Phoenix Essentials: Dining, hikes, art and sunshine

There's an emerging restaurant-and-retail scene along with classic attractions like the view from Camelback Mountain, plus newfound treasures like peeking inside a little-known house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Next door, the Southern Rail restaurant, named for its proximity to the light rail and its "low-country" cuisine, serves tasty Southern and Creole-influenced food like red beans and rice and fried chicken.

The property, once a vacant brick building and former car dealership, is now a market with food stalls, bar and patio.

The shopping center is a smorgasbord of authentic Asian cuisine — dim sum, pho or Taiwanese specialties like simmered pig ear.

Every March, spring training brings 15 Major League Baseball teams to Phoenix suburbs as part of the Cactus League.

Because the stadiums are relatively small, fans who arrive early have a good chance of interacting with favorite players.

Phoenix's artsy Roosevelt Row neighborhood is the best place for quirky people-watching along a seven-block stretch with restaurants, bars, galleries and street art.

Onsite eateries include a breakfast-brunch cafe and fine-dining restaurant serving locally-grown produce.

Barrio Cafe is a local institution known for its collection of some 300 different tequilas and for dishes made from cochinita pibil (slow roasted pork) flavored with sour orange and a blend of spices.