Jill & Leanne Take Manhattan

Where:  New York City
When: October 15 – 20, 2009
Who: Leanne and Jill
What: Everything
Cost: $$$
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

After being stuck in 100+ temperatures for the last three months we both were craving a fall experience. To some, fall is cold, dreary and means the dreaded winter weather is on its way. To me, it’s a season of change – orange, red and gold warm the crisp air and create a welcoming embrace. Our chosen destination…New York City!

Time Square

I had never been to NYC or the east coast. Jill, being a Maine native has visited the city a few times and knew here way around. Jill became the city navigator. Our journey started with the never ending cab ride. I had heard traffic is rough and the cab drivers are slightly crazy but never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined it would take 2.5 hours to get from JFK to our hotel in midtown. Honestly, it was a great way for me to get a glimpse of the city and driving etiquette or lack there of. I now understand why we have horns! There isn’t just one standard honk – it seemed as though there were at least five different types and I’m guessing they all have meanings…hmmm, perhaps I should design an iPhone app.! LOL

I won’t take you through our six day adventure but what I will tell you is NYC is alive with a culture like I have never seen before. We found people to be warm and kind, culinary delights in every direction and a city with an artistic heart beat. As you can tell from my bio and reading some of my other posts, I am an artist and really enjoy the scene. You can imagine my delight of being in a city with some that lives and breathes culture. Jill was incredibly patient with me as we meandered our way through the MoMA and the Guggenheim. While quiet in my approach, I was beaming with delight and had trouble at times containing my excitement. I swear I was weak at the knees when my eyes first focused on Salvador Dali’s surrealist sculpture “Retrospective Bust of a Woman”. My camera was overheating as I tried to capture it all…250 photo’s later!

Retrospective Bust of a Woman

We had come to NYC with a list of places to see, things to do and restaurants to try. Our explorations lead us through Midtown, Time Square, the Theatre District, Greenwich Village, SOHO, Chinatown, Little Italy, K-town, the East & West Villages and Brooklyn. I fell in love with the brownstones in Brooklyn, the vibe in Greenwich Village and welcoming feel of Central Park. The architecture and mood of each area was so very unique but the thing that stood out most was the people.

A stroll through the park

With the advice of our concierge we headed out to find the suggested Italian restaurant. I can’t recall the name of the restaurant and that might have been part of the initial problem. When I am overtired and hungry my memory seems to fail. As we walked through the streets, I looked at all the restaurant signs and thought I had found the concierge recommendation. I know we said Italian but somehow we ended up at a Estiatorio Milos, a Mediterranean restaurant! LOL I really can’t read when I’m hungry. After waiting a bit, we were seated. The atmosphere was a little stuff for us but we managed. The food ended up being really great and might I add – I think we both enjoyed dipping our bread in possibly the best olive oil ever! We started with Calamari, followed by Lamp chops and Raw Tuna. The tables were close together making it easy to make friends with your neighbor. To our right, sat two very witty stylish gentlemen whose laughter was rather contagious. They ended up dropping a few restaurant names to our list. Honestly, everywhere we went the locals shared their favorite watering holes. Our list grew long!!! We couldn’t possibly try all the places we had been given but were delighted at how friendly everyone seemed to be. Quit possibly our favorite spot, was a restaurant we found on Yelp. It was an Italian and located in the East Village – In Vino Winebar and Restaurant. The atmosphere was cozy, the service friendly and the food – fresh and flavorful. The girls at the table next to us shared a sort of food kinship and ended up chatting with us for awhile. They too added to our “must try list”. Our second pick is the bar inside Brooklyn’s River Cafe. The bartender’s sense of humor was ripe beyond belief and you couldn’t help but smile. Not only was he entertaining but I do believe he may have had a crush on Jill. What started out as one innocent Bellini turned into 3.5!! Larry was kind and full of wit – he entertained us and the other patrons for quite awhile and even when it got busy Larry was still “on”. He brought out complimentary assortment of sorbet in flavors of Vanilla Cream, Orange and Lemon – truly delicious. Between the breath taking views of Manhattan and Larry’s banter it was really tough to leave. If you ever have a chance – visit Larry!

In Vino Winebar & Restaurant

Jill and I couldn’t leave NYC without seeing a Broadway production. We got tickets to Wicked through our hotel. All I can say is…WOW! What an amazing production. Glenda’s character kept us laughing while Elphaba tugged at our heart strings. The creativity blew me away!

I love New York City

We’re back in the land of the sun with a satisfied stomach and a heart chocked full of inspiration…I heart NY!

Estate House

Where:    Estate House, Scottsdale AZ
When:     October 15, 2009
Who:       Mo and Cindy
What:      Lunch
Cost:       Salads from $10 – Sandwiches from $11
Rating:    4 stars (out of 5)

Estate House Entrance

I’ve heard about the Estate House from a few different people but for one reason or another never made it there.  Luckily, my work is scouting some restaurants in downtown Scottsdale for an event in December and I “had” to check it out:)  Cindy and I headed up there for lunch today to check out the place and man, were we surprised, pleasantly surprised. 

 

Cindy & Mo

It’s situated across the canal from Olive and Ivy and is directly across the street from Cowboy Ciao.  My friends and I have been to Olive and Ivy and we weren’t impressed.  Cowboy Ciao is another story – that place is almost an experience:)  It’s almost ironic that the Estate House is physically located in the middle of these two restaurants because I almost feel its ambiance and feel is in the middle of the two as well. 

 

Estate House Bathroom - don't ask!

The entrance is rustic and warm and I can only imagine what it’s like at night with all the candles lit.   Cindy and I graciously welcomed by every available waitress that was around and we were promptly seated.  We decided to sit outside and enjoy the wonderful 85 degree weather.  Their patio in the back is delightful and completely shaded with lots of greenery.  We were brought water with our choice of lime/lemon/cucumber, nice touch.  We decided to try an appetizer as well as an entre to get a feel for the food – we were here on “business” remember.  We ordered the Bruschetta Trio, which was $10.  It had 6 pieces of Bruschetta, three different varieties; mascarpone cheese with figs and prosciutto, traditional tomato and eggplant with parmesan cheese.  The presentation was great and so was the appetizer, especially the fig brushcetta – yum!!

 

Bruschetta Trio

The lunch menu isn’t very large, but what else do you need besides a couple of salads and sandwiches?  We both decided to go with their hamburger which is described as “Estate Burger, aged white cheddar, beer battered onion rings, brioche”.  Cindy and I would like to call it “Heaven”.  The presentation was great, but the food was unbelievable.  How good can a burger be?  Go to the Estate House and see for yourselves – it’s pretty damn good.  The french fries were all cozy in their little pail and they were crispy and wonderful. 

 

Heavenly Estate Burger

Typically, I don’t order dessert (or appetizers) for lunch but this was sent over free since they were courting us for our business.  It was their “Bourbon pecan bread pudding with malted rum gelato” and it was outstanding.  The ice cream was extra frozen so it didn’t melt all over the bread pudding and make it a soggy mess. 

 

Bread Pudding

The hostess was telling us that they have wine tastings on Wednesday nights and Jazz on Thursdays upstairs in their lounge.  The place is hard to describe because it’s so many different things, depending on where you sit and why you are there.  Our outdoor casual lunch was perfect.  I can imagine it being very romantic at night, sitting outside at the right table tucked in the corner.  Then, I can imagine the upstairs lounge being a completely different vibe on Thursdays when they are playing live jazz.  I am looking forward to checking it out again!

Upstairs Lounge

Cibo

Where:    Cibo, Phoenix AZ
When:     October 8, 2009
Who:       Mo and Phil
What:      Dinner
Cost:       Pizzas are $10
Rating:    4.5 stars (out of 5)

I have to say that I am embarrassed.  I don’t know how long Cibo has been open but I know it’s longer than two years and I can’t believe I have never been.  I have definitely been missing out, and so have you if you haven’t stumbled across this little gem in downtown Phoenix.   It is simply amazing!

October is the time of year in which we Phoenicians can really enjoy the desert.  We suffer through those brutal 110 days that seem to never end to get to this wonderful time of year.  Patio dining in the fall and Phoenix go hand in hand and why people would choose to dine inside and miss out on a lovely cool evening under the stars escapes me.

Cibo

I went to Cibo with Phil.  Phil is a friend of a friend who is in town for a conference.  We had never met, but our mutual friend thought we would have a great time together (go figure, two extroverts!), so we decided to meet up for a drink.  I picked up Phil at his hotel at 7:45 and we headed over to Cibo, which is on 5th Ave & Filmore.  As much as Phoenix is a mecca of chain stores and restaurants, we do have some gems, and Cibo is definitely one of those.  Phil described Cibo to a tea, “I feel like I am at a friend’s party”.  The restaurant is an old bungalow from 1913, so you really do feel like you are at someone’s home.  Most of the seating is outside, among trees lit with lights – it is festive and warm. 

We had to wait for a couple of minutes for our seats, but it was worth it.  I don’t think Cibo takes reservations, so I would be prepared to wait, especially if you are going on the weekend.  We were seated and I let Phil pick the wine, which was Volpolicella Ripasso.  It was a bottle of heaven, although isn’t all wine?  We also ordered the Antipasto Speciale, “a mixed dish with prosciutto crudo, bresaola with arugula and parmigiano, roasted red peppers with black olives and capers, Cipolle di Rosa, fresh mozzarella and grape tomatoes served with a fantasy of olives”.  We enjoyed our wine and appetizer in this amazing ambiance.  There was a jazz trio playing on the far side of the yard, so we could hear enough to enjoy it, but it wasn’t close enough to be distracting.  The great thing about the outdoor dining at Cibo is that the tables are situated so that you feel like you have your own little space in the yard.  Phil and I were tucked in this little nook and although there were 50+ people also dining, we felt like we were dining privately. 

Cibo Dining

After feasting on the Antipasto, we ordered our Pizzas. Phil had the Quattro Formaggi – fontina, parmigiano, pecorino, gorganzola and mozzarella.  I had the Vegetariana – tomato sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms, artichokes, zucchini and roasted red peppers.  Both pizzas were spectacular!

After reading this, I hope you head to Cibos immediately.  It is unassuming, charming, quaint and inviting.  The service was great, the atmosphere is intoxicating and the food was incredible.

Freemark Abbey Wine Dinner at Lisa G’s

Where:    Lisa G’s Wine Bar – Phoenix, AZ
When:     September 10, 2009
Who:       Leannada, Jilly, Mo, Malcolm and Pepito
What:      Wine Dinner
Cost:       $35 per person
Rating:    4.5 stars (out of 5)

I heard about this wine dinner at Lisa G’s through AZ Wine Co.  I am on their enewsletter distribution which sends updates on various wine tastings and dinners weekly.  When the email came through about this wine dinner at Lisa G’s featuring Freemark Abbey wines, we all jumped on it.  A couple of us had been to Lisa G’s in the past and we love it so we were excited to go back and do something a little different with the wine dinner.  We are not a difficult bunch to please; wine and food pretty much seals the deal for us and we’re there. 

Lisa G Cafe

We arrived at Lisa G’s right at 7pm to find out we were the last people to arrive (this is not unusual).  Since Lisa G’s is small and intimate, this dinner was family style, which actually enhanced the evening.  Instead of the five of us sitting alone together, we had the pleasure of sitting with other people and sharing a great night together.  The timing was perfect, we sat down and made our introductions to the rest of the table and the wine began to pour:)  It makes me happy just to think about it.

The host of the evening, we’ll call him Drip (will explain later) since I can’t remember his name, started off the evening by asking the ladies to raise our glasses for a toast.  He told us that The history of Freemark Abbey began in 1886, when Josephine Marlin Tychson became the first woman to build and operate a winery in California.  I’ll toast to that, although if you haven’t already figured this out, I’ll toast to anything. 

Malcolm enjoying his wine!

They started us off with the Freemark Abbey Chardonnay paired with warm brie on rustic italian loaf topped with carmelized apples and cranberries.  This was a great opening wine and it was paired perfectly, we rated this a 4. Everyone at the table enjoyed this wine, even Ann who isn’t a Chardonnay fan. Although, the more we got to know Ann, the more we determined that she liked just about everything.  Ann is one of those genuinely upbeat and just happy to be alive people.  Ann and Tony were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and were the sweetest couple.  Have you ever seen a couple in their 70’s showing a little PDA at a wine dinner – it was priceless.  I kind of fell in love with Ann and now consider her my adopted Mom; she doesn’t know this.

"Here's to Balls"

Next up was the Freemark Abbey Merlot paired with Lisa’s signature meatballs made from a family recipe of beef, pork, veal, eggs, Italian parsley and other family secrets.  As Drip was coming around to pour the wines, he somehow managed to drip some merlot on my head which then also dripped down onto my shirt leaving me with a couple nice “mementos” of the evening on my shirt.  He later asked if he spilled some wine on me and I said “Yes” and he said, “Good thing you’re not wearing white”.  This guy was a bit of a tool.  Drip had all the men in the room raise their glasses for a toast and what came out of that man’s mouth was the last thing I ever expected to hear.  He said, “Here’s to balls”.  Of course he was referring to the meatballs, but who says that to a room full of strangers at a classy wine dinner. This pairing was interesting because we all enjoyed the merlot with the meatballs, which were fabulous.  But, once we were finished with the food and just drank the wine, it took on a different taste and it wasn’t very pleasant.  The merlot became very peppery and had a bad finish.  We wished we had more ‘balls and gave this wine a 2.5.

At this point, our table was warming up to each other and we were all having a great time, learning a little about each other, more than we wanted to know sometimes.  It was nice because it was a table of real people.  We weren’t a bunch of wine snobs or just snobs in general which you can very easily find at an event such as this.  We had Ann (my new mother) and Tony who were as down to earth and pleasant as you can imagine.  I asked Ann what the secret to a successful marriage is and she told me “sex”.  Penny and Chris were so fun and light hearted, and had been married for two years.  Robbie and Tim were an engaged couple and they rode their bikes since they lived so close.  We couldn’t have asked to meet nicer people. 

Steak Skewers

Back to the wine…  The third tasting was Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon & Freemark Abbey Bosche Cabernet Sauvignon paired with steak skewers served with “spicy chipotle” and “cool cucumber mint creme fraiche” dipping sauces.  We took a sip of the first Cabernet, which they poured first and it was heavenly.  We all looked at each other and our eyes lit up, it was a really nice wine, or was it??  We wondered if because the merlot ended up tasting like ass, that made the Cab taste that much better?  The quote of the night came from Leannada, who is known for her quick wit and sarcasm.  She said, “You have to eat a ball so it doesn’t taste like ass” which is as honest and descriptive as the second pairing was.  The second cab was also very nice but it had a price tag of $75.99 a bottle and we didn’t think it was THAT nice, 4 rating for the first cab and 3.5 for the second. 

 

Pepito

Lastly we had the Freemark Abbey Riesling paired with fallen chocolate souffle cake topped with a scoop of vanilla gelato.  This cake was to die for and was paired nicely with the riesling, but the riesling was very sweet and syrupy – almost like a port.  The riesling was too sweet for most of us, so we concentrated on devouring the cake.

Riesling and dessert - yum!

As I’ve said before, so much goes into making an evening enjoyable; people, place, food, atmosphere, service, etc.  This wine dinner had it all and fed all our senses.  We drank, we ate, we learned and most importantly, we laughed…a lot! Keep your eyes and ears open for events such as this – they are enjoyable and memorable. 

Enjoy the wine, but more importantly, enjoy your friends!

Mo, Leannada and Jilly

Barrio Cafe

Where:    Phoenix, AZ
When:     August 29, 2009
Who:       Leannada, Jilly, Mo, Jannette, Malcolm and Pepito
What:      Restaurant
Cost:       $11.00-$29.50 for dinner entrees
Rating:    4.5 stars (out of 5)

I’ve been procrastinating to write this post because I’m stuck.  I can’t think of a sarcastic tone to put with the Barrio Cafe.  After visiting countless establishments over the years, I don’t think we’ve ever had such an uneventful, but wonderful dining experience.  I guess with awards like “Arizona Highways Best Restaurant -2009″ and Zagat’s “America’s Top Restaurant – 2009 Guide”, you really can’t go wrong. 

Barrio Cafe

We were celebrating Jilly’s birthday Saturday night and she picked The Barrio Cafe, after hearing such wonderful things about it over the years.  The Barrio Cafe is definitely in the “barrio”, on 16th Street just south of Thomas.  If you are not looking for the restaurant, you’ll drive by it (like we did) because there isn’t much around and it’s sort of hidden.   They don’t take reservations, but we were in no rush and heard it was worth the wait.  We got there around 8:15pm and were told there was a 40 minute wait for the six of us.  We ordered a drink at the quaint small bar area while waiting for our table.  The wait went surprisingly fast and we were seated within 15 minutes.  The restaurant has a great ambiance and vibe.  It’s quaint, yet stylish and hip.  It’s very small and they definitely pack people in.  If you are looking for a quiet, romantic dinner, this isn’t the place; at least not on a Saturday night. 

Jilly and Pepito

We were seated and started looking over the menu which was unlike any Mexican restaurant menu I had seen.  Have you ever seen duck on Mexican restaurant menu?  The waiter ordered our drinks while we were making our culinary decisions.  We decided to order the Quesadilla de Langosta Borracha, garlic & tequila lobster served on a corn tortilla with melted Oaxacan cheese and queso de cabra-16, based on the recommendation from our waiter.  They were wonderful, a perfect appetizer. 

Lobster & Tequila Quesadilla

Our drinks came, and we ordered dinner.  I read online that they carry over 250 tequilas in the restaurant and they surely didn’t skimp on the amount they put in the margaritas – talk about strong. 

Malcolm, Pepito and I ordered the Cochinita Pipil, their famous 12 hour slow roasted pork with achiote rojo & sour orange with salsa Yucateca-$19.  Jilly and Leannada ordered the Enchiladas Suizas, Mexico City style enchiladas stuffed with chicken with a delicate tomatillo cream sauce-$17.  Jannette ordered the Pescado del MAr, Pan seared halibut filet topped with shrimp, scallops, crab and lobster all with a white wine-shallot cream sauce, chorizo and poblano peppers-$23. 

Enchiladas Suizas

While we waited for our food, we enjoyed watching Jilly open her presents, while sipping our margaritas and listening to the wonderful live music.  The place was crowded and lively, but it wasn’t too loud that we couldn’t hear each other at our table.  It was cramped, so if you are looking for elbow room, you’ll be sorely disappointed. 

Cochinita Pibil

Our food arrived, and I don’t even remember the next 15 minutes because I was so invested in my dinner, it was fabulous.  The pork was tender and full of flavor, just perfect.  Leannada said  the “Enchilada was so delicious and different from any enchilada I’ve had ever tasted; Perhaps the difference between cuisines from the southern parts of Mexico.  It had the perfect amount of cheese and chicken with a flavorful subtlety sweet tomatillo cream sauce”.  (For the record, she sent me this copy to put in the blog and put a question mark next to one of the words for spelling.  Putting faith in my spelling is a huge leap – thanks Leannada:)). 

Birthday Flan

The portions of the entrees were perfect, just enough food.  We all didn’t have any problems clearing our plate and left room for dessert.  Our waiter was nice enough to cut the cake we had brought for Jilly’s birthday from Tammie Coe Cakes. 

Malcolm, Leannada, Birthday Jilly, Pepito, Jannette and Mo

All in all, we can’t think of anything to sway someone from going to The Barrio Cafe.  The atmosphere, the food and the service was excellent.  I can’t wait to go back and try some of the other dishes. 

Happy dining!!

Cafe ZuZu

Where:   Scottsdale, AZ
When:    August 8, 2009
Who:      Leannada, Jilly, Mo, Jannette, Malcolm and Pepito
What:     Restaurant
Cost:      $12.00-$29.50 for dinner entrees
Rating:   4 stars (out of 5)

Cafe ZuZu was Leannada’s pick for dinner Saturday night.  We were celebrating her thirty-something birthday and it was a perfect choice.  Cafe ZuZu is located in the trendy Hotel Valley Ho in downtown Scottsdale.  Many adjectives come to mind when describing both Cafe ZuZu and Hotel Valley Ho; trendy, groovy, cool, hip and cozy.  It’s in Scottsdale and definitely fits there, but it doesn’t have the complete snobbery of many Scottsdale eateries.  Cafe ZuZu was a lot smaller and intimate than I had envisioned, however I wouldn’t call it romantic, per se. 

Our reservations were for 8:45pm, which was the only slot available around 9pm when I made the reservations, so we thought the place was going to be packed.  To our surprise, the restaurant was half full at best and most of it was occupied by a large party of about 20 people.  The entire restaurant only holds maybe 75-80 people at most.  The hostess was very nice and hospitable and seated us right away, not that this was a difficult task – the place was pretty empty. We brought in a cake for Leannada’s birthday and she took it and kept it refrigerated for us while we ate.  

Cheap Entertainment!

We were seated and started looking over the menu, which is pretty simple.  Café ZuZu describes itself as “Flavorful American comfort food.  Familiar favorites with a contemporary twist”.  This is a perfect explanation since they have things like meatloaf, liver and onions (I’m not joking) and beef stroganoff.  They also have things that I wouldn’t have expected, like Filet Mignon and Parmesan Crusted Salmon.   Personally, I don’t think of Filet when I think of comfort food.  My idea of comfort food is something your Mom would make for you as a kid and it makes you feel good to just think of the meal.  I don’t know where you grew up, but Parmesan Crusted Salmon wasn’t served in my house. 

Flank Steak - Blue Plate Special

Our waitress was not what we expected.  She was nice enough, but she didn’t seem to fit with Café ZuZu.  I would like to tell you here name, but we couldn’t hear a thing she said so we’ll call her “Flo” for the sake of this blog.   She was older, probably in her 50’s, and was a little rough around the edges.  In a place that is meticulously decorated and so trendy with ambiance that is so cozy and hip, Flo didn’t exude any of these things. 

The birthday girl, Malcolm and Jilly had the Blue Plate Special.   Since Flo was such a low talker, the only thing I can tell you about the special was that it was “flank steak”.  Everyone said it was really good.  Pepito had “J’s Meatloaf, moist and flavorful” and I think he was more excited about the description of the dish than actually eating it.  Jeannette had the Garden Vegetable Linguine and I had the Beef Stroganoff.   As expected, the presentation of our entrees was spectacular and everything tasted wonderfully. 

Beef Stroganoff

Flo brought out Leannada’s birthday cake after we finished with dinner.  They did not charge us a cake cutting fee, but they did say that they usually charge for that so you may want to call to double check if you are bringing your own dessert.  Leannada requested we get her a carrot cake, so I ordered one from Barb’s Bakery in Phoenix.  We were all digging into the heavenly cake when we realize there are walnuts in the cake.  Not a big deal to most people, however Leannada has a fatal allergy to walnuts and had to quickly excuse herself from the table so she could escape to the ladies room and stab herself with a shot of Epinephrine.  That pretty much put a damper on the rest of the evening; nearly killing your friend can do that.  I am glad to say that the birthday girl survived the cake of death and the rest of the evening at Cafe ZuZu. 

The Carrot Cake of Death

All in all, it was a great night.  Was the beef stroganoff worth $17.00?  If I’m speaking for the food itself, the answer is “No”.  Come on, how good can beef stroganoff be???  However, there are so many other things that come into play when you are going out to dinner; atmosphere, location, wine list, reviews, etc.  So, when you take into account the Scottsdale location, the funky atmosphere and the unique Flo, it was worth it.   Cafe ZuZu is also open for breakfast and lunch and you can check out their menus online. 

The Crew at Cafe ZuZu

Humphrey’s Peak

Where:   Flagstaff, AZ
When:    July 24, 2009
Who:      Mo
What:     A hike, a really really difficult hike
Cost:      Free
Rating:   4.9 stars (out of 5) for difficulty

Humphrey Trail

I left Mesa at 5:45am and was on the trail by 8:45am.  To get to the trail head, you head up to Snowbowl and park in the first parking lot to the left.  The beginning of the trail (and the end) is so beautiful.  The trail goes through this meadow that is littered with Aspen trees, grass and wildflowers.  Don’t be tricked into thinking the hike is anything like this wonderful entrance into the mountain, it’s a deceptive trick to lure you into Humphrey’s Peak.  The temperature, as I set onto the trail, was in the 70’s and there was no wind to speak of. 

Beautiful Wildflowers

 

As I made my way into the mountain, I was amazed to see so many down trees; they were everywhere.  The amazing part was all of the life that was among the dead trees.  There was grass, flowers, butterflies and trees.  There is no grace period to this hike.  As soon as you step foot into the mountains, the ascent begins and it doesn’t stop for 4.5 miles.  There was virtually no one on the trail, so I didn’t feel rushed or crowded.  It was a beautiful morning and I was really enjoying the peace of the mountain; the sights, sounds and smells. 

Taking a much needed break

 

Up and up I went, and I was making really good time.  I probably hiked for over an hour before I took my first break.  I was feeling okay, but I knew I needed some water.  Since I had the trail to myself, I could pretty much stop anywhere.  I found a nice tree to rest on and took a few minutes to hydrate.  The forest was so quiet since there was no wind, it was so peaceful.  I got back on the trail and hit the 11,400 marker in about 90 minutes.  I was feeling pretty good, but definitely breathing heavy. 

Humphrey's Peak Trail

This is about the time when the “fun” wore off and the rest of the hike was a test of endurance, perseverance and will.  I somehow missed a switchback and ended up in the middle of the forest on a very steep slope.  It took everything I had to remain balanced and to not tumble down the mountain.  I decided to sit and collect my thoughts.  At times throughout the last hour of the hike, I felt dizzy and not completely with it.  Although I feel like that on a regular day in Mesa, so I didn’t think too much of it:)  I looked around and saw no footprints, which would be impossible if this was in fact the trail, because it was so steep.  I traced back my steps and low and behold found the trail.  Note to anyone out there:  Trails are clearly marked and have paths.  If you find yourself not on a path, you’re no longer on the trail.

The last of the treeline

I officially entered Hell when I passed the treeline.  The hike was brutal, but at least when you were in the trees, you were somewhat oblivious to your surroundings (which isn’t a bad thing on a 4.5 mile ascent).  The views were spectacular, but I just wanted to be at the summit and enjoy the views from up there.  Well, I was in for a rude awakening; I was no where close to the summit.  There are a number of false “peaks” so as you are climbing, you don’t see anything above or beyond, so you think you’ve reached the end.   Guess again…and keep hiking.  At this point, I had to stop every 100 feet or so.  I was completely winded and my legs were started to feel like lead. 

Humphrey's Chipmunk

I lucked out in terms of the weather.  I can’t imagine hiking this peak when it is windy.  I had a difficult time just maneuvering the rocks and sand without any help from mother nature.   There was never a time where I wanted to turn back, it wasn’t THAT bad, but it was tough.  I wanted to finish, and knew I could so I took my time and relaxed. 

The Summit

I made it!!  When I got to the summit, there was only two other people there, which is a good thing, because it’s not a very large summit.  I don’t know what people do if there is a large number of people.  I felt great, until I looked out and saw this storm in the distance, which wasn’t that distant. 

Rain Clouds

I decide to only spend enough time to catch my breath, eat something and hydrate.  I didn’t want to get caught in any rain or wind because I knew I had a tricky descent awaiting.  Remember when doing this hike that the 4.5 miles down the mountain is no picnic.  It took me 3 hours to get to the summit and it took me 2 hours to get down. 

Spectacular Views

As I made my way down the mountain, I realized how tired I was.  I just wanted this hike to be over, but knew I still had quite aways to go.  It is such a steep descent, you have to stop yourself from running.  I stopped counting how many times I fell after #4.  I also stopped dusting off my pants, because I knew my butt would be in the dirt again.  There are so many rocks and large roots, your feet just get tied up (or at least mine did anyway). 

Lovely Wildflowers

For the record, this hike is not “fun”.  It’s challenging, rewarding and beautiful, but not fun.  Would I do it again?  I don’t know.  Right now, I’m so sore and tired, it’s not sounding too appealing, but I would probably do it again.  I do have to say, driving out of Flagstaff, looking up at the peak and knowing I was on the top just two hours before, was a pretty powerful feeling. 

Coup des Tartes

Rating: 4.75 stars!!

Where: Coup des Tartes

4626 N 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ

When: July 18th

Who: Leannada and Jilly

Cost: Entrees were around $20-25 a piece

What: Dinner

Coupe Des Tartes

Leannada and I really like exploring new restaurants and testing out some of the favorite local cuisine hot spots.  So when she suggested we try out Coup des Tartes, I readily agreed.  I had been once before, but the situation wasn’t exactly the optimal to really get the most out of the experience (read: trying to mend fences with an extremely passive agressive ex roommate–but that is a story for another time).

Upon entering the restaurant, which had a cozy and homey ambiance, we discovered we had made a slight mistake.  Coup des Tartes was a BYOB establishment–and we hadn’t Brought Our Own Bottle (I’ll let you figure that acronym out for yourself; I decided it wasn’t quite appropriate).  So that meant we had iced tea and lemonade with our wonderful repast–not exactly the beverages of choice for haute cuisine.

And wonderful it was!  We started out splitting an appetizer of melted brie with carmelized apples served with fresh fruit and baguette.  Mmm melty cheese.  It was great–we had to restrain ourselves from eating the entire thing, but we didn’t want to spoil our appetites and not be able to eat the main courses we had ordered.  For the entree course, Leannada had a fillet mignon with a creme fraiche and horseradish sauce and I had the duck with a rhubarb glaze.  Both were perfect–cooked just right and the flavors of the accompanying sauces and side dishes complimented the meat wonderfully.  But I think we both agreed that the crowning jewel of the meal was the dessert.  We shared a slice of lemon goat cheese cheesecake with a hazelnut crust.  It was as close to perfection on a plate as could be humanly possible.  The goat cheese gave the dish a really unique flavor and it really worked with the tartness of the lemon.  I am pretty sure I would sell the rights to my first born child for the recipe!

I think we both would enthusiastically recommend this restaurant to anyone.   Coup des Tartes would make a great date restaurant (although probably not the first date, maybe date 3 or 4 at the very earliest) or a good place to celebrate an event with friends.  The waitress also mentioned that there was a separate room that could be rented out for private parties.  Just remember to BYOB.  The only reason we rated it less than 5 stars is that it would have been just that much more perfect with a great bottle of wine! (or 2)

Wicked

Where:     ASU Gammage, Tempe AZ
When:      Friday July 10, 2009
Who:        Mo and Jannette
Cost:       $29 – $140 per ticket
What:      Musical
Rating:     4.5 stars (out of 5 stars)

Back in March, Jannette asked me if I had ever seen Wicked and asked if I would like to go for my birthday.  I hadn’t seen it and of course accepted her invitation. The only kicker was that is wasn’t in Phoenix until July.  I am not a patient person, but the long wait and anticipation for Wicked was well worth it! 

Wicked is the untold story of the Witches of Oz.  I didn’t know anything about the story but had known people that had either read the book or seen the musical and all had nothing but great things to say.  I love the theater for many reasons, but mostly because of the atmosphere.  Who doesn’t love getting dressed up and going to see a musical, play or opera?  I love to people watch and Wicked brought out every slice of life; couples of all ages, families, groups of women, and all different ethnicities.  The one thing that I will never understand, is why people bring babies to events such as this.  After the intermission, during Glinda and Elphaba singing “For Good” a baby starts whaling from the audience.  You just have to shake your head and wonder, “What were they thinking”?

Wicked

As Wicked started, the atmosphere was electric in Gammage.  You could physically sense the audience’s excitement for this performance.  Another thing I love about the theater is “theater etiquette”, clapping when the stars come out, applauding after each song, etc.  It’s almost like us, the audience, is also part of the play.  During the first song, I was finding it a little hard to hear and understand but maybe my ears cleaned out of they fixed some acoustics because the rest of the play was crystal clear. 

Without knowing the background of the story and what to expect had zero relevance to my enjoyment and understanding of the musical.  The story has everything; friendship, struggles and love.  I guess I wasn’t expecting the story to be about the two witches being friends, but it was a wonderful story.  Glinda definitely stole the show and was hysterical.  Her character reminded me of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde; this ditsy, high class chick that you can’t help but adore. 

The set and costumes were amazing and the three hour spectacle went by way too fast!  I recommend this to anyone, as it satisfies all our senses.    For the next few days I will have to fight off every desire to use the word “wicked”.  Coming from Rhode Island, we use the word wicked before just about everything.  “This chowda is wicked good”.  “The Sox game was wicked close last night”.  “It’s going to be wicked crowded at the beach today”.  Ahhh… gotta love good old Rhody!!

Thanks for a great night Jannette!!

regional wine class Argentina

Where:    Whole Foods, Chandler, AZ
When:     Thursday July 9, 2009
Who:       Mo, Jilly, Leannada, Pepito, Allen and Kari
Cost:       $5 per person
What:      Wine Tasting
Rating:    Varies from 3 – 4 Stars

Again, we find ourselves at Whole Foods in Chandler getting educated and liqueured up on some wine.  This particular tasting was focused on wines from Argentina.  These tastings at Whole Foods are so great, not only because of the price but also because the information they provide.  It really is a wine class, and the host does a lot of research on the wine. 

We had two new editions to the group this week, Allen and Kari. Allen, we met at the last wine tasting at Whole Foods and he for some reason wanted to hang out with us again:)  Kari is a co-worker of Leannada’s and she may or may not want to hang out with us again after a night with the crew. 

Argentina Wines - Whole Foods, Chandler

The first wine we tasted was by a winery, Lo Tango.  We loved the label, shallow we know, but it somehow is in our ranking process as to whether the wine is good or not.  Hey, this is a Web site full of sarcasm, not of rich palettes.  Anyway, the Lo Tengo wine we tasted was their Torrontés, which is a white wine.  It, torrontes, is the biggest export of wine varietal from Argentina, as we learned tonight from the class.  See, we do actually learn something and listen (when we really want to).  This wine is $10.99 for the bottle and we rated it a 3.5 out of a 5 start rating.  We are all acccommodators by nature so maybe our rating scale is a little higher than most.  Also, it’s a $5 wine tasting, so how judgemental can we really be???  It was a nice wine, which we rated a 3.5.  It is a nice wine to be paired with seafood, but we’ll leave that to your judgement since we didn’t have any seafood to taste with it.  It is a light-medium body wine and didn’t have much of a finish.

The second wine we tasted was by a winery, Crios.  It was another Torrontés and was better than the Lo Tengo, but didn’t have a nice of a label.  It was a really nice white wine with a nice finish.  Pepito said that this wine was like a party in your mouth, which we discussed ad nauseam.  Bring anything remotely sexual to the table and our group will run away with it like a greyhound on Saturday night!  This bottle is $14.99 and we rated it at 4 stars.    

The third wine we tasted was Vida Organica, Malbec.  Us red wine “connoisseurs” were jonesing for some red wine and we got our first taste with this Malbec.  It was a little shocking to the palette to go from two white wines to this red, but we adjusted quickly.  This bottle is $8.99 and we rated it at 3 stars.  The man who ran the wine class educated us on Malbec and how it was typically only put in a blend wine but Argentina started bottling it as a single varietal.  I have had many Malbec wines and have enjoyed all of them.  With that said, I’m a wine-o and a sucker for a bottle of red wine.  This Malbec was a screw top, which we learned from the presenter, was found to be better than corks or synthetic corks because it lets in less oxygen. At the end of the day, I don’t care.  Screw top, synthetic cork, real cork; as long as it tastes good, I’m in! 

Mo, Pepito, Kari, Allen, Leannada, Jilly

The fourth wine we tasted was Colores Del Sol, another Malbec.  This we liked better than the Vida Organica Malbec and rated it 4 stars.  It’s $11.99 a bottle and a steal at this price.  Our two friends, Leannada and Kari, who are white fans by nature rated this 2 stars but we discounted their rating since they don’t typically like red wines anyway. 

The fifth wine we tasted was another Crios, but a Syrah-Bonarda blend (50/50).  This is also $11.99 a bottle but we gave it a 3 star rating.  It had a disappointing finish. 

At this point of the night, the sarcasm was at its peak!  We learned things about each other that we hadn’t shared before.  Okay, maybe it was the guests who shared things that we didn’t really want or need to know – love ya Kari!!  We, as we often do, got into a discussion about being single and Kari shared with us that she likes guys with a lisp and guys that are Pigeoned toed.  I almost fell off my chair when this admission was broadcast, but that’s what makes us all love each other, open and utter HONESTY!!

Enjoy your wine, but more importantly, enjoy your friends!!!