73 september 28, 2023 | WWW.bestofphoenix2023.c0m | best of phoenix 2023 property, allowing attendees learn about Wright, his architecture and his life. Tours are offered during the day and night. Taliesin West was built almost 80 years ago, and touring the property means taking a look at how architecture takes shape in the middle of the desert. Wright’s ultimate goal was “to make life more beautiful, the world a better one for living in and to give reason, rhyme to the meaning of life.” For those who want to do a deeper dive into Wright’s philosophy, special workshops and exhibitions are offered throughout the year. Best Place to Be an Idiot PHOENIX IDIOTAROD azcacophony.org/idiotarod When it comes to gonzo events, absolutely nothing in the Valley is like the Phoenix Idiotarod. On one chaos-filled Saturday each February, gangs of self-proclaimed “idiots” dress in costumes and race custom-decorated shopping carts around downtown Phoenix in a massively madcap competition. Naturally, alcohol is involved. Equal parts urban prank, bar crawl, art spectacle and IRL episode of “Jackass,” the Idiotarod is organized by the Arizona Cacophony Society and is the most drunken fun you can have in costume outside of a wild Halloween party. Here’s the setup: Teams of five or more choose a theme inspired by pop culture or other subject matter and gear up both them- selves and their cart. Hilarity ensues, as do inebriated antics. Over the next several hours, teams race to nearby bars and checkpoints, sabotage competing teams and engage in challenges like limbo dance- offs or dueling with inflatable penises. Is it scandalous and shocking? Frequently, but it’s all in good fun. If you’d like to join these idiots in action, registrations open in January via the Society’s website. Athleticism is optional, but enthusiasm, a warped sense of humor and a strong liver are all useful. Best Holiday Tradition APS ELECTRIC LIGHT PARADE phoenix.gov/parks/special-events/ electric-light-parade In our fast-paced world, parades seem awfully quaint. Which is why we love to slow down for a bit and take in the APS Electric Light Parade each year. At a time when the holidays make our crazy exis- tence even crazier, we post up along Central Avenue and wait for the brightly lit vehicles to crawl by. We’re not rushing to buy gifts or hurrying to a holiday party; the only thing we have to do in this moment is enjoy the company of whoever we’re with, bask in the colors and the sounds and take in the crisp, late fall air. It’s a welcome moment of relaxation and a wonderful way to usher in the holiday season. Best Road for Cruising CAMELBACK ROAD BETWEEN CENTRAL AVENUE AND 52ND STREET It’s hard to define what’s helped forge Phoenix’s identity. One of the most essential aspects of the Valley, though, has been its constant sense of evolution — the Best Place for a Night Stroll ROOSEVELT ROW Roosevelt Street between Seventh Avenue and Seventh Street rooseveltrow.org There’s no one defining area of Phoenix — all these nooks and crannies we call neighborhoods represent the city’s robust multifacetedness. That said, Roosevelt Row (that’s Roosevelt Street effectively from Seventh Avenue to Seventh Street) feels like the best-case example for a singular Phoenix expe- rience. That breezy 1-mile jaunt will take you past a slew of art galleries, cele- brated venues like The Nash, heaps of bars and restaurants (like Carly’s Bistro) and gorgeous historic homes dating back to the 1920s (or earlier). Roosevelt Row is perhaps the best example of what happens when Phoenix’s arts, food and nightlife scenes are perfectly united in the most accessible ways possible. Plus, this stroll, paired with the right winter or spring weather, is the best way to experience Phoenix’s unique culture and heritage in a way that aligns with whatever your game plan may be that evening. It’s a means to feel connected in a very real way and to see the heart of Phoenix that you couldn’t get in a full drive across the city proper. So grab your best shoes — be they sneakers or high heels — and get to walking.
