Feel like staying at a 5-star hotel for unbeatable price in Pheonix or Scottsdale? Hints: Priceline.com and 4th of July. Phoenix is steaming hot around that time, so hot that you want to jump into a swimming pool and submerge till sunset. But, if you know your way around the 101 loop, check out the Phoenix Central Library before dinner.
The design of this library rivals any libraries in the world. Tilt-up concrete walls to the east and west to reduce direct solar gain in the morning and afternoon; glass curtain walls to the north and south to bring more natural light into the reading room. Phoenix Central Library is not only cool and photogenic, it also cuts the energy use to 1/3 of what was initially projected. Did I mention free internet? You can yelp away right in the library...