Tempe Travel Guide
Tags: Frank LLoyd Wright / Frank-Lloyd-Wright-Map / Buildings / Architecture / Architecture Travel / → All Tags
Frank Lloyd Wright Travel: The Gammage
Frank Lloyd Wright was fond of many areas of the country, but he especially loved the state of Arizona. So it's not surprising that his last commissioned work was completed in Tempe on the campus of Arizona State University. The Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium was completed in 1964, and it's still going strong today as a center for the performing arts. The building was named in honor of Dr. Grady Gammage, president of the university between 1933 and 1959.
Interestingly, the auditorium offers what it calls "continental" seating; there is no center section. Odd number seats are referred to as "house left" and even seats as "house right." If you and a friend buy seats 1 and 2, you'll be next to each other in the center of the main section; if you have seats 65 and 67, you'll still be side-by-side, just way over to the left.
Although the auditorium doesn't have any official tours, there are still plenty of chances to catch a performance. Touring Broadway productions are frequent, and this fall brings A Chorus Line and Spring Awakening. The Lion King comes to town in early 2009. That said, since it's right on campus, we bet you could rustle up a personal tour if you find a friendly janitor with some keys.
Related Stories:
· Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium [Official Site]
· ASU Gammage [Official Site]
· Frank Lloyd Wright Map [Jaunted]
· Frank Lloyd Wright coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: agilitynut]
Tags: Airports / Hiking Phoenix Sky Harbor / Phoenix / Airport Layover Attractions / → All Tags
Layover Travel: Hiking by Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport
Got some time to waste around PHX? If you're traveling with your sneaks and looking for more than fast food or putzing around the 'net, consider an express hike in Tempe. Hayden Butte (a.k.a. "A" Mountain, for the Arizona State University logo that rests on it, pictured above), is just five miles from the airport and accessible via the Valley Metro's Red Line.
The bus ride will run you $1.25 each way, and access to the mountain is free. It's a steep but short hike (about 1/2 a mile one-way) that will plop you atop the peak with expansive views of the Valley of the Sun.
The top of the hike is also prime plane-spotting territory. It's enough to put a squishy spot on the heart of even the most hardened air traveler.
Related Stories:
· Sky Harbor Airport [Official Site]
· Hayden Butte Preserve [City of Tempe]
[Photo: MPR529]
