We had the good fortune of connecting with Marissa McDonald and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marissa, what makes you happy? Why?
One of my favorite things in the world is to travel and explore new places! I have been blessed to have had the ability to visit 18 counties and counting. This is definitely what makes me the most happy in life because I get to see and experience different cultures first hand. I love learning new things about places whether that be their history, fashion, architecture, etc. When I get to share these experiences with friends and family, it makes it much more valuable. I also recently got a French Bulldog, who loves car rides and is very well behaved on planes, so knowing I can travel with her makes me so happy. I love watching her run around the beach and taking her on hikes.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I went to school for Fashion Merchandising with a minor in marketing. I knew growing up that taking a creative path was something I wanted to pursue. Although I am not officially where I want to be in my career I know I have the dedication and mindset to get me there in the near future. I love all things fashion, and I have been lucky enough in the recent months to start creating content on social media showcasing my style! I would love to purse creating travel and lifestyle content as well.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I absolutely love this question because coming from someone who has a passion for traveling, I love the any opportunity to show friends new and exciting places I have found. Since I’m still fairly new at AZ (almost a year), there is a ton of places I still have on my list to visit, but going off of what I have already done here are some must haves on the itinerary.

Old Town Scottsdale is a must do! I would take them to all the cute shops around town, there are some great fashion stores that I know my friends would love. Hitting a happy hour afterwords is a must! I would love to also take them on a day trip to Sedona! I lt’s a quick getaway from the Phoenix heat, with breathtaking views, that truly feel like you are on another planet. I think everyone needs to see it at least once in their life. Some things I’d love to have them do while there are a Pink Jeep Tour or hiking Cathedral Rock. I personally love hiking Camelback Mountain with others, so depending on a variety of circumstances, if it’s not possible, then a drive up to Dobbins Lookout is a must. I know we would also need to go around finding cool and unique picture spots.Some other things to do would be a picnic in Granada park, a day at Saguaro or Lake Pleasant, board and bottle at Postinos, drinks at AZ/88, lunch at Isabella’s Kitchen, venture to Westgate, try the newest Crumbl Cookie flavors, and spend a shopping day at Fashion Square Mall!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am very lucky to say that my family has always been super supportive of whatever I have wanted to do in life. When I wanted to study fashion, they were encouraging. When I wanted to go to Europe for 4 months, they were supportive. My mom is definitely one of my best friends and I know I can give her a call at any moment and she will be there to tell me what I need to hear.

Instagram: instagram.com/marissajmcd

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