My favorite is a this peaceful view of the McDowell Mountains, taken from the McCormick Ranch Golf Course.

Feels like spring, even though it still looks a bit like fall.

I spotted this car and license plate a couple weeks ago as I was walking out of restaurant on Scottsdale Road. 

Definitely a “Thank You, Santa” kind of car!

And, a Scottsdale moment on a rare rainy day.

There’s still time to get out a see a few Holiday Lights in Scottsdale. I haven’t seen Zoo Lights this year, but have heard that they are fantastic, as always. Go early to miss the long lines getting in.

Wishing you all the best as we wrap up 2011.

A couple weeks ago I participated in the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk in Old Town Scottsdale. Fifty local photographers met at 5 pm on a Saturday night and wondered about several blocks of Scottsdale. Mostly along Main Street.

Here are several of my quiet views of Old Town Scottsdale on Saturday, October 1st. It was an uncommon day, very overcast, clearing up as the sun was setting.

Love this Old Town with New Times view.

Art work and sculptures everywhere downtown. Pretty amazing to see them tucked in here and there.

Lots of cowboy boots at Saba’s, just across the street from the Rusty Spur Saloon.

T-shirt stores.

Lots of jewelry stores. Had to walk in and ask how much this beautiful bowl was. $900!

More sculptures line the street.

And finally, sunset on Main and Marshall Way.

More photos:

Downtown Scottsdale on Flickr

Historic Scottsdale–A Walking Photo Tour

In addition to being named 4th best city in the U.S by BusinessWeek.com this week, the city captured a few more awards for art, innovation, and more.

Scottsdale’s landmark Soleri Bridge and Plaza captured two top honors at the Valley Forward Association’s Environmental Excellence Awards. The Soleri Bridge and Plaza captured top spot in both the Art in Public Places and Site Development and Landscape categories.

• Learn more about the project by watching this video: http://scottsdale.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=48&clip_id=2671.

Three other Scottsdale projects received awards of merit in the competition: The 96th Street Improvement Project, the Southern Scottsdale Character Area Plan and the Appaloosa Branch Library.

• Get more info at http://valleyforward.org/news/48/.

The city earned a Gold Bicycle Friendly Community designation from the League of American Bicyclists. Scottsdale earned the title for achievements in engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation and planning.

• Learn more at http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/News/09-14-2011-newsa.

Scottsdale’s Advanced Water Treatment Plant expansion won an Award of Merit in the Project of the Year category from the WaterReuse Association. The project was recognized as a significant contributor to advancing the acceptance of water reuse through outstanding, quality projects.

Caught this picturesque view of Pinnacle Peak in North Scottsdale on my Droid today.

A really beautiful day.

The Pine Course at McCormick Ranch Golf Club has been undergoing some major maintenance the past couple of weeks. I took a few minutes this morning to wonder around with my camera and caught this view of the McDowell Mountains, along with a blue heron that out looking for breakfast.

For all Scottsdale’s glam and glitz, it’s still had a lot of Wild West to it. This morning, the coyotes were out acting like they owned the golf course.

First, a family of five, and then a couple more. Hunting, relaxing, even napping on the wild open fairways of the Pine Course at McCormick Ranch Golf Club. This course has been closed for the past week while they are doing some maintenance, and I guess the coyotes are feeling more comfortable than ever.

Take a look:

For the record, I’ve seen coyotes as far south as Scottsdale Road and McDonald Drive, and of course, they are all over North Scottsdale, living wild in the desert.

Coyotes tend to keep to themselves, but are hunters… of rabbits and even small dogs.  For the most part, they move away, but ever once in awhile you run across a really brave one, or a pack who act really at home in their urban surroundings.

Just another aspect of living in Scottsdale, that really makes it a special place.

Another post on the coyotes of Scottsdale: Easter Bunny Comes to McCormick Ranch