On two days a week Downtown Phoenix, the streets, are open and still (deep silence and calm | not moving or making a sound).  Traffic is non-existent except for an occasional lonely car, probably someone else looking for a good breakfast. 

Modern Phoenix said, "One of the best parts about living in lower Manhattan was how deserted the business districts would become, open for play by bikers, skaters, and roller-bladers. We'd roll the canyons without fear of traffic. Perhaps Phoenix should celebrate its desertedness and market downtown as a place for wheels to play."

For a long while I thought this was an issue, this emptiness, stillness, lack of cars buzzing-by.  But, this is something we can embrace by using the car-less streets to enjoy festivals, rides, events, cultural evens or the simple quiet.

It may seem still but the few places where food is available, especially good food, are full of activity and conversation while waiting for breakfast, for lunch, such as at Matt's Big Breakfast or Palatte - before it closed.

There is a bit of aura building around the "still weekend."  On a recent walk through the streets we saw how exciting and interesting Phoenix is.  A man was riding a bicycle, a custom made bike, shining chrome with a large wheel in the back and a front fork which extends for 3-4 feet ahead only to end with a small wheel a quarter of the size of the back: he was lazily riding down the sidewalk pulling behind him a small trailer filled with goods.

Watching the light rail go by a sail poked over a low fence.  It was a guy riding his skateboard on the usually busy streets of Central Ave. propelled by the sail, a large sail.  Turning in irregular circles and riding from street to street as if a sail boat.  It's quite a sight among tall skyscrapers, wide streets with rails and 3 lanes.

We chased as small dog who found itself on the busy 7th St thoroughfare, lost and unable to maneuver.  Luckily someone else stopped an picked him up before we got there.  On a weekday he'd have no chance, on weekend he was noticed and rescued.

A historic building had a spine in the window and a few potted plans basking in the sun.  A well dressed man, in a suit was sleeping on a bus bench: maybe he took benadryl and had a small drink.  That's a combination that will but the strongest to sleep on the spot.

Then a large colorful mass moving along the sidewalk rapidly, reflecting in the glass of passing buildings, glistening frames of bicycles, helmets and sponsor plastered tight fitting shorts and shirts; broke the stillness, but only for a short while.

How can it be so still yet so full of interest, the busy weekday life hides these oddities: on the weekend they are highlighted.

For now the big condos projects, many of them, 44Monroe, Cityscape, an more are struggling, for the most part vacant or yet to be finished.  ASU is still being built, Alta almost done but food is coming and food, the good stuff of local making, will draw in people. 

Borges enjoyed traveling the strands of cobblestone and asphalt of the urban landscape that is Buenos Aires, moving from one sector of the city to another.  

We don't have cobbled-stone streets, nor are we the Paris of North America like Buenos Aires is of South America but there is texture in the streets and in the space of Downtown Phoenix.

And so the wind will cry the words of love
and you'll design the day you're thinking of
Now so much closer so much more in tune
We'll take the Stars, the Sun but first the Moon .

(TFK)


Listen to your hearts desires.

Drive to Medlock Place.  Look for a parking spot not in front of a house so you don't find key impression on your car or a frying egg on the blazing hot hood: it's late March so it's starting to get hot.  Near Central Ave there are a few spots on the side of the street where trees overhang creating an oasis of peace only disturbed by the occasional bird gifts: park there.

Get the bikes and travel south on Central Ave.  The first stop is Lux Coffee for that eternally magnificent caffe latte: iced, please, "it's hot."

With coffee in hand -to go- head south.  The destination is Encanto Palmcroft.  We'll be looking at historic homes in storybook like setting.

I forgot.  Put on suntan lotion unless you like that sort of delayed pain.  Wiz in and out of traffic.  This will keep everyone more engaged.

We took a detour to view a few properties that other agents failed to take photos of.  In some cases I'm not surprised but it tends to be inconvenient to view a home purported to be a cute bungalow and actually seeing a ranch home with peeling paint on the fascia and a busy street next door. 

By now you should be somewhere in the vicinity of Thomas and 15th Ave.  Go south to the Encanto Park.  Encanto Park Enchanted Island Amusement Park, with a host of rides for children ages 2 to 10 years old.

We're interested in cycling so let's leave the chu-chu train for another time.  Rent a green water bicycle. Blue won't work. They are $8.00 for 2 people for 1/2 hour: that's all you need to go around the island.  

The best part of cycling on the lake is along the way you can pick up lots of point by targeting oranges, plastic bottles and ducks with odd shaped heads.  We racked up 27 points: beat us!  

There are a few obstacles too: green slime monsters and swirling bottomless circulating pump things and you'll have to go under 3 bridges which hide spiders by the thousands and secret messages in multi-colors, in languages unknown to humankind.  

With your legs well worn from peddling on the water, get back on the real bikes.  Just south of Encanto Blvd. is Encanto Palmcroft, the amazingly beautiful historic neighborhood.   If you got here in a car, get out.  Ride or walk otherwise you'll miss everything.  If you were to shoot a film with an enchanting, story book setting: a fairly tale you'd have to change nothing here. 

Yards immersed in flowers, homes have slate roofs, green, red, pink exteriors: stained glass windows: huge green trees overhanging the paths: palm tree lined streets and oddly shaped knolls removing the tips of grass fields: it's all here: get lost in it, the destination, the journey. 

Encanto = Enchanted

Believe, in the church of your heart.
And every step you'll take is magic.
You'll stand up to the heat
And thru the looking glass of wonder
The universe, now at your feet.... (The Flower Kings)