Liu Family Vacations

On the way to Fashion Square Mall: Optima Camel View Village--luxury condos

Camelview Village is Scottsdale’s first and largest mixed-use urban in-fill green development. Seeking a LEED Silver green certification, the project consists of 700 residential units in eleven interconnected vegetated terraced buildings with 24,000 sq. ft. of ground level retail space on a 13 acre site. It’s situated between the dominant Camelback Mountain to the northwest and the pedestrian accessible downtown art and retail district immediately to the south.

Welcome to Optima Camelview Scottsdale Condos! A dynamic landmark to architectural beauty and refined urban living is on the horizon. An exclusive address in the center of downtown Scottsdale unlike anything you have ever seen before. Where blossoming private terraces climb to gardened rooftops in the sky. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls fill your living space with an ever-changing panorama of glowing daytime mountain ranges and star-filled nighttime skies. Sophisticated recreation and relaxation opportunities in a resort-style setting swirl around the heart of its vibrant village. And nearby, all the shopping, dining, entertainment, and cultural venues of downtown Scottsdale constantly entice you to take a leisurely stroll. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4uHJOb6DvM

http://www.optimaweb.com/Homes/ScottsdaleCondos/

from $385K-1M

The nuts and bolts of Scottsdale's Green Building Program include guidelines in site use, energy, building materials, indoor air quality, solid waste and water usage.

Optima Camelview Village | Notes of Interest

The project intends to: (1) blend urban and natural desert landscapes to create a dynamic, public, pedestrian friendly environment, (2) integrate local contemporary architectural vernacular with the demands of high-density 21st century residential design, and (3) integrate green roof design and technology to enhance human experiences and ecological stewardship, providing landscaped space to every residence in the 7-story buildings within the site’s 65’ height limit.

Vegetated Terraces and Roofs

All residential units feature a vegetated terrace with the environmental benefits of reducing outdoor patio temperatures and cleansing of airborne toxins (dust and smog particulates). Vegetated terraces and roofs also provide the following benefits:

• Storm water management (terraces reduce rain water run-off)
• Oxygenation (conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen)
• Protection of roofs from ultraviolet light (minimize roof membrane disintegration)
• Reduction of noise transmission (plants absorb sound)
• Recycling of plant and soil nutrients (supports healthy vegetation)
• Increased energy efficiency (mass and thermal lag)

A total of 23 acres of multi-level vegetated terraces are provided on the 13 acre site. The “urban heat island” effect, where traditional roofs absorb intense heat, is reduced through the natural properties and benefits provided by vegetated landscapes. The end effect is a tempered micro-climate that is meticulously integrated into a high density, pedestrian oriented urban environment.
http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Page9880.aspx

More Old Town

We found a cool African art shop with a very knowlegeable lady. Bought a dark green malachite bead necklace. Darker green than any other malachite in the world.

http://africabydesignimports.com/

Old Town Scottsdale--Bischoff's

Bischoff’s at the park opened in 1999 and is celebrating its 13th anniversary. The gallery, located in historic Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona carries work by Native American, western, and southwestern artists.

Known for its collection of native American Jewelry, Bischoff’s also offers a selection of Navajo Rugs, kachinas, pottery, baskets and fine art from artisans of many tribes.

Anslem Bischoff's passion for fine arts and crafts developed from watching his grandfather, Camillo Garcia, who collected and traded with the Native Americans at his trading post in Canyon de Chelly.

Shades of the West (founded in 1971) and Bischoff’s at the Park located in Old Town, Scottsdale, Arizona offer a wide spectrum of both contemporary and traditional art.

Bischoff Southwest Art

Saguaro along the streets in Scottsdale

Some Quick Facts about Saguaro Cacti:

You will only find saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert.
Saguaro cacti take a very long time to grow. A new saguaro takes at least eight years to grow to a height of 1-1.5 inches.
They produce their first flowers at 35 years.
The first branches or arms do not come until the saguaro is 50-70 years old.
Saguaros are not considered adult cacti until they are 125 years old.
It is believed the typical lifespan for a saguaro is 150-175 years.
Saguaro have very shallow root bases. So, when you see a saguaro propped up with wooden beams, it is typically a newly planted one that needs time for the roots to get established.
A mature saguaro can have up to 25 arms.
Saguaros can reach heights in excess of 50 feet. It is the tallest of the cactus species.
The saguaro is mostly made up of water, which makes it a very heavy plant. For instance, a 50 foot saguaro could clock in at around 8 tons.
The Saguaro National Park is located down in Tucson and is truly a sight to see.

really old agaves--they were replacing these in the renovation

Taliesin West

Frank Lloyd Wright began building this desert masterpiece in 1937 as his personal winter home, studio, and architectural campus. Located on the beautiful Sonoran desert in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains in northeast Scottsdale, the site offers a broad range of guided public tours. Visitors experience Wright’s brilliant ability to integrate indoor and outdoor spaces.

http://www.franklloydwright.org/about/TaliesinWestTours.html

Better pics here

pink/purplish opuntia used everywhere

Slideshow tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y2HC3-ocsQ
Beth Fisher shows you around Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona. Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home, it is still the winter home of Taliesin Fellowship, the architectural school started by Wright and his third wife, Olgivanna, in 1932.

Tlaquepaque in Sedona

Tlaquepaque Art & Crafts Village
“The Art and Soul of Sedona”

Helicopter ride in Red Rock Sedona--doors off

Neither of us had been in helicopter before. Doors off because it was plenty warm enough. and I guess u can get better pictures. So first they tell you to not carry anything that might blow away or vibrate off you--like cellphones, keys. The rotor wash was pretty severe, and I got a bit chilled by the end.

A different view from the air, and took less time than driving different dirt roads in and out.

They said this pilot used to land on fishing ships way out at sea--spotting schools of fish.