For a true taste of the region’s roots, the Heard Museum of Native Culture and Arts offers exhibits that feature the artifacts of Native American tribes, particularly those of the Southwest, as well as contemporary artwork inspired by this heritage.

Marvel at the surreal desert at the Desert Botanical Garden while strolling the cactus-lined and sun-soaked trails and viewing the indigenous plants and spectacular scenery.

The desert eventually dries the palate, warranting fine food and drink. The renowned FnB restaurant puts an elegant twist on local southwestern comfort food and features  local wines. For a more authentic southwestern feel, The Roaring Fork features wood-fired, hearty fare straight out of the Wild West.

The options for postdining drinks are endless. Jade Bar Sanctuary has a more sophisticated list of cocktails than many local watering holes. The menu is so creative that the bar gives classes in mixology. For cool drinks and smooth jams, try Bobby Cís Lounge & Grill, widely considered the best jazz bar in town.

For competitive pastimes, there are major sports facilities where popcorn and beer abound. The Arizona Diamondbacks, the MLB team, swing at Chase Field, while the Phoenix Suns of the NBA dribble at the U.S. Airways Center. The Coyotes and the Cardinals play at the University of Phoenix Stadium, making this a popular sports destination for NHL and NFL fans.

The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) is a one-of-a-kind venue with interactive exhibits and history for aficionados of various music genres. Artists perform at the MIM Music Theater, showcasing a diverse line-up. You can watch mainstream artists perform in the  open-air Mesa Amphitheater, where some of music’s hottest names make for a night of dancing under the desert moon. To get the view from above, Hot Air Expeditions takes guests aloft in hot air balloons for an unparalleled sight of the booming city and the surrounding desert.

Witness how renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright mastered the art of integrating his signature architectural style with the Sonoran Desert at Taliesin West.

If you long for a shopping spree, head to Old Town Scottsdale for a mix of high-end boutiques and southwestern art and gear. Or you can visit Scottsdale Fashion Square or Biltmore Fashion Park for the region’s best mall experiences. DW

EATS

The Roaring Fork
4800 North Scottsdale Road, Suite 1700
Scottsdale, AZ
(480) 947-0795
www.eddiev.com

Bobby C’s Lounge & Grill
1140 East Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ
(602) 252-2273
www.bobbycee.com

Jade Bar Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain
5700 East McDonald Drive
Paradise Valley, AZ
(480) 948-2100

www.sanctuaryoncamelback.com/content/jadebar.html

FnB
7133 E. Stetson Drive
Scottsdale, AZ
(480) 425-9463
www.fnbrestaurant.com

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That’s right, work+life “fit” not balance. If you do only one thing, eliminate balance from your vocabulary. Why? Because it doesn’t exist.

There is no such thing as balance, which for many people means a magical 50-50 split between work and the rest of their lives. The truth is that there are countless work+life fit combinations. Your unique circumstances determine which fit is right for you.

There are endless options between the extremes of all work and no work. Small changes in how, when, and/or where you work can make a big difference. Personal and professional transitions will change your circumstances. For example, six months ago you happily devoted a majority of time to work, but now that you care for your aging mother, you’ve decided not to take on additional responsibilities and work from home two days a week.

Taking advantage of all of the options requires being able to see that they exist. Fruitlessly searching for that elusive balance will show you only what you don’t have (“I’m unbalanced”), not what you could have. Work+life fit is about possibilities; work/life balance is not.

What do you want? If you are like most, you can spend hours talking about what isn’t working in your life; but if someone asks, “What do you want?” you’re speechless. Creating a work+life fit vision requires introspection, self-reflection, and tuning out all of the external “shoulda-coulda-woulda” messages that keep you disconnected from yourself. You need to know where you want to go before you begin.

Create a plan to make that vision a reality. Start by figuring out if your work and/or personal circumstances support your initial vision. If they do, great! Go for it! If they don’t, you either have to change the circumstance or adapt your vision. In the end, you will have a plan that works personally and professionally.

Then say something! When you’ve finalized your mutually beneficial plan, present it to your employer.
“But, what if they say no?” Don’t let these fears keep you stuck. The worst thing that can happen is that they say “no.” You’re no worse off than when you began. Besides, chances are the answer to a well-thought-out plan will be “yes.”

Finally, redefine success. Just as your work+life fit will change countless times over the course of your life, so must your definition of success. Give yourself a break when you need to, and go for it whenever you can! DW

Cali Williams Yost is the president of Work+Life Fit, Inc., which develops innovative and flexibile strategies for individuals and corporations.

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TiVo HD DVR

If you’ve got a high-definition television, then you’ll want to record Grey’s Anatomy, 30 Rock, and your other favorite shows in HD as well. TiVo’s latest digital video recorder lets you stock up to 20 hours of high-def (or 180 hours of standard) content, as well as pause, rewind, and fast-forward through grating commercials. You can even record two shows at once, something you couldn’t do on older TiVos.

Price: $299.99 ($12.95 per month for TiVo subscription)

www.tivo.com

Yamaha YSP-900 Digital Sound Projector

Get amazing surround sound without having to look at unsightly wires snaking around baseboards and under the rug. Yamaha’s YSP-900 Digital Sound Projector is a single component that houses a multitude of tiny speakers, each one focused in such a way to create the illusion of surround sound in your room. Sit it under your flat-panel TV, and you’ll have killer sound without a killer mess.

Price: $899.95

www.yamaha.com/yec

Polk Audio I-Sonic ES2 Music System

Love the radio but hate the same tired station playlists? Polk’s I-Sonic ES2 receives HD radio—digital broadcasts of regular AM and FM stations. Digital radio produces better quality sound and more channels of programming than you get with standard radio. The ES2 also includes an iPod dock for more personalized listening, along with a cool iTunes tagging feature, which lets you mark songs you hear on the radio, then buy them once you hook your player to your computer.

Price: $499

www.polkaudio.com

Apple TV

Forget trips to the video store. Apple TV connects to your television set and lets you rent flicks or buy TV shows directly over your home Internet connection. Videos come from Apple’s iTunes Store and cost $3.99 for new releases or $2.99 for older titles (HD movies go for an extra dollar). Rentals are available for 30 days, though once you start watching, you’ve only got 24 hours before the film or show is automatically deleted. Still, it’s a small price to pay for never having to leave the couch.

Price: $229 (40GB), $329 (160GB)

www.apple.com

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The city’s humming downtown, centered around the commercial riverfront nexus known as the Loop, is packed with attractions. Landmark buildings shoot upwards—the 40-mile view from Sears Tower‘s 103rd-floor Skydeck is a must-see—as do monumental outdoor sculptures by luminary artists. In a few blocks’ span you can clamber on a Picasso, recline against a Calder, or stroll beneath the arch of the mammoth, silvery bean—otherwise known as Cloud Gate—that Indian-born British sculptor Anish Kapoor designed for Millenium Park, a glorious recent addition to the city’s band of recreation areas fronting Lake Michigan. Downtown is also dotted with major cultural institutions, from the 1929 Art Nouveau-style Civic Opera House to the stately Art Institute of Chicago, and a limitless supply of luxury shops; Ferragamo, Zegna, Armani, Vuitton, and Chanel (among others) rub well-clothed elbows along North Michigan Avenue’s “Magnificent Mile.”

Beyond downtown, a scattering of proud ethnic enclaves offer idiosyncratic temptations. Just west of the Loop, where Greek Town’s boutiques and restaurants cluster along S. Halsted Street, you can stock up on frankincense and myrrh (not commonly available at your nearest mall!) at the Athenian Candle Co., then fill up on Mediterranean delicacies at Greek Islands. Food is also an attraction in Little Italy (RoSal’s, a true family business where the dining room walls are crammed with framed photos of the owners’ children and the owners as children, is a favorite) and in Chinatown (head to Happy Chef Dim Sum House for authentic Cantonese treats).

Further south, you can take yourself out to the ball game at U.S. Cellular Field, home of the 2005 World Series-winning White Sox, or take in exhibits exploring the achievements of African Americans at the DuSable Museum of African American History. To the north, name-brand chefs vie for your palate’s attention: Heat up with mouth-watering Mexican creations at Rick Bayless’ Topolobampo, or savor elegant, seasonal American cuisine at Charlie Trotter’s. Once you’re sated, check out Carter’s Way, a jazz-filled play “of love, lust, and an artist’s integrity” playing through May at Steppenwolf Theatre; or head further north to get your music served straight up at prohibition-era Green Mill Jazz Club. Wherever you go, Chicago will live up to its newest nickname: the City (that) Has It Comin’ and Goin’ On.

The Play by Play

All area codes are 312 unless otherwise noted.

Eats

Charlie Trotter’s, 816 W. Armitage, (773) 248-6228

Greek Islands Restaurant, 200 S. Halsted St., 782-9855

Happy Chef Dim Sum House, 2164 S. Archer Ave., 808-3689

RoSal’s Italian Cucina, 1154 W. Taylor St., 243-2357

Topolobampo, 445 N. Clark Street, 661-1434

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