Meet your local

Carrie has lived in the Phoenix area since 3rd grade. She left for short stints in Osaka, D.C. and L.A., but has always found her way back to the desert. One of her favorite things about living in the Valley: the smell of creosote bushes after a rain. Her biggest dislike: finding live scorpions in and around her house.

Want to get in touch? Email bytheway@washpost.com

Where I live:

North Central Phoenix. It’s a five-minute drive to Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and the 51 (freeway), which takes me downtown in 10 to 15 minutes and anywhere else in the Valley in about 20 to 25. I live just off the Arizona Canal, a great route for running or biking.

Best way to get around the city:

Definitely car. Phoenix is a driving city. There’s a light rail and a bus system, but the easiest, most time-efficient way to traverse the Phoenix metropolitan area is via car.

Don’t leave without:

Enjoying some good Sonoran Mexican food and a margarita (Via de los Santos for both). Hike Camelback Mountain or Piestewa Peak afterward to combat post-Mexican-food bloat.

But the local favorite is really:

Chino Bandido, a Chinese-meets-Mexican dive in an unremarkable part of town. Try the Jade Red Chicken, Jerk Fried Rice and Egg Foo Yung with gravy. It has the best black beans around, and every meal is delivered with a buttery snickerdoodle.

If I moved, I’d most miss:

Eating a Where’s the Beef sandwich with a side of rice vinegar and an iced tea (why do other cities have such a problem with a good, unsweetened iced tea?) on the patio of Duck and Decanter.