Valley Fever?

When a friend recently asked me for suggestions of things to do in Phoenix, I realized my parents' move years ago to halfway between the Valley and Tucson had rendered me pretty clueless. Even when I rented a car, I never strayed very far, always wanting to spend as much time as possible with my parents and my sister's family in Chandler.Would be curious what my Arizona readers have to say about the list I came up with -- and what they would recommend as well.

Here's what I said:

Green-chile burros with guacamole at Carolina's is something you should do. 

Some light mountain climbing is fun on Camelback Mountain and/or Piestewa Peak (known as Squaw Peak when I lived there -- damn liberals!). 

Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home, is cool. There's so much FLW architecture all around where you're staying, too.

People love the Desert Botanical Garden.

Will you be there April 3? The First Friday Art Walk thing goes on downtown on Roosevelt Street, which was a haven for tranny hookers when I lived there. (Danny Bonaduce remembers, too!)

Jobot is a cute coffee place (in an old house) downtown

Lux is said to be good, too. 

I loved AZ88 back in ... 1988. (Waffle fries!) 

Changing Hands was my favorite bookstore when I was a kid -- where I nabbed copy of "The Joy of Gay Sex" in the used section (eek!). The location I knew and loved -- in Old Town Tempe -- is long gone. But I hear they have recently added a new location on Camelback downtown as well as the strip-mall replacement in Tempe.

The Musical Instrument Museum might appeal to you. 

The Arizona Biltmore Hotel is spectacular -- maybe have dinner there. The Biltmore Fashion Park is right there, if you're in the mood for overpriced shopping.

Sadly, the Breck Shampoo Hall of Fame is long gone ...

Readers: That's the full list. Feel free to straighten me out in the comments, or email me HERE.