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Distill a “sense of place” into a single word and it shakes out as terroir, a mot français used to describe the regional environmental elements and conditions that affect crops like wine grapes.

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While life in Tempe often seems huddled along Mill Avenue, there’s plenty of other real estate to explore in the Valley’s signature college community – an outer galaxy of art, food and culture that can be accessed via the city’s three-mile Streetcar loop.

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Heading toward the end of summer, we’ve seen a fresh round of restaurants open in the Valley, including a Phoenix café where you can drink coffee and schmooze with adoptable dogs. But we’re sad to report that more than 10 restaurants and bars closed in August – including one that managed to stay in business 62 years.