hen you are in any situation, adapt.
I moved here from back east 20 years ago. I love it. Have lived in many places and this will always be home. Location, things to do, easy flights out, WE ARE BLESSED IN THE WINTER TO LIVE IN ONE OF THE BEST RESORT TOWNS IN THE COUNTRY. Pros and cons everywhere.
So, I modified my backyard. I have a pool (small play pool - the evap effect at night is enough to cool off), a living area, a firepit, the pool has a jacuzzi, AND A COMMERCIAL GRADE MISTING SYSTEM. Had it installed. Not a home store model. Those do not put out the pressure needed to fill a backyard. I placed mine strategically to get the full yard impact.
I can get my backyard down into the high 70's. It's a heavier fog than anything you ever saw in a movie. And I have sat in the jacuzzi outside in August with a provider before sipping champagne.
You need to not mind "gettting wet". If you put 2 people 10 feet in front of me in my backyard when it is in full on mode at night (and I have backyard lighting as well), I could not make out who was who. It's that dense. (sometimes I am too).
BUT - yea, do I dream of spending 3 months each year at L'Auberge in Del Mar. Yup....I just use the summer to go to the movies, and other cool places and use other folks A/C as much as I can 
It is useless to head to Vegas in the summer. Think hemispheres. Brazil is awesome (our winter) during our hottest months... And Toronto is great
very low humidity and just about every room has a ceiling fan--get the air moving and it feels a lot cooler.
Towards the end of summer when I've had enough HOT!!! I remind myself hot isn't slippery; I don't have to shovel HOT; I don't have to scrape it off a windshield. When I remember all of that my truism comes to mind “Any day it doesn't snow is a good day!”
This year I bought a Veskimo for when I have to be outside and for when I ride my mc, my favorite transportation mode.
Deprived
...and Las Vegas whose weather is very similar to Phoenix's. I love the summer heat in the desert. In Minnesota the Winters last from November thru March. That's 5 months of bone chilling cold. This Winter we had our last major storm in the middle of April, killing several people. I can't get enough of lying in the gentle heat of the desert and try to erase the memories of the Midwest Winter. Many men die from heart attacks just trying to shovel the snow from their driveways. It seldom reaches or exceeds 100 degrees in the Summer in Minnesota but if it does, the heat and humidity combined make it virtually unbearable to spend much time outside. When I'm in the desert and it's 110 degrees, I go to the driving range and hit some balls for an hour or so, or I go for a brisk hike or bike ride...no problem. It's strange how dry my clothes remain but in Minny my clothes would be drenched with sweat and breathing would be difficult. Very few people in Minn. have in ground pools. If folks do have in ground pools they usually have a separate building to house it so they can use it year round. The outdoor swimming season lasts from mid June to the end of August in a good year. Many of us have above ground pools, which, I realize, seems a little trailer parkish but it's practical. We have to pay to heat our pools, even in the Summer, and this can be very expensive. I have a nice sized pool, encircled with a deck and a cabana which includes a large sized hot tub. I choose to remain living in Minny because of my family ties but I swear to God, the day after I win the Powerball I'm buying a decently suited home in Phoenix!
