In Arizona there are no April showers, which means there’s no waiting around until May for beautiful flowers and perfect weather. Spring is in full swing, which means it’s the best time for savoring pre-summer temperatures and outdoor endeavors. Here’s a look at the lineup around town this month.

Arizona Farmers’ Markets: Enjoy the fresh air while picking up fresh goods at one of the many farmers’ markets throughout Greater Phoenix. We might argue that there’s no better way to start your Saturday than stocking your cupboards with delicious local fare. www.arizonafarmersmarkets.com

Scottsdale Culinary Festival: Eat and drink your heart out at this six-day feast of fun, running from April 17-22. In its 34^th year of “indulging your senses,” the festival boasts a lineup that’s bigger, better and tastier than ever, with a burger battle, shaken and stirred mixer, a chocolate and wine experience, blues and brews and much more. www.scottsdalefest.org

Music in the Garden: The Desert Botanical Garden is a plum place for admiring Arizona’s uniquely scenic landscape. On Sundays from 12 to 2 p.m., sound enters the picture with the “Music in the Garden” concert series. www.dbg.org 

Scottsdale ArtWalk: Every Thursday night – except Turkey Day – the art galleries of Old Town Scottsdale open their doors to art lovers, people-watchers and passers-by from 7 to 9 p.m. This 30-year tradition celebrates the artful heritage of our city, so if you haven’t been in awhile – seize the Thursday! www.scottsdalegalleries.com

Ongoing: Relish happy hour close to home at venues throughout Kierland Commons, including NoRTH, Tommy Bahama’s Café, P.F. Chang’s, Morton’s, Zinc Bistro, RA Sushi Bar and more. www.kierlandcommons.com

Beyond our Arizona community’s doors are Kierland Commons and nearby Scottsdale Quarter, each home to winning destinations for shopping, drinking and dining. Here, we take a look at the latter two, specifically three venues that bring the far-flung deliciousness of Baja, France and the Caribbean within footsteps of our front door.

If you cannot fit a flight to Mexico into your spring schedule, Scottsdale Quarter’s new SOL can appease your appetite for the Baja Peninsula’s fresh cuisine. The recently opened hotspot has indoor and outdoor seating for the sun-seeking and sun-shy, with seafood, ceviche dishes and beachy cocktails that make you feel like you’re on vacation. A great place for a lengthy lunch on a leisurely Saturday.

It’s true that it’s always five o’clock somewhere, but island time is usually limited to, well, islands. Thanks to Tommy Bahama’s at Kierland Commons, however, island time is an all-day, everyday affair in land-locked Scottsdale. The menu and setup of this eat/drink/shop destination lends well to business and pleasure, with nooks for intimate dinners for two as well as spaces for parties with colleagues, family and friends. (The on-site event coordinator, Annie, is the best.) The fresh zero-proof cocktails are a great option during the work day, while the mix of martinis, hand-crafted cocktails and rum concoctions will win you over after hours. We recommend eating, too, of course. The menu is extensive, which means every visit involves tough decisions. Fortunately, you’ll always win.

Also at Kierland, Zinc Bistro offers a rendezvous point for Francophiles (c’est magnifique), which romances with its French ambiance and fare. Open for lunch and dinner and boasting a special off-hours lineup, the restaurant is so authentic in its aesthetic and edibles that it’s hard to believe you’re still stateside. The meals are memorable; but if you just want a happy-hour or late-night jaunt, the wine list and desserts are swoon-and-spoon worthy. No doubt this is a favorite hangout for Plaza Lofts residents throughout the day and beyond the blue hour.

1. You can walk to more than 30 fabulous restaurants and bars and 85 sophisticated specialty shops. Our Kierland Commons location is the main reason our residents chose to purchase a home at The Plaza Lofts.
2. You can downsize without losing the quality of lifestyle you’re used to. Our community features flexible floor plans, as well as high-end appointments, finishes and amenities throughout.
3. You have more time to enjoy life here. No more endless chores like landscaping, home and pool maintenance and exterior window cleaning. All of those things are handled for you.
4. Your concierge offers a menu of personal services, coordinating dry-cleaning pick-up and drop-off, making dining and entertainment reservations, arranging transportation and more.
5. You don’t have to belong to the gym anymore, unless you want to. The Plaza Lofts has its own professional-grade fitness center, perfect for you and your trainer. There’s also a heated lap pool on the private recreation deck.
6. You can take a free shuttle service over to the Westin Kierland Resort’s luxurious Agave Spa or the Kierland Golf Club, home to 27 holes of Troon-managed golf.
7. You can consider Kierland Commons your playground – a place where you can meet with friends, up your culinary ante with cooking classes at Sur La Table, and celebrate life and the seasons with fashion and celebrity chef events, the Summer Concert Series and more.
8. You can get to know your neighbors, and not just because most of them are full-time residents. Each month, The Plaza Lofts HOA hosts a Third Thursdays Happy Hour Event, which makes it easy for you to mix and mingle with others in your community.
9. You can go days without getting into your car or weeks without filling up your tank. Plus, you won’t need to make arrangements for a ride home after a night on the town. You can simply let your feet carry you or catch that ride the concierge arranged for you.
10. You can be one of the fortunate few Valley homeowners who live at heart of Kierland Commons. The Plaza Lofts is an intimate community with just 84 homes – and just eight plans remain for sale.

Spring Training 2012:
There’s no better place than the ballpark for enjoying the Valley’s fair weather. Throughout the month of March, the Cactus League provides a grand-slam outing, with 10 stadiums to visit and 15 teams to rally around. www.cactusleague.com

Arizona Farmers’ Markets:
Enjoy the fresh air while picking up fresh goods at one of the many farmers’ markets throughout Greater Phoenix. What better way to start your Saturday than stocking your cupboards with tasty local fare? www.arizonafarmersmarkets.com

Music in the Garden:
The Desert Botanical Garden is a plum place for admiring Arizona’s uniquely scenic landscape. On Sundays from 12 to 2 p.m., sound enters the picture with the Music in the Garden concert series. www.dbg.org

Scottsdale ArtWalk:
Every Thursday night – save Turkey Day – the art galleries of Old Town Scottsdale open their doors to art lovers, people-watchers and passers-by from 7 to 9 p.m. This 30-year tradition celebrates the artful heritage of our city, so if you haven’t been in awhile – seize the Thursday! www.scottsdalegalleries.com

Take a Hike: 
If the Scottsdale ArtWalk isn’t as far out as you want to go, consider taking a hike on one of the beautiful trials that winds through Scottsdale and its mountain ranges.  Take in sweeping view and snap pictures of panoramic views and – if you’re lucky – some spring wildflowers. www.scottsdale.gov/trails

Ongoing:
Relish happy hour close to home at venues throughout Kierland Commons, including NoRTH, Tommy Bahama’s Café, P.F. Chang’s, Morton’s, Zinc Bistro, RA Sushi Bar and more.

The Plaza Lofts at Kierland Commons

In 2011, The Plaza Lofts sold 12 condos for a total of $10,254,000.  Of the residences sold so far in 2012, three were developer units and three were re-sales. Currently, only nine new Scottsdale lofts remain for sale. Prices start in the low $400,000s for one-bedroom plans and the $800,000s for two-bedroom plans.

Located on the border of Northeast Phoenix and Scottsdale, The Plaza Lofts at Kierland Commons is a luxury condo community with 84 residences, 54 of which are located in a nine-story tower and 30 of which overlook Main Street of Kierland Commons, an award-winning mixed-use development featuring upscale shopping, dining, entertainment and office space.

Each of these Kierland lofts contemporary showcases state-of-the-art interior finishes such as upscale flooring; granite and quartz countertops; Wolf, Sub-Zero and Asko appliances; solid core, eight-foot entry and interior doors; stackable sliding glass doors to expand the indoor/outdoor living area to the adjacent dining-size balconies; floor-to-ceiling dual pane, high-efficiency windows; dual-insulated party walls; as well as walk-in closets and oversized bathtubs in the spacious bedrooms and bathrooms. Ceiling heights range from 10 to 13.5 feet.

Among the amenities The Plaza Lofts residents enjoy are private, gated residential parking; elegant reception lobbies with card-access entry; two community rooms; a private high-end fitness center; as well as a resort-style outdoor recreation deck with a water feature, heated lap pool, whirlpool, ramadas, fire pits, gas barbecues, tables, comfortable seating and a pet park. Residents also receive exclusive discounts on dining and shopping throughout Kierland Commons, as well as the neighboring Westin Kierland Resort and Spa and Kierland Golf Club.