“Most of our favorite things to see and do in the Valley are close to where we live. We live at the Optima at Camelview in Scottsdale. It’s like living in a trendy boutique hotel!  It’s green, lush and tropical—like living in the jungle. It’s environmentally friendly and has all the great amenities that you would expect from a five-star hotel. Best of all, it’s within walking distance to lots of great places to eat, see and do. We ride bikes along the canal; we walk to Harkins Camelview 5 movie theater to see independent films; and we relax with a glass of Champagne while playing board games on the terrace at Taggia at FireSky Resort & Spa. All without ever getting into the car! If we do drive, we like to play bocce ball at the InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Joya Spa. They’ve got a beautiful lawn court with gorgeous views of Camelback Mountain.” —Paola Embry, sommelier at Christopher’s Restaurant and Crush Lounge and 20-year Valley resident