17 Nov 23rd–Nov 29th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Questions? Feedback? Email me at [email protected] • Follow me on RATING (out of 5 McFly’s) C’mon D-BaCks! 2023 Lexus RC 350 F spoRt 2023 Lexus RC 350 F spoRt W hat better way to celebrate the D-Backs making it to the World Series than flying around town in a sick looking sports coupe. The 2023 Lexus RC350 F Sport looks cool and dives great. And in true Lexus fashion, the RC 350 screams “I’m a Lexus, so watch out.” So my brothers flew into town for Game 1 in AZ (game 3 of the series) to surprise LeRoy McFly and take him to the Series. It was cool to experience the MLB’s Championship with my pops and bros. Sadly, the D-Backs couldn’t pull it out but you know what did step up? The RC 350 F-Sport actually fit all 4 of us adult males. The second row legroom wasn’t the best but it did get the job done, shockingly. The 3.5-Liter V6 engine is a blast to drive with a solid 311 horsepower. I was a little disappointed in the 19/26 MPG but the power trade off makes up for it. Just don’t be a lead foot and you’ll be fine. The $61,430 price tag feels a little high but the looks and drive of the RC 350 F-Sport make it worthwhile when compared to the competition. Too bad the D-Backs crumbled against the competition in the World Series. Pick-Up: Handling: Comfort: Passenger Comfort: Safety & Security: Sound System: Access to Controls: Bells & Whistles: Overall: Looks: A much hotter version of home On April 1, I packed my hyperactive pit bull, 10 suitcases and my dad, who would be my travel companion, into my Jeep Renegade and set off down the Alcan Highway. It would take 10 days and 3,600 miles to safely arrive in Phoenix. My furniture would take an additional six weeks to make the journey. Moving was nothing new to me. I spent much of my adult life country hopping as a professional athlete. But relocating to Phoenix was something entirely different. This time, I was cutting physical ties with my home state of Alaska and truly embarking on a new adventure. Admittedly, the Phoenix summer heat and I didn’t get along. I ended up with second-degree sunburns and heat exhaus- tion several times. Luckily, the discomfort was tempered by the friends I was able to make in my first few months here. After adding truly Arizonan catch- phrases, such as “Just wait for the winter when the weather is amazing” and “It’ll cool down eventually” to my vocabulary, Phoenix started to feel like (a much hotter version of) home. I haven’t spent enough time in the city to fully explore all of the things that make it great. But I have found my niches — on the field with the Phoenix Rugby Women’s Club and on the sport court at Peoria Sportsplex. Because Phoenix is a city of outsiders packed together, it isn’t hard to find a kindred soul. And that is what I am most thankful for. We all came to the desert in search of different things but found common ground in a place that by all accounts should be inhospitable. So, Phoenix, thank you for the hot summer nights and occasional opportuni- ties to dance in the rain. For the friendly smiles of strangers on a tough day. And for the chance to push beyond my comfort zone while reporting on the stories that matter most to you. — O’HARA SHIPE Educational opportunities on every corner Phoenix, a city pulsing with intellectual vibrancy, not only hosts 19 postsecondary institutions but also offers an array of educational opportunities scattered throughout its neighborhoods. From the inspirational world of acting classes to life-saving CPR certi- fication, and even ballroom dancing or hand-roll sushi crafting, Phoenix has a class tailored to every passion and interest. It’s a place where the desire for knowledge can take off. Dive into the tapestry of Indigenous culture and history at Heard Museum, where art shows the profound history of the Southwest’s first inhabitants. Gaze upon the stars of our galaxy at the Arizona Science Center. Then, take a walk at the Phoenix Zoo or visit the OdySea Aquarium to learn about the wildlife all around us. Venture to the future by attending one of Phoenix’s Venture Café events, where innovators and entrepreneurs reveal the next big thing in our ever-evolving city. Education is about nurturing critical thinking and honing problem-solving skills. It helps shape individuals into informed citizens. In the heart of Phoenix, you’ll find educational opportunities on every corner. — GRACE MACK A diverse mix of people and sports LGBTQ+ diversity. Stroll through the annual Phoenix Pride festival in Steele Indian School Park and one thing becomes clear pretty quickly: It’s a beautiful mix of people that showcases the diversity of the Valley. The crowd cuts across race and ethnicity, gender, age and size. A lesbian couple walking hand in hand? Check. Dads with a kid? Yep. Twenty-somethings in gender- fluid outfits? That, too. It’s the people watching that makes the event so special for me, and so thankful once the weekend comes to a close. At least for a few days, LGBTQ+ folks come together, march through the streets in solidarity and forget the persecution thrown at them during the legislative session. It’s also a time to set aside the differences that sometimes divide LGBTQ+ people and proudly celebrate what it means to be LGBTQ+. It’s a show- case of how far we’ve come since a brave group of organizers held the city’s first Pride march in 1981. Sportsball. For sports fans, the Valley is heaven. Where else can you watch Devin Booker and Kevin Durant show off their All-Star skills together, cheer on an Arizona Diamondbacks team that brought the World Series back to Chase Field, delight in the skills of Brittney Griner and Kyler Murray, get rowdy at a PGA event, snag a college bowl game and shake your head at grown men playing hockey in the desert. Don’t forget that you can also feel the rumble of stock cars at the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race and, coming next March, watch Phoenix Rising open its defense of the USL Championship they won earlier this month. It’s an embar- rassingly rich offering of sports that runs year-round. — MATT HENNIE
