshine! Take advantage of the Preferred Pride package offering a discounted rate and a bottle of wine upon arrival, or indulge in the new and spacious Presidential Loft Suite featuring impeccable views of Camelback Mountain.

    You’ll find another standout hotel just north of the downtown area. The sophisticated design, lush grounds and plentiful amenities at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch* are nothing short of impressive. With 2.5 acres featuring 10 pools, 20 fountains, 45 waterfalls, a sand beach, and a three-story waterslide, the breathtaking water playground is both visually sensational and relaxing. Once you’re done lounging poolside, hit the links at Gainey Ranch Golf Club, take a Gondola ride on the resort’s scenic waterway, catch a Native American dance performance, or enjoy live music at the Center Stage Bar. With so much to do, you might need an extra day to try it all! Extend your stay with the Sunshine on Sale package offering one free night to complete your vacation.

    Looking to stay in the middle of all the action? The Saguaro Hotel* is located in the heart of the city in the midst of plenty of dining, arts and culture, and nightlife options. The Saguaro offers comfy cabanas and sleigh-beds for relaxing poolside or you can check out a cruiser bike to go for a quick ride. You can also unwind at The Saguaro Spa with irresistible treatment offerings like the Desert Flower Herbal Poultice Massage or the Chocolate Truffle Body Wrap. And don’t miss the margaritas and street tacos at the Saguaro’s Distrito Restaurant featuring cuisine by Iron Chef Jose Garces. To stay, book the Trifecta package, which offers a $60 spa credit, in-room movie, pitcher of Sangria, and late check-out included with accommodations.

  • Downtown Dining

    When it’s time for a bite, head downtown and discover dynamic dining at spots like The House Brasserie, FnB, Hula’s Modern Tiki, and Brat Haus. If you’re not sure where to start, consider a savory sampling of some of the best joints in town with the Old Town Food Tour by A Taste of Old Town Scottsdale. Three-hour lunch or dinner tours give you the chance to try delectable bites from Cowboy Ciao, The Mission, Grimaldi’s, Super Chunk Sweets and Treats, and more!

  • Vibrant Nightlife

    As evening sets in, check out local LGBT favorite BS West or head to one of Scottsdale’s country bars like the Rusty Spur Saloon or Dierk’s Bentley’s Whiskey Row. If you’re looking for a more relaxed feel, check out Kazimierz World Wine Bar for a warm and comfortable ambiance, small bites and a colossal wine list. Those looking to break in their dancing shoes can move around at The Mint Ultra Lounge or head to the Living Room at W Scottsdale to socialize. Scottsdale’s diverse nightlife scene offers nearly 90 other bars and clubs in downtown alone – most within walking distance of each other.

  • The Great Outdoors

    If you’re craving adventure, Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve is the ideal playground for outdoor enthusiasts. For hikers, the Preserve offers more than 60 miles of shared-use trails. And while the Sonoran Desert is a distinctive and beautiful place when observed from ground level, the view from above is all the more breathtaking! Catch the sights on a hot air balloon ride and celebrate the occasion with champagne served in a complimentary etched flute available through a special offer by Rainbow Ryders. For a different kind of scenic flight, hop aboard a seaplane with Desert Splash Adventures and soar over nearby landmarks like the McDowell and Superstition mountains before finishing with a water landing on Roosevelt Lake.

  • Beautiful Civic Center Park

    For a relaxing outing, venture into Scottsdale’s Civic Center Park, where eye-catching fountains, grassy knolls, colorful flower beds and public art installations fill the landscape. Sink your teeth into classic American cuisine coupled with cocktails on the patio at AZ88 or stop by the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) and explore the art, architecture and design of our time. Right next door, choose from dance, music or theater performances offered by the extensive programming at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.

  • The Best of Art and Shopping

    Scottsdale is a shopper’s paradise with an eclectic mix of national and boutique shops. For premier retailers like Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, Prada and Ted Baker, look to Scottsdale Fashion Square, the largest shopping center in the Southwest. Shop ‘til you drop at over 250 stores, with even more on the way, including Lorna Jane and Diane von Furstenberg opening in 2015. The shopping excursion continues at the Scottsdale Arts District. Meet emerging artists and browse a variety of one-of-a-kind pieces at the Scottsdale ArtWalk every Thursday night on Main Street and Marshall Way. Just around the corner, Scottsdale’s 5th Avenue District will tempt you with nearly 30 restaurants and bars, and 60 shops. Stop into On The Edge Gallery, Touchstone Gallery or French Designer Jeweler, just to name a few of the unique shops you’ll find in the area.

    Click here for additional information on planning your trip. Check out the full selection of packages and coupons for more special offers.

  • *Tag Approved properties. Click here for a complete list of TAG approved hotels in Scottsdale.



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Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Memorial Day Activities

Memorial Day officially marks the start of summer here in the Scottsdale. Barbecues will be held, pools will be packed with visitors soaking up the sun and relaxing summer vibes will be felt everywhere you go. If you’re still planning your Memorial Day weekend, take a look at these activities to fill those three days!

OH-Pool

What’s the best way to kick off a three-day weekend? Happy hour by the pool! Head over to the Hotel Valley Ho’s OH Pool for live music and drink specials. Take a swim and take it all in, because at this point in the weekend, everything is just getting started.

kids

Follow that relaxing evening up with a visit to the Old Town Farmers Market on Saturday morning. With local vendors from all around town and some of the best produce you can find, this market kicks off your Saturday the right way.

bootleggers

Memorial Day barbecues are summer tradition, but this year, we’re putting a slight spin on it. Instead of burgers and hot dogs, let’s try out some beef brisket and pulled pork at Bootleggers.

Phncn_KidsPool

Do you need something for the kids? How about a jeep tour? Horseback riding? Really anything in this handy kids guide!



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Megan About Town: Downtown Scottsdale Taco Tuesday

When I told my colleague about my latest Megan About Town blog, I had no idea the amount of arguing that would ensue.  All I wanted to do was eat a lot of tacos for lunch. Soft tacos. The authentic kind. This is where the arguing comes into play.

Scott has some insane idea that hard tacos are the only way to go, which, of course, is absolute madness. With that in mind, we ventured out for Taco Tuesday in downtown Scottsdale to put an end to this debate (not really; we all know I am right).

Because the CVB’s offices are in the heart of downtown Scottsdale, we chose to stay in the area, BUT it’s really important to remember that there are so many additional taco options in Scottsdale. After reading about the places we went, take a look at the list below to get a feel for other favorites.

taco

Taco Tuesday Stop No. 1

Cien Agaves Tacos & Tequila: When you put “tacos” in the name of your restaurant, I trust that you can stand by the quality of your tacos. Cien Agaves doesn’t disappoint. I ordered their Tecate fish taco, which is beer-battered Ono with cabbage, Baja sauce and mango salsa. It was the perfect pick for the warm, “not a cloud in the sky” day out on the patio. The taco was perfectly crunchy and delightfully refreshing.

mission

Taco Tuesday Stop No. 2

The Mission: I typically come to The Mission for a special occasion or with the family, but I never think of it as a place to swing by for lunch during the work week. The place has a really great ambiance, with dark lighting. While I typically spring for the crispy rock shrimp tacos (they are divine!), I decided to try something a little different after my first fish taco. The Tecate skirt steak tacos were not a disappointment. Any steak lover will be happy with this pick. If we had had more time and didn’t have to go back to the office, I would have demanded that we indulge in an order of guacamole and a margarita – but duty calls!

BQueen

Taco Tuesday Wednesday Stop No. 3

Barrio Queen: The original plan was to make it a three-stop Taco Tuesday, but after The Mission, we realized there was no way we could eat anything else. I extended the taco fest to Wednesday to grab a bite at Barrio Queen. In my opinion, you really cannot go wrong with any taco choices here. I chose the Barrio pollo con chorizo, the cochinta pibil and the chile relleno. The Barrio pollo con chorizo is probably my favorite, but like I said, it’s a tough pick. If you decide to check out “the Queen,” make sure to ask your server if they are currently serving pomegranate seeds in their guacamole. If the answer is yes, order it immediately. Do not hesitate.

Downtown Scottsdale isn’t the only place to grab a taco or any number of your favorite Mexican dishes. Blanco Tacos and Tequila is a personal favorite (I love the green chile pork enchiladas), and La Hacienda at the Fairmont is the perfect place for sipping on tequila, eating amazing food and taking in the scenery at one of Scottsdale’s best resorts. But the point of this story is that you need to start taking advantage of the great grub Scottsdale has to offer. Tacos or not.

Other popular Mexican dining options include: Diego Pops, Dos Gringos, El Hefe, Frank & Lupe’s, Los Sombreros, and Old Town Tortilla Factory.



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Monday, May 11, 2015

Golf and the Environment

golf and the environment

Scottsdale is located in the heart of one of the most delicate natural environments in the world, the Sonoran Desert. It also enjoys an international reputation as one of the world’s top golf destinations. It may seem that these two characteristics are at odds with each other, but nothing could be further from the truth. Scottsdale golf operators are among the most progressive in the industry, bringing together the latest technology, the most innovative practices, and a commitment to environmental stewardship that is unmatched.

WATER USE ON THE COURSE
Being a desert environment, conservation and efficient water use are always at the forefront for golf operators. Here are some great insights into water use by Scottsdale golf courses:

  • In total, Arizona’s 338 golf courses (including 51 in Scottsdale) account for just 2 percent of the state’s water consumption.
  • Reclaimed, effluent water currently accounts for 40 percent of all water used by Scottsdale golf courses and this percentage is growing each year. Most of the 20 golf courses operating in North Scottsdale acquire a significant amount of irrigation water from the Reclaimed Water Distribution System, which provides effluent water from the City’s treatment plant.
  • Nearly 75 percent of the city’s golf courses use sophisticated computerized irrigation systems and weather monitoring stations to maximize the efficiency of their water use. These systems work together to gauge weather and soil conditions in order to minimize surface evaporation and maximize transpiration (the driving force behind the uptake of the water by the plant). This enables golf operators to apply the minimum amount of water required by the individual plants to maintain grass health.
  • More than 60 percent of the area courses regularly apply “wetting agents” to facilitate the penetration of irrigation water deeper into the soil, thus ensuring that less is lost during evaporation.
  • Other “best practices” include hand-watering tees and greens, reducing irrigation of rough areas, raising mowing heights, increasing underground irrigation to reduce evaporation, and increasing the use of low-water plants and grasses.
  • Golf courses all over Arizona take active roles in working with state and local officials to ensure wise and effective water-use policies. Since the 1980s, golf courses operating in the Phoenix Active Management Area, which includes Scottsdale, have been limited to 4.9 acre-feet of water per year with severe penalties in place for courses that go over this limit. This boundary provides sufficient water to maintain approximately 90 acres of turf grass under normal conditions. The result is that Scottsdale golf courses maintain a smaller amount of turf grass and use less water than most courses in other regions, without sacrificing the quality of the golf experience.

WATER MANAGEMENT
Scottsdale golf courses play a vital role in flood control and managing runoff from storm events and community development. City of Scottsdale environmental regulations require that all developments maintain their runoff inside the boundaries of the development property and that downstream discharges do not exceed historic levels. As a result, city golf courses have been designed to act as retention areas for neighboring developments. The golf courses capture runoff water from streets, parking lots, homes and other development structures. The turf and soil act as natural filters, removing contaminants from the water and allowing excess to percolate through the soil and replenish the groundwater.

The golf course turf areas help to control erosion from storm events by stabilizing the dry desert soil and keeping it from washing downstream and disrupting flow patterns in desert washes. Finally, many facilities are able to capture runoff from storm events, store the water in retention ponds and use it to irrigate the golf course, thus further reducing their need to purchase water from other sources. Today, most courses use a variety of eco-friendly methods to maintain the health of the ponds and water features on their properties. Among the most popular is the use of selected fish species, such as White Amur, Koi and Catfish, which help to control algae and unwanted plant growth.

GREEN MAINTENANCE PRACTICES
In addition to efficient water use, most Scottsdale clubs have adopted a variety of modifications to their regular maintenance practices to further enhance the sustainability of their golf courses. These include:

  • Switching gas-powered maintenance equipment from two- to four-stroke engines to reduce emissions
  • Using organic fertilizer rather than petroleum-based fertilizer
  • Applying liquid fertilizer rather than granular to enhance its absorption by the plant and reduce runoff
  • Frequent testing of soil conditions and calibration of application equipment to ensure proper treatment using the minimum amount of product to maintain plant health
  • Capturing water used to clean golf carts and equipment in order to eliminate the potential for on- and off-site contamination

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF SCOTTSDALE GOLF
Not only are golf courses in Scottsdale careful about protecting the state’s natural resources, their presence within the city provides additional benefits to the surrounding environment. These include:

  • Providing more than 44,450 acres of open space, over 25 percent of which is used as Sonoran Desert wildlife habitat
  • Supplying hard-to-find drinking water for native animals
  • Combating the urban heat-island effect of development
  • Producing enough oxygen each year to support more than 2.1 million people and helping to clean the air of carbon dioxide

STEWARDS OF THE LAND
Through the diligence and innovation of the professionals engaged in the industry, golf in Scottsdale has become a model of environmental stewardship for other regions to follow. The city’s golf operators continue to look for new technologies to ensure that golf maintains its overall positive impact on the city and state. Several Scottsdale golf properties received recognition from Audubon International for protecting the environment by enhancing precious natural areas and wildlife habitats. McDowell Mountain Golf Club (http://ift.tt/1ehTSqf) earned the title of Certified Silver Audubon Signature Sanctuary. TPC Scottsdale (http://ift.tt/1eu3p4a), Camelback Golf Club (http://ift.tt/1AzUweQ), Kierland Golf Club (http://ift.tt/1e0aFAo), Talking Stick Golf Club (http://ift.tt/1dBsYQm) and Troon North Golf Club (http://ift.tt/1qjkhjn) were listed as Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries. In addition, Scottsdale-based Troon Golf Management entered into a partnership with Audubon International to have all 190 of its international golf properties certified through the Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary Program.

WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN:  THE “GREENEST SHOW ON GRASS”
Thanks to tournament’s conservation-minded practices, the Waste Management Phoenix Open (http://ift.tt/IthxM6) held at TPC Scottsdale is known as the “Greenest Show on Grass.”  The tournament’s GREEN OUT is a great example.  For every person who wears green to the tournament on Thursday, Waste Management and The Thunderbirds donate ‘green’ to three local non-profit environmental organizations: Waste Not, Arizona Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America, and Arizona Recycling Coalition.  And in 2014, that ‘green’ added up to $70,000.  The GREEN OUT has grown each year since it began in 2011, raking in a combined $215,000 to help the environment.  

The tournament also supports other sustainability initiatives such as the Zero Waste Challenge.  The goal is to control materials brought into the event and  educate vendors and patrons about proper disposal, so that zero tournament waste is sent to the landfill.  The 2013 event marked the first year the event hit the target by diverting 100 percent of tournament waste into recycling and composting facilities, an achievement it would duplicate the following year as well.  Given the event caters to a record 500,000 patrons during tournament week, this feat is nothing less than extraordinary.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Laura McMurchie, Vice President of Communications
Tel: 480-429-2253
E-mail: lmcmurchie@scottsdalecvb.com

Stephanie Pressler, Communications Coordinator
Tel: 480-889-2719 E-mail: spressler@scottsdalecvb.com
Visit us at http://ift.tt/1disXR3

Jerry Rose, Vice President of Communication Links
Tel: 480-348-7540
E-mail: jrose@commlinks.com



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Scottsdale Facts & Figures

Scottsdale Facts & Figures

Number of visitors annually: 8.9 million visitors in 2012

Annual hotel bed tax revenue: $14.4 million in 2013

 Annual economic impact of visitors: $3.39 billion in 2012

Luxury visitor average age: 50 years old

Average daily on-property expenditures (including room): $363

Average length of stay: 2.4 nights

Visited the city more than once in a year: 50 percent

Luxury visitor median household income: $289,000

The top 10 activities participated in by Scottsdale visitors: dining, shopping, visiting downtown Scottsdale, Native American arts & culture, Western culture & attractions, outdoor desert activities, nightlife, golf, spa/rejuvenation, and museums /art galleries

Population:  224,800 in 2014 

Size: 184.5 square miles, stretching 31 miles north to south

Elevation: 1,260 (average) feet above sea level

Rainfall: 9.3 inches per year average

City slogan: “The West’s Most Western Town”

Official food: Chili

Resorts and hotels: More than 70 hotels and resorts with a combined total of over 14,700 rooms and on-property indoor and outdoor meeting space ranging from 600 to more 200,000 square feet

Golf courses: 51 in Scottsdale, and more than 200 in the surrounding area

Golf holes: 1,233 holes on 51 courses

Rounds of golf: Scottsdale and the surrounding area host an estimated 8.3 million rounds of golf per year

Quality of golf: Scottsdale is home to 11 of the “Top 25 Golf Courses in Arizona” as determined by Golfweek’s 2014 state-by-state rankings. The city boasts six courses on Golf Magazine’s “2014 Top 100 You Can Play.” Plus, Scottsdale features 14 of the “Top 30 Golf Courses in Arizona” according to Golf Magazine’s 2012 rankings. As a result, Scottsdale accounts for the largest percentage of the state’s top ranked courses.

Golf’s economic impact: According to the Golf Industry Association, Arizona golf contributes more than $3.4 billion to the state’s economy annually, provides nearly 20,000 jobs to local residents, and generates approximately $80 million a year in tax revenue.

Golf resorts: Four of Golf Digest’s “75 Best Golf Resorts in North America” are in Scottsdale.

Golf participation in Scottsdale: Approximately 30,000 golfers live in Scottsdale

Golf practice facilities: Seven of the “Top 75 Best Practice Areas” in the country, according to Golf Digest, are located in Scottsdale; most notable are TPC Scottsdale, Grayhawk Golf Club and The Boulders Golf Club.

Golf champions: Dozens of PGA, LPGA and Champions Tour players reside in Scottsdale, including Aaron Baddeley (2006 Verizon Heritage, 2007 FBR Open champion and 2011 Northern Trust Open), Geoff Ogilvy (2006 and 2009 WGC-Accenture Match Play Champion, 2006 U.S. Open Champion, 2008 WGC-CA Championship, 2009 Mercedes-Benz Champion, 2010 Hyundai Tournament of Champions and 2014 Barracuda Championship), Pat Perez (2009 Bob Hope Classic), Martin Laird (2009 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, 2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational and 2013 Valero Texas Open), Bubba Watson (2010 Travelers Championship, 2011 Farmers Insurance Open, 2011 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, 2014 Northern Trust Open and 2012 and 2014 Masters), Paul Casey (2009 Shell Houston Open), Tim Clark (2010 The Players Championship and 2014 RBC Canadian Open), Kirk Triplett (2000 Nissan Open, 2003 Reno-Tahoe Open and 2006 Chrysler Classic of Tucson, 2012 and 2013 Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach and 2014 ACE Group Classic), Tom Lehman (1996 British Open Championship, 1996 TOUR Championship, 2000 Phoenix Open, 2009 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, 2010 Senior PGA Championship, 2011 Regions Tradition, 2011 Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, 2011 Allianz Championship, 2012 Charles Schwab Cup Championship, 2012 Regions Tradition and 2014 Encompass Championship), Chez Reavie (2008 RCB Canadian Open), Arron Oberholser (2006 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am), Bryce Molder (2011 Frys.com Open) and Cristie Kerr (2007 Women’s U.S. Open Champion, 2009 Michelob Ultra Open Champion).

Golf lifestyle: Scottsdale is the top ranked “Golf-Home” market in the Western United States according to findings in the June 2006 issue of Golf Digest. These rankings are based upon the number and quality of available golf courses, non-golf amenities and cost of living, among other factors.

Golf instruction: The city is home to five of “America’s 50 Greatest Teachers,” according to Golf Digest. They include No. 3 Jim McLean at SunRidge Canyon Golf Club, No. 9 Stan Utley at Grayhawk Golf Club, No. 19 Pia Nilsson at Talking Stick Golf Club, No. 28 Peter Kostis at Grayhawk Golf Club, No. 32 Lynn Marriott at Talking Stick Golf Club and No. 39 Mike LaBauve at Kierland Golf Club.

Golf and water: Golf accounts for just 2 percent of Arizona’s annual water consumption

Waste Management Phoenix Open: Held at TPC Scottsdale, the Waste Management Phoenix Open is the best-attended golf tournament in the world which attracted a record-setting 563,008 patrons during the week of the 2014 tournament.  The 2015 tournament marks the 80th anniversary of the event.  Plus, Super Bowl XLIX will kick off in Arizona a short time after the last putt drops at the Stadium Course.  The courses itself underwent a complete makeover just in time for the 2015 season. The seven-month, $15 million project resulted in the resurfacing of greens, renovation of bunkers and tees, new cart paths, landscaping and overall enhancement of the challenge and playability. The clubhouse also received a facelift with upgraded décor and amenities.

A 2012 study performed by Arizona State University W.P. Carey School of Business placed the tournament’s economic impact on Scottsdale and the surrounding area at $222 million per year.

Spas: More than 50 day and resort spas

Art & culture: More than 125 art galleries, studios and museums; over 50 permanent public artworks

Restaurants: More than 600

Paved paths: 99 miles of shared-use paths

Unpaved trails: 271 miles of shared-use paths

Airport access: Convenient access to Sky Harbor International Airport with 1,200+ daily flights. It serves more than 100 domestic and international cities with daily flights, most of them nonstop. Scottsdale Airport is a general aviation reliever facility located nine miles north of downtown Scottsdale. Approximately 142,250 takeoffs and landings occurred in 2013.  Scottsdale is one of the premiere corporate jet facilities in the state.

Density:  1,218 people/square mile; 2.2 persons per household

Population rank: 7th in Arizona, 95th in the United States

Resident median age:  44.4years

Resident median household income: $72,102

Education:  Graduate degree – 22%, Bachelor degree – 54%, Some College – 83%, High School graduates – 97%

Unemployment rate: 4.5% in May 2014

Businesses: Nearly 15,000 businesses provide more than 182,000 jobs in Scottsdale; 13% of all jobs in Scottsdale are directly related to tourism, while additional jobs also are impacted by the industry – from commercial real estate agents and
construction workers to local farmers who supply the hotels and resorts with fresh food.

Largest private employers: Scottsdale Healthcare, General Dynamics C4 Systems, CVS-CareMark, Vanguard Insurance, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale Insurance Company, Veri Fone, Inc., and International Cruise and Excursion.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Laura McMurchie, Vice President of Communications
Tel: 480-429-2253 E-mail: lmcmurchie@scottsdalecvb.com 

Stephanie Pressler, Communications Coordinator
Tel: 480-889-2719 E-mail: spressler@scottsdalecvb.com 
Visit us at http://ift.tt/1disXR3

Jerry Rose, Vice President of Communication Links
Tel: 480-348-7540
E-mail: jrose@commlinks.com



from Official Travel Site for Scottsdale, Arizona | http://ift.tt/1EybcF0
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Play Like the Pros in Scottsdale

play like the pros

Each year, thousands of golfers grab their clubs, hop a flight to Scottsdale, and tee it up at the city’s many golf courses – 51 courses to be exact. But one often overlooked factor is the city’s variety of heralded golf instructors and performance-enhancing programs and services.

Improve Your Game
Scottsdale is home to six of the “Best Teachers in America,” according to Golf Digest (2013-14) as well as five of GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers in America (2014).

The highest ranked on the Golf Digest list is Jim McLean (No. 3, Golf Digest), who recently opened Arizona’s only Jim McLean Golf School at SunRidge Canyon Golf Club (www.sunridgegolf.com). McLean and his staff offer innovative individual and group lessons in addition to two- and three-day golf schools.

Short-game guru Stan Utley (No. 14, Golf Digest) offers a wide variety of individual lessons, classes and clinics at Grayhawk Golf Club (www.grayhawkgolf.com). He teaches alongside Peter Kostis (No. 31, Golf Digest; GOLF Magazine Top 100) and Grayhawk Learning Center Director of Instruction Paul Trittler (Golf Digest Best in Your State).

The instruction team at Talking Stick Golf Club (http://ift.tt/1dBsYQm) is just as flush with talent. The club is home to a Troon Golf Academy, where golfers not only benefit from one of Arizona’s most expansive practice facilities and top-notch teaching programs, but they also have access to celebrated teachers such as Pia Nilsson (No. 17, Golf Digest), Lynn Marriott (No 25, Golf Digest) and Tim Mahoney (GOLF Magazine Top 100). Students can opt for individual instruction or choose from two- or three-day golf school packages.

Another prime location for elite-level golf instruction is Kierland Golf Club (www.kierlandgolf.com). Husband and wife team Mike LaBauve (No. 35, Golf Digest; GOLF Magazine Top 100) and Sandy LaBauve (Golf Digest Best in Your State) lead the instruction, which offers a wide variety of programs for players of all abilities and experience levels. In fact, Kierland Golf Club’s use of the innovative SNAG Golf program makes it one of the Southwest’s leaders for introducing youngsters to the game.

Other acclaimed instructors include:  Donald Crawley (GOLF Magazine Top 100) of The Boulders Golf Club (www.bouldersclub.com), Jeff Ritter (Golf Digest’s Best Teachers in your State & Best Young Teachers in America) of Jeff Ritter Golf at Raven Golf Club Phoenix (www.ravenphx.com), and Scott Sackett (Golf Digest Best Teachers in Your State) of McCormick Ranch Golf Club (http://ift.tt/1qjkhjh).

Of course no list would be complete without mention of the award-winning TOUR Academy at TPC Scottsdale (http://ift.tt/1eu3p4a) with its schedule of one- to five-day golf schools, private lessons and comprehensive player development programs for golfers of every skill level. The academy leverages state-of-the-art technology coupled with highly personalized learning sessions where instructors address each player’s individual needs, skills and goals within the game, all while featuring a maximum 4-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio.

The Perfect Fit
Improved performance on the golf course often depends on the right balance between one’s swing and their clubs. That’s where Cool Clubs (www.coolclubs.com) – one of Scottsdale’s preeminent experts on the equipment side of performance enhancement – comes in. Through their skillful use of cutting-edge technology, independent research and development, real-world experience, proprietary software, and Doppler radar technology (among other James Bond-style gadgets), the staff at Cool Clubs is able to identify, recommend, and custom-build the right equipment for any given golf swing or putting stroke. This all leads to better performance and confidence on the golf course, and also saves money because players buy the right clubs the first time around.

Another excellent option for custom club fitting lies with the partnership between Troon North Golf Club (http://ift.tt/1qjkhjn) and Callaway Golf.  The Callaway Golf Performance Center at Troon North is one of only 10 facilities nationwide that employs the same technology relied on by the world’s top touring professionals (think Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and Morgan Pressel) for the amateur golfer’s game. Their professional custom club fitters are experts at leveraging vital data gained through computerized analysis, high-speed cameras, and ball-flight simulators while a computer monitor displays a breakdown of each golfer’s launch conditions. This includes ball speed, launch angle and spin rates. The system also measures the golfer’s angle of approach to the ball, utilizing 3D imagery and precision software.

Lastly, Raven Golf Club offers the Perfect Fit, custom club fitting that takes place outdoors on a top-rated, all grass academy tee. Equipment is available from a variety of top brands including Titleist, TaylorMade, PING, Cleveland Golf, Nike Golf, allowing golfers to pick the brand that feels the most comfortable. Led by Al Murdock, 30 year PGA member with over 25 years of club fitting experience, Perfect Fit’s no obligation fittings are performed using state-of-the-art technology and Foresight Launch monitors.

Shape Up
In recent years, physical training became a part of the golf performance enhancing process, especially at the highest level of competition. The FORE-MAX Golf Training System at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa (http://ift.tt/1e0aFAo) simply applies these successful principles to the amateur game by improving flexibility, strength, aerobic conditioning and nutritional intake as they specifically relate to the game. Fitness Director Steve Heller created a program that combines the best of exercise physiology with top golf instruction to produce a personalized workout regime that is virtually guaranteed to increase driving distance and stamina on the golf course. Plus, FORE-MAX empowers students to generalize these same fitness concepts to their everyday lifestyle. From tee to green, the right club and perfect swing must come together harmoniously for a golfer to feel in the “zone.”

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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Laura McMurchie, Vice President of Communications
Tel: 480-429-2253
E-mail: lmcmurchie@scottsdalecvb.com

Stephanie Pressler, Communications Communicator
Tel: 480-889-2719
E-mail: spressler@scottsdalecvb.com    
Visit us at http://ift.tt/1disXR3

Jerry Rose, Vice President of Communication Links
Tel: 480-348-7540
E-mail: jrose@commlinks.com



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Scottsdale’s 19th Holes

scottsdales 19th holes

Most golf vacations are pretty predictable. You get up in the morning, grab a cup of coffee and a quick bite to eat, and head to the course. After a good round, you shake hands on the 18th green and head into the bar to tally the damages and share a cold beer.  Fortunately, the itinerary can be a little more exciting in Scottsdale. Not only does the city boast some of the best golf venues in the world, but it’s dining, nightlife and entertainment offerings make it the perfect destination for golf travelers looking for the total vacation package.

FOOD BEYOND THE CLUBHOUSE
Scottsdale has seen a celebrity chef invasion of sorts in the past few years with notable names opening high-end steakhouses in the city known for its luxury cache. The first to plant his roots in Scottsdale was two-time James Beard Award Winner Michael Mina with BOURBON STEAK at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess (http://ift.tt/1disZIM), which delivers contemporary steakhouse cuisine with classic American side dishes like truffled mac and cheese. Hot on Mina’s heels was the notable Chef Laurent Touroundel, acclaimed as a “Best New Chef” by Food & Wine magazine, with BLT Steak at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa (www.camelbackinn.com). And rounding out the trio is Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who opened his first-ever Arizona location of J&G Steakhouse at The Phoenician (http://ift.tt/U3fte2). The menu is designed specifically for Scottsdale and features premium meat and fish and an extensive cocktail list.

After playing a memorable round amidst jaw-dropping mountain vistas at the award-winning We-Ko-Pa Golf Club (www.wekopa.com), head to Ahnala Mesquite Room Restaurant at the We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center (www.wekoparesort.com) for adventurous fare and bold beverages. The restaurant’s eclectic menu features local Native American dishes with several house specialties featuring citrus, pecans and herbs grown locally at the neighboring Fort McDowell Yavapai Farm. For another option that focuses on mouth-watering flavors from the rugged Southwest, check out Roaring Fork (www.roaringfork.com). Here, Old West recipes like wood-grilled beef tenderloin and sugar-cured duck breast are top items on the menu. Besides being known for great food, Roaring Fork is famous for its happy hour with tempting drinks like the Huckleberry Frozen Margarita.

HIT THE LINKS – AND THEN THE SIZZLING NIGHTLIFE SCENE
There’s nothing high-maintenance about Dos Gringos (www.dosgringosaz.com), a casual neighborhood bar in downtown Scottsdale where jeans and flip-flops are encouraged. It’s an ideal spot for an evening – or mid-morning – of relaxation, good music and great drinks. The only thing missing from this pseudo-Mexican sojourn is the ocean! Moving on from the laidback persona of the Baja Peninsula to the aura of the Old West, Rusty Spur Saloon (http://ift.tt/17VeYMF) is housed in a building constructed in 1921 as the original location of the Farmer’s State Bank of Scottsdale. In 1933, the bank closed for a holiday and never reopened.  The old vaults remain in their original place and have now been converted to a refrigerated unit for storing the bar’s selection of beverages.

With its chic lounge atmosphere, former Phoenix Sun Dan Majerle’s Majerle’s Sports Grill (www.majerles.com) is a one-stop-shop for catching the big game and relaxing with a classic cocktail in hand. As the name suggests, Hi-Fi (www.hifibars.com) is a music-centric, retro haunt with a full menu that includes food, cocktails and adult milkshakes. Housed inside a ground-up new build with stone, steel and concrete bones, Hi-Fi features a vintage speaker wall erected with wood-framed speakers, throwback black and white televisions, and a digital graffiti wall. Nearby, The Mint (www.themintaz.com), part restaurant and part ultra-lounge, boasts the largest outdoor patio in the area and prides itself on an extensive list of inspired craft cocktails and a champagne bar located within Mint’s co-ed powder-room.

RELAX AND RECOVER
The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North (http://ift.tt/1fWlXal) is a relaxation hub offering an extensive array of innovative spa treatments like the Golfer’s Massage. The treatment incorporates stretching techniques with the kneading of tight muscles with warmed golf balls to alleviate tension and stiffness while keeping golfers at the peak of their game.

The hip, not-your-spa-next-door Bliss Spa at the W Scottsdale (http://ift.tt/IthzU9) features seven treatment rooms, grass (yes, grass) tiled steam showers, and the legendary brownie buffet in its relaxation room. The spa’s deep tissue Extreme Sports Massage is an intensive, deep-reaching treatment that helps relieve stubborn knots and chronic tension associated with an athlete’s often rigorous workout routine.

ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE YOU OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Adventure lovers can get their kicks at Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve (http://ift.tt/1bRTNfM), which is home to 30,200 acres of protected Sonoran Desert land. There,  you can experience the natural environment through hiking, biking and horseback riding. Other hot spots for free outdoor adventure include the McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Camelback Mountain, Papago Park, Piestewa Peak and Pinnacle Peak Park. Canyoneering might be a new word for your vocabulary, but 360 Adventures (http://ift.tt/1bRTPnQ) guarantees that just one experience will have you hooked. The journey takes visitors to the Roosevelt Lake area for hiking, wading, swimming, scrambling and rappelling excursions through one of geology’s most impressive feats, a canyon. Professional guides navigate guests through spectacular chasms as they encounter the stunning elements.

Learn to rope and ride with the best of ‘em at Arizona Cowboy College (http://ift.tt/1fWlWTM) where you’ll gain first-hand insight into the true cowboy life. Participants sleep in a bunkhouse for two nights while learning the ropes of horsemanship and participate in rigorous classes about cattle. Then, they trade in their cot for a few nights on the desert floor under starry skies and partake in on-the-range lessons about cutting, branding, inoculating, dehorning and driving cattle on working ranches.

The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving (www.bondurant.com) is the largest purpose-built facility in North America featuring a 1.6-mile road course and an 8-acre paddock. There’s no better way to satisfy the need for speed than driving door-handle to door-handle at 100 miles per hour in a Chevrolet Corvette or Camaro. Experience the art of high-performance driving and maybe even drive from zero to 60 in less than four seconds. Octane Raceway (http://ift.tt/1fWlWTJ) offers is an indoor and outdoor kart racing and entertainment venue offering high-speed European kart racing.

During the fall, winter and spring, climb aboard Desert Splash Adventure’s (http://ift.tt/1fWlWmJ) Cessna Caravan Jet-Prop Amphibious Seaplane for an excursion that begins at Scottsdale Airport and snakes its way through the Salt River canyons and lakes for a bird’s eye view of the rugged, breathtaking terrain that lies 20 miles east of Scottsdale. In just over an hour, you’ll have soared through Salt River Canyon and over Roosevelt Dam and “The Spires,” a rugged sand castle-like rock formation that’s tucked deep inside the Superstition Mountains. You’ll even experience a water landing when the seaplane touches down on the surface of Roosevelt Lake.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Laura McMurchie, Vice President of Communications
Tel: 480-429-2253 
E-mail: lmcmurchie@scottsdalecvb.com

Stephanie Pressler, Communications Coordinator
Tel: 480-889-2719 
E-mail: spressler@scottsdalecvb.com  
Visit us at http://ift.tt/1disXR3

Jerry Rose, Vice President of Communication Links
Tel: 480-348-7540
E-mail: jrose@commlinks.com



from Official Travel Site for Scottsdale, Arizona | http://ift.tt/1zTTfVx
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Swing into Scottsdale

The Boulders Golf Club Hole #7 Carefree, Arizona

Yes it’s a bold claim, but we’ve got the numbers to back it up. Start with the 1,223 holes and 51 golf courses located within Scottsdale’s city limits, and then mix in an additional 156 courses sprinkled across Scottsdale’s Valley of the Sun neighbors. Now let’s talk about how 330 plus days of annual sunshine and a mere 7.7 inches of annual rainfall means Scottsdale area golfers enjoy more than 12 million rounds of golf every year. Add to that a year-round median average temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit and way-below-par humidity, and Scottsdale’s scorecard is shaping up nicely.

Speaking of scorecards, Scottsdale is home to 14 of the “Top 30 golf courses in Arizona” according to Golf Magazine’s 2012 rankings and12 of the Top 25 Best in the State You Can Play, according to Golfweek. Not to mention six courses listed on Golf Magazine’s 2012 “Top 100 You Can Play.” And for those who’d rather watch the pros play, Scottsdale hosts the PGA TOUR’s Waste Management Phoenix Open, the best attended golf tournament in the world welcoming 500,000 spectators a year.

DESERT GOLF GEMS
Scotland has its history and windswept links-style courses; California has the crashing surf of its ocean-side courses; and Augusta, Ga. has its pine trees, dogwoods and azaleas. However, no golf landscape is as distinctive as Scottsdale’s striking Sonoran Desert. Here, green fairways stretch across a starkly beautiful landscape brimming with billion-year-old rock formations, bottomless arroyos and towering saguaro cacti. It’s a sweeping, sun-drenched setting populated with little more than coyotes, roadrunners, rattlesnakes and the occasional beer cart. Whether you’re an avid golfer or an occasional driver, it’s easy to find a suitable golf experience in Scottsdale, especially with the guidance of the convention & visitor bureau’s website http://ift.tt/1zTTdwZ. It features recommendations on which courses to play and when from TV personality and PGA TOUR Pro Brandel Chamblee, a longtime Scottsdale resident.

Scottsdale’s newest golf offering started life as a private club, but was recently reborn as a stellar daily-fee course that deftly blends the beauty of the Sonoran Desert with the rigor of the course. Tegavah Golf Club (www.tegavahgolf.com), the name taken from the Yavapai word for “gathering place,” is a Ken Kavanaugh-designed course that stretches 7,229 yards from the back tees. It plays like a traditional desert-golf experience with a multitude of serious challenges like a quartet of par 5s. In addition to great golf, much of Tegavah’s appeal revolves around the area’s natural splendor, which is punctuated by its proximity to the Verde River and a slew of nearby mountain ranges.

Just down the road a few miles is Troon North Golf Club (http://ift.tt/1qjkhjn), an internationally renowned icon of Scottsdale golf. Its two acclaimed courses now play better than ever thanks to a reconfiguration and renovation. Overseen by Tom Weiskopf, original designer of Troon North’s Pinnacle Course and co-designer of its Monument Course, both tracks were blended and re-sequenced in 2007 to create new layouts with improved playability. So what do the experts think? In its 2012 “Top 100 Courses You Can Play” rankings, Golf Magazine named the ‘new’ Pinnacle and Monument courses No. 20 and No. 52 in the nation, respectively, as well as the No. 1 and No. 4 courses in Arizona. And Golfweek ranked Pinnacle and Monument No. 5 and No. 6 respectively in its 2013 list of the “Best Courses You Can Play in Arizona.”

Undoubtedly Scottsdale’s most recognizable club, TPC Scottsdale (http://ift.tt/17XZY2L) is a 36-hole jewel best known as the host of the PGA TOUR’s Waste Management Phoenix Open. The acclaimed Stadium Course currently underwent an extensive renovation project which added length, enhanced conditioning and accentuated its playability and challenge. The improved Stadium Course re-opened for play in late fall 2014, just in time for the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open. In-the-know locals also rave about TPC Scottsdale’s equally scenic Champions Course, which aptly hosts the final round of Q-School every other year for the Champions Tour. 

There’s nothing in golf that compares to the pageantry and spectacle of the Waste Management Phoenix Open (http://ift.tt/1tyEKyh), a.k.a. “The Greatest and Greenest Show on Grass.” Held in late January, this fun-loving tournament set a new PGA TOUR attendance record in 2014 with 563,008 spectators during tournament week. The tournament also set an all-time PGA TOUR single-day attendance record in 2014, welcoming 189,722 fans for Saturday’s third round. Come dusk, the golf event only heats up as revelers stream across the street into the famous Birds Nest, a temporary nightclub that annually transforms into the center of Scottsdale’s entertainment universe.

Speaking of see-and-be-seen, not only is Grayhawk Golf Club (www.grayhawkgolf.com) a favorite of golf legend Phil Mickelson, for whom the club’s grillroom is named, it also developed a reputation as one of Scottsdale’s most stylish golf clubs. Not to say that Grayhawk’s Talon and Raptor courses aren’t superstars in their own right – highlighted by Talon’s scenic back nine and Raptor’s tournament history. In fact, Grayhawk hosted a variety of top-flight competitive events, including the Andersen Consulting World Championship of Golf, Williams World Challenge hosted by Tiger Woods, Tommy Bahama Challenge, and, of course, the Frys.com Open, a PGA TOUR event held on the Raptor Course 2007-2009. In 2014, the Talon and Raptor courses at Grayhawk ranked 17th and 18th respectively, according to Golfweek’s “Best Courses You Can Play in Arizona.”

Hand-stitched into the wilds of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation bordering Scottsdale, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club (www.wekopa.com) offers a desert golf experience like no other. Golfers are completely immersed in the Sonoran Desert with no dwellings, roads, or even out-of-bounds markers to distract them from the panoramic surroundings. Sports Illustrated named the Cholla Course among the “Top 10 New Golf Courses in the World” when it opened in 2001, and it has since become a fixture on Golf Magazine’s list of the “Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.” In 2006, the Coore/Crenshaw-designed Saguaro Course debuted to national acclaim, including being named one of Golf Digest’s “Best New Public Courses.” Most recently, We-Ko-Pa took two of the top four spots in Golfweek’s 2014 list of the “Best Courses You Can Play in Arizona,” with the Saguaro Course ranking No. 1 and the Cholla Course settling for No. 4. Golfweek also ranked the Saguaro Course 20th in its 2013 “Best Resort Courses” category; the Cholla Course came in at 46.

TRADITIONAL TRACKS
Although desert golf is associated with the typical golf experience in Scottsdale, the city features several outstanding courses that provide a traditional look and feel. Camelback Golf Club (http://ift.tt/1AzUweQ) celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2011 by breaking ground on a $10 million redesign of the Indian Bend Course. Now called Ambiente, it is one of two 18-hole championship courses at the resort. Overseen by Jason Straka of Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design,  the project yielded 12 new holes and enhancements, ranging from new bunkers and tees to reconfigured water features and cart paths on the remaining six. McCormick Ranch Golf Club (http://ift.tt/15auAKm) offers 36 holes that unfold around sprawling water hazards and along fairways lined by mature pine, eucalyptus and palm trees that complement the wide open spaces of Scottsdale’s desert tracks to the north.

STAY & PLAY SUPERSTARS
Enjoy world-class golf at The Boulders, A Waldorf Astoria Resort (www.theboulders.com), where the top-flight North and South courses wind around and over the property’s namesake rock formations. Golf Magazine included the resort in its list of “Premier Golf Resorts 2014: Gold Awards,” while Golfweek ranked the North Course No. 96 in its ranking of “Golfweek’s Best Resort Courses 2014” in the country. Also earning a Gold Award from Golf Magazine in 2014 was Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North (http://ift.tt/1fWlXal).  This beautiful, luxurious resort is nestled into the foothills of Scottsdale’s iconic Pinnacle Peak. Guests enjoy special access to Troon North Golf Club and its two award-winning courses.

Earning a Silver Medal Award in Golf Magazine’s 2014 Premier Golf Resorts ranking were Fairmont Scottsdale Princess (http://ift.tt/1disZIM), The Phoenician (http://ift.tt/U3fte2) and The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa (http://ift.tt/1e0aFAo). Neighboring the infamous Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess was also No. 50 on Golf Digest’s list of the “75 Best Golf Resorts.” Not to be outdone, The Phoenician ) is home to 27 picturesque holes of golf designed by Ted Robinson  and ranked No. 49 on Golf Digest’s list of the “75 Best Golf Resorts.” The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa offers three exceptional  nine-hole layouts, allowing golfers to mix and match to create a variety of playing experiences, as well as other innovative golf experiences, such as offering Segway golf carts and golf bikes. Afterword, walk next door to the open-air shopping promenade Kierland Commons (http://ift.tt/17XZWb9) or Scottsdale Quarter (http://ift.tt/1tyEKOS), for some of the city’s finest shopping, dining and nightlife.

FINE TUNE YOUR GAME
If smoothing out your swing is on your vacation checklist, here’s a quick rundown of Scottsdale’s finest golf academies and custom club-fitting facilities.

Official golf instruction partner of the PGA TOUR, the TOUR Academy at TPC Scottsdale (www.touracademy.com) lets attendees refine their game on the home course of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Stan Utley (http://ift.tt/1tyEMpP), ranked No. 14 on Golf Digest’s 2013-14 list of the Best Teachers in America,, offers his short-game magic at Grayhawk Golf Club.  And, Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott, No. 17 and No. 25 on the Golf Digest list, respectively, teach at Scottsdale’s Talking Stick Golf Club (http://ift.tt/1dBsYQm).  The Westin Kierland’s Mike LaBauve rounds out the Scottsdale contingent on the latest Golf Digest list, coming in at No. 35. In addition to exceptional instruction, students also can benefit from The Westin Kierland’s Fore-Max Training System, which blends traditional golf instruction with fitness and nutrition. At the Callaway Performance Centre at Troon North Golf Club, guests have access to the same club fitting technology used by the world’s top touring professionals. And Scottsdale’s Cool Clubs (www.coolclubs.com) identifies, recommends, and custom builds golf equipment that suits each golfer’s individual swing.

The Boulders’s Fore Ladies program, taught by The Boulders certified LPGA instructor, offers comprehensive instruction specifically designed to help ladies of all skill levels better understand the game.  It combines three days of instruction with social activities in a non-intimidating setting.  At Kierland Golf Club, female golfers receive instruction from Sandy LaBauve as part of her female-friendly program that’s been lauded by the Executive Women’s Golf Association.

BEYOND THE 19TH HOLE
The Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North offers a Golf Specialty Massage, which combines stretching with therapeutic massage using heated golf balls to ease tension. Improve balance and swing rotation with the Golf Performance Massage at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess’ Well & Being Spa (http://ift.tt/1disZIM), a muscle-noodling blend of massage, stretching and acupressure endorsed by famed golf instructor, David Leadbetter, and professional golfer, Charles Howell III.  Stay in the game by keeping your muscles fit at the Centre for Well-Being at The Phoenician. The spa’s Clinical Sports Massage is ideal for golfers looking to relieve sore muscles, increase flexibility and gain a speedy recovery. You’ll even increase game performance with the treatment’s stretching, compression and range of motion techniques.

FAMILY GOLF
The Junior Golf Academy at Troon North Golf Club focuses on the most important aspect of the game – fun! Young golfers learn important skills needed to improve, from driving the ball and hitting iron shots, to short game and rules of the game. Kierland Golf Club rolled out a family golf program that allows families to play and practice together. Juniors learn the fundamentals of putting, chipping and full swings, as well as golf etiquette and history of the game. The Family Tee program at TPC Scottsdale makes golf more enjoyable for kids and newbie adults by turning the Champions Course into a shorter, more playable venue. The Grayhawk Learning Center at Grayhawk Golf Club, rated the No. 2 golf school in the country by Golf Magazine, offers summer junior golf camps for youth ages 8 to 16 that dish up golf fundamentals from some of the top instructors in the country. The Boulders introduced two new short courses perfect for time-crunched and newer golfers.  The new “Pebble Tees” offer nine holes of play respectively and feature yardages of 100-to 200-yards. 

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Laura McMurchie, Vice President of Communications
Tel: 480-429-2253
E-mail: lmcmurchie@scottsdalecvb.com

Stephanie Pressler, Communications Coordinator
Tel: 480-889-2719 
E-mail: spressler@scottsdalecvb.com  
Visit us at http://ift.tt/1disXR3

Jerry Rose, Vice President of Communication Links
Tel: 480-348-7540
E-mail: jrose@commlinks.com

 



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Scottsdale Golf – 10 Things You Should Know Right Now

10 things to know about scottsdale golf

  1. Golf is big business. Golf is a big economic engine for Scottsdale and the state, pumping $3.4 billion into Arizona’s economy annually. The Arizona golf industry employs nearly 20,000 people, and golf generates approximately $80 million a year in taxes (Arizona Golf Industry Economic & Environmental Report). The largest golf event in terms of attendance, the PGA TOUR’s Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, accounts for approximately $222 million of the annual business and raised more than an estimated $7.1 million for Arizona charities in 2014.

  2. Scottsdale has a lot of golf courses. Made up of more than 220,000 people, Scottsdale has 51 golf courses within the city limits and more than 200 in the surrounding area. In fact, 14 of the top 30 golf courses in the state (according to Golf Magazine’s 2012 “Best Public Golf Courses in Arizona”) are located in Scottsdale, a larger portion of the state’s top-ranked courses than any other municipality in the nation.

  3. Golf in Arizona is a better steward of the land than you might think. According to the Arizona Golf Industry Economic & Environmental Report, Arizona’s approximately 340 courses account for just 2 percent of the state’s water consumption. The golf industry invests hundreds of millions of dollars on water-saving measures, devices and products. Plus, Audubon International has recognized several Scottsdale courses for their efforts to protect the environment by enhancing precious natural areas and wildlife habitats, including TPC Scottsdale, Kierland Golf Club, Talking Stick Golf Club, Camelback Golf Club and Troon North Golf Club.

  4. Scottsdale hosts the “Greatest and Greenest Show on Grass.” The 2014 Waste Management Phoenix Open was held Jan. 26 – Feb. 1 at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course, the tournament’s host since 1989. The golf course’s innovative stadium-style seating provides ample unobstructed views of the action that helped the tournament grow into the most-attended event on the PGA TOUR – each year hosting more than 500,000 golf fans. The 2014 event set a new overall tournament and PGA TOUR attendance record of 563,008, as well as a new single-day attendance record during Saturday’s 3rd round with 189,722 fans on hand. As the galleries swelled, the fun-filled lifestyle aspect followed suit with entertainment at the Birds Nest, where thousands of fans rock out to national headline music acts and local bands. But don’t forget about 132 of the world’s best professional golfers who were there slugging it out for their share of the $6.2 million purse and the $1.16 million first-place check.

  5. It’s a great place to fine-tune your game. Scottsdale’s expert in the equipment side of performance enhancement, Cool Clubs, provides the same custom club fitting services enjoyed by professional golfers with the ability to identify, recommend and custom-build the right equipment for any golf swing. You can also find an incredible array of top-notch golf instructors in Scottsdale. The city is home to six of “The Best Teachers in America,” according to Golf Digest’s 2013-14 list. They include No. 3 Jim McLean at SunRidge Canyon Golf Club, No. 14 Stan Utley at Grayhawk Golf Club, No. 17 Pia Nilsson and No. 25 Lynn Marriott at Talking Stick Golf Club, No. 31 Peter Kostis at Grayhawk Golf Club, and No. 35 Mike LaBauve at Kierland Golf Club.

  6. Home to “Top 100 Courses You Can Play.” Scottsdale is home to six of the “Top 100 Courses You Can Play” according to Golf Magazine’s 2012 rankings. Grayhawk Golf Club’s Talon Course was ranked at No. 99. Thanks to the renovations by Tom Weiskopf, both Troon North Golf Club courses made the list. The Monument Course came in at No. 52, and the Pinnacle Course was ranked No. 20. Both We-Ko-Pa Golf Club courses made the cut as well; Cholla ranks No. 37 and Saguaro No. 40. Lastly, The Boulders South Course came in at No. 93. 
  7. We cater to the luxury golf traveler. Scottsdale boasts an impressive array of luxury golf resorts, more than any other golf destination in North America. The Phoenician, centrally located in Scottsdale’s downtown, has three 9-hole tracks. The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, adjacent to Kierland Commons, also incorporates three 9-hole courses. Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is home to the famous TPC Scottsdale, host of the PGA TOUR’s Waste Management Phoenix Open. And in North Scottsdale, you’ll find the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North and The Boulders, A Waldof Astoria Resort. Both offer 36-hole facilities with courses that regularly rank as Arizona’s best.

  8. There’s plenty of action off the course. Scottsdale provides the perfect sun-filled playground for kicking back at a luxury resort, unwinding at a relaxing spa, hiking and biking in the Sonoran Desert, or checking out one of the city’s hip bars and nightclubs. Described as “a desert version of Miami’s South Beach” by The New York Times, downtown Scottsdale is urban chic and the place locals go for entertainment. Here, you can experience chef-driven restaurants, sizzling nightlife, fine art galleries and unparalleled shopping. Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Quarter (across the street from Kierland Golf Club) also provide plenty of nightly sizzle for even the most discerning visitors.

  9. Golf in Scottsdale isn’t your father’s game. As the times change, so does the golf in Scottsdale. In November 2013, the 18-hole Ambiente debuted at Camelback Golf Club as the destination’s newest high-end course. It follows on the heels of McDowell Mountain Golf Club (formerly Sanctuary Golf Club), which was purchased by Phil Mickelson and Steve Loy and completed a minor course renovation and major clubhouse overhaul. The ever-hip Grayhawk Golf Club added another inviting food option – Isabella’s Kitchen – featuring American Italian favorites. And for the kids who play, Troon North Golf Club and the Boulders Golf Club are growing the game with their Monument Express and Pebble Tee programs, effectively shortening the course using a new set of tees to encourage a fun experience.

  10. You can save a buck or two in the shoulder seasons. Every vacation market on the planet has a peak season when demand and rates are at their highest. For Scottsdale, it’s January through April. Those wishing to experience the city’s golf on a budget can take advantage of excellent values in the shoulder seasons. Mid-October through December marks the fall shoulder season when a lush green blanket of new ryegrass covers the golf course, cool fall temps have replaced the heat of summer and lodging rates have yet to climb to their peak-season levels. Late April through mid-June marks the summer shoulder season, at which time the Bermuda grass starts to take hold. This can result in some browning, but the overall surface is still very good and the lack of humidity results in moderate weather.  


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Thursday, May 7, 2015

Il y a quelque chose de différent à Scottsdale!

Scottsdale, une allure sophistiquée
Scottsdale est une ville dynamique et raffinée, au charme et à l’hospitalité d’antan, offrant des panoramas à couper le souffle et de nombreux chefs d’œuvres architecturaux. Ne manquez pas ses monuments incontournables tels que l’hôtel Valley Ho, l’un des seuls complexes hôteliers au design typique du milieu du XXème siècle, érigé dans les années 1950 et toujours sur pied aujourd’hui ; ou encore Cosanti, un projet architectural expérimental s’étalant sur plus de deux hectares, qui abrite la demeure et l’atelier de l’architecte contemporain d’origine italienne, Paolo Soleri. Mais aucune découverte de l’architecture de Scottsdale n’est complète sans un arrêt à Taliesin West, une création de Frank Lloyd Wright. http://ift.tt/Qz4FCs, www.cosanti.com, http://ift.tt/Q21xnG, http://ift.tt/17XZY2E

La renaissance urbaine du centre-ville de Scottsdale
Le vieux centre-ville de Scottsdale connaît une seconde jeunesse avec la transformation de son ancien canal Indien en un centre-ville dynamique avec plus de 80 bars, lounges et boîtes de nuit ; plus de 100 restaurants ; et plus de 30 000 visiteurs chaque week-end pendant la haute saison. SouthBridge, un quartier urbain regroupant des restaurants indépendants et une grande variété de boutiques uniques et branchées, illustre parfaitement cette renaissance du centre de Scottsdale. Séjournez dans l’un des somptueux hôtels de luxe du centre-ville tels que Bespoke Inn, Café & Bicyles, l’unique bed & breakfast de Scottsdale. http://ift.tt/17VeZ32, www.bespokeinn.com

Vous voulez être un cowboy ?
Si vous souhaitez vivre une expérience unique dans la peau d’un cow-boy en plein Far West, c’est possible avec Fort McDowell Adventures, à l’Arizona Cowboy College ou au MacDonald’s Ranch. Admirez le lever du soleil sur les MacDowell Mountains lors d’une chevauchée matinale dans le désert avec Fort MacDowell Adventures ou au MacDonald’s Ranch, qui s’étend sur 518 hectares. Si vous recherchez plus que de simples promenades et barbecues en plein air, l’Arizona Cowboy College propose une immersion totale et authentique dans la vie d’un véritable cow-boy. Au programme : nuit à la belle étoile et cours intensifs sur la connaissance du bétail et des techniques d’équitation avec des leçons en plein air d’initiation à la conduite d’un troupeau et autres activités de cow-boy. Parmi les autres lieux de prédilection des cow-boys en herbe, on compte le Rusty Spur Saloon et Handlebar J ainsi que de nouvelles adresses branchées en centre-ville telles que Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row.http://ift.tt/1fWlWmy, http://ift.tt/1fWlWTM, http://ift.tt/1fWlWmB, http://ift.tt/17VeYMF, www.handlebarj.com, http://ift.tt/17XZVUy

Au contact de la culture Amérindienne
Scottsdale a toujours entretenu un lien étroit avec ses racines Amérindiennes. L’Arizona compte 22 communautés d’Indiens d’Amérique, dont deux établies à la porte de Scottsdale. Assistez à des danses traditionnelles, telles que la Danse de l’Aigle, réalisées par des danseurs vêtus de costumes aux couleurs vives, la plupart des jeudis et samedis, de janvier à avril, pendant les Native Trails. Découvrez l’art et l’histoire des Amérindiens au Heard Museum. Témoignez de la réunion du passé et du présent au sein du Talking Stick Resort. Situé sur les terres de la communauté indienne de Salt River Pima-Maricopa, l’hôtel propose des représentations gratuites mettant à l’honneur la culture Amérindienne à travers le chant et la danse. Admirez les motifs des traditionnels paniers Yavapai imprimés sur la porcelaine, le papier peint ou les tapis à l’intérieur du We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center, situé dans la réserve indienne de Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. Au Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch, le Native American Learning Center est un projet éducatif évolutif résultant d’une étroite collaboration entre le resort et des artistes et éducateurs Amérindiens, ayant pour but d’initier les visiteurs à la vie des tribus Hopi et Navajo. http://ift.tt/17Msq7K, www.heard.org, www.pueblogrande.com, http://ift.tt/15kWSGn, http://ift.tt/1disXAO, http://ift.tt/17Msq7J

Parcourez le centre-ville autrement
Pourquoi ne pas abandonner votre voiture et grimper dans le bus pour explorer le centre de Scottsdale ? Découvrez le centre-ville piéton lors d’une expédition culinaire avec Destination Food Tours. Au programme de cette visite pédestre : dégustations de mets locaux dans des établissements bien cachés et récits de la riche histoire du quartier pour le plaisir du palais et de l’esprit. Contemplez les plus beaux monuments de la ville avec Tru Cab, une compagnie de taxis locale. Chaque voiture est équipée d’une tablette vous permettant de choisir votre propre musique ou de rechercher un restaurant à proximité. Empruntez le service de trolley gratuit de la ville et descendez à l’un des quelques 40 arrêts desservis. http://ift.tt/17Msswa, www.trucab.com, http://ift.tt/IthzU2

Scottsdale toute en saveurs
Manger local à Scottsdale n’a jamais été aussi simple avec des chefs cultivant leurs propres jardins d’herbes aromatiques et collaborant avec des fournisseurs locaux d’aliments bio pour élaborer leurs menus. FnB, l’un des restaurants indépendants les plus renommés de Scottsdale, propose de bons petits plats à base de produits de saison, locaux et bio et offre une sélection de vins provenant exclusivement d’Arizona. Son propriétaire, Pavle Milic, a par ailleurs développé son « amour du local » avec sa dernière entreprise, Bodega/AZ Wine Merchants, une boutique de vin au détail et épicerie fine. À Old Town Farmer’s Market, dans le centre-ville, goûtez à une large variété de saveurs locales et de spécialités du désert de Sonora ou rendez-vous à The Farm Sessions, une expérience « de la ferme à la table » où les chefs de la ville accompagnent les participants sur le marché et proposent des cours de cuisine de saison avec les ingrédients locaux. http://ift.tt/IthzU1, http://ift.tt/1fDv40O

Explorez le désert de Sonora en randonnée, au volant d’un Hummer, en hélicoptère, en Jeep ou en avion
À Scottsdale, le désert de Sonora, l’un des quatre déserts majeurs d’Amérique du Nord, est le plus luxuriant au monde. Profitez du lever du soleil lors d’une randonnée matinale à Pinnacle Peak ou à travers la Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve – l’une des plus vastes réserves naturelles du pays, s’étalant sur près de 15 000 hectares. Amateurs de sensations fortes ? Partez en excursion en Jeep ou en Hummer à travers les montagnes escarpées ou prenez de la hauteur à bord d’une montgolfière pour admirer le désert sous un angle différent. Pour des vues aériennes spectaculaires, accrochez votre ceinture pour un vol en hydravion avec à la clé, un amerrissage sur le Roosevelt Lake ou grimpez à bord d’un hélicoptère pour survoler Piestewa Peak et Camelback Mountain. http://ift.tt/IthzU5http://ift.tt/1bRTNfM, http://ift.tt/IthxM2, http://ift.tt/IthxM3, www.azheli.com

Le plus grand événement golfique
Avec 330 jours d’ensoleillement par an et plus de 220 parcours de golf, Scottsdale est la Mecque du golf. Mais la ville est surtout réputée pour accueillir « la plus grande fête du golf » (« The Greatest and Greenest Party on Grass »). Le Waste Management Phoenix Open est le tournoi de golf le plus attendu au monde  et attire 500 000 spectateurs des quatre coins de la planète pendant les quatre jours de compétition au TPC Scottsdale. La foule qui s’amasse à la manière d’un stade de football américain  pour suivre la compétition depuis le 16ème trou et la fête incessante au fameux Birds Nest ont valu au tournoi son surnom. Rien à voir avec la partie de golf du dimanche. http://ift.tt/1rgJPx5, http://ift.tt/IthxM6, http://ift.tt/17XZY2L

Les meilleurs hôtels-spa du monde
Pour une expérience spa ultime, rendez-vous à Scottsdale ! Cette destination spa revigorante propose des soins mêlant des éléments ancestraux issus du désert de Sonora à des techniques modernes. La destination offre des ressources originales et avant-gardistes qui séduiront à coup sûr les amateurs de spa les plus aguerris. Les cailloux de rivière d’Arizona,les boues et argiles du désert de Sonora, le miel produit localement, les herbes et autres espèces uniques issues du désert, les balles de golf chaudes, les citrons verts, l’eucalyptus aromatique, l’améthyste et l’avoine naturel sont autant d’éléments locaux utilisés pour choyer, relaxer, détoxifier et revigorer les hôtes. http://ift.tt/17XZVUK

Une oasis VIP en plein désert
Avec ses hôtels-resorts élégants, son offre de shopping de classe internationale et sa vie nocturne dynamique, Scottsdale a toujours été un refuge pour les célébrités. Tout débute dans les années 1950, quand les plus grands noms d’Hollywood commencent à fréquenter les hôtels mêlant luxe, intimité et piscine de charme, dans le cadre rustique de l’Ouest. L’hôtel Valley Ho, le Royal Palms Resort and Spa et The Hermosa Inn font partie des établissements de Scottsdale qui ont attiré des célébrités et qui continuent de les accueillir encore aujourd’hui.  Le Scottsdale Fashion Square attire  les icônes de la mode telles que Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Jessica Parker et Angelina Jolie. Les stars de la chanson telles que Beyoncé, Jay-Z et Britney Spears ont séjourné au très exclusif Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa. La ville est une destination de choix pour Jennifer Garner, Jamie Foxx, Halle Berry et Jeremy Piven. http://ift.tt/Qz4FCs,http://ift.tt/TxZl3p, www.hermosainn.com, http://ift.tt/IthxM7, http://ift.tt/IthzUa

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