Join The Metro Community

There's a Facebook fan page for residents of the Metrocenter area, called The Metro Community.

It's not affiliated with this blog, but it shares many of the same aims, so I've embedded a fan widget in the sidebar. Check them out and add your voice to the community!

The Lights on Townley

On Christmas Eve my family decided to enjoy some cookies, cocoa and the yuletide glory that is The Lights on Townley, a 15,000+ Christmas light spectacle that is synchronized to music on 96.1 FM. It was more than part of our annual ritual of light-watching -- it was a return to the neighborhood we left over the summer when we walked away from our home on Townley that was going into foreclosure.

The neighborhood is a pretty good one, but it's been socked by the housing and financial crises about as hard as any in the Valley or even the nation. We haven't moved far, but it was nice to see there are still good people living there.

If you haven't seen the Lights on Townley, you have until the Sunday night after New Year's -- Jan. 2. Enjoy!

In-N-Out Burger going up at former site of Islands

We've become so accustomed to business leaving the Metrocenter area that when one moves in, it's certainly notable. That's the case with In-N-Out Burger, which is building a new restaurant on the site of the former Islands Burger on the north side of Peoria Avenue just west of Interstate 17.

It will certainly be a welcome addition to the area, and hopefully the popular chain is in for the long haul. The location seems to be less than ideal; wouldn't the mall circle have been more advantageous all around? It's not like there are no vacancies ... Or would that have been overkill with the Culver's that replaced Whataburger about a year ago?

But In-N-Out has made its choice, so get ready by reading up on the chain's popular secret menu.

UPDATE: The Phoenix Journal's Lynn Ducey says the restaurant will open in late January or Februrary.