Flanny’s

Where:   Tempe, AZ
When:    August 29, 2009
Who:      Mo and Malcolm
What:     Dive Bar / Neighborhood Bar
Cost:      $10.00-$15.00 for dinner entrees
Rating:   4.5 stars (out of 5)

I had heard of Flanny’s a couple of times on Newtimes and Mouth by Southwest but for one reason or another hadn’t made my way there until last night.  I saw that they were having a special event;  Tapping a firkin of Odell Brewing Company’s Mint Chocolate Porter. 

We are always up to try a new place for happy hour, so we figured we’d go to hh and take advantage of the beer event as well.  Flanny’s has been open for about a year and of all the reviews I’ve read, it’s a hit and after our visit, hope it stays around for a long time. 

Odell Brewing - Mint Chocolate Porter

Flanny’s is known for their 20+ craft beers on tap that rotate regularly.  There are not may places in the valley with this selection of beer so we are glad to have our own little gem in Tempe!  When Malcolm and I got there around 5pm, the bar area was 1/2 full and the tables around the bar were all empty.  By 6:30pm, the entire bar/restaurant was full with 20+ people standing with no seats. 

The crowd was a mixed as you could get; a few young people in their twenties, most of the people were in their 30′s – 40′s.  We loved the beer selection and were making our way through a few different beers when they tapped the Milk Chocolate Porter.  We decided to share a glass as we weren’t sure how it would taste; solid decision.  It wasn’t bad, just wasn’t worth a full glass. 

Flanny's - SE Corner of Elliott & McClintock

 

We decided to get some food as we met a nice couple next to us who also decided to eat.  Malcolm ordered the Buffalo Chicken Sliders – Grilled Chicken tossed with Flanny’s original buffalo sauce and topped with bleu cheese crumbles ($7.25).  I ordered the Quesadilla – filled with grilled chicken, fire roasted peppers, caramelized onions and cheddar cheese ($8.25).  Our new friends had both ordered the Rib-eye steaks – grilled on the open flame, choice of house or cajun seasonings, served with fries and veggies ($14.99). 

While we waited for our food, we were enjoying the company and the great turn out at Flanny’s.  As dive bars go, it’s perfect; you can belly up to the bar, watch a game, enjoy a unique craft beer and relax. 

Flanny's Bar

The food came and we dug in; everything was fabulous!  The pork sliders were unbelievable, Quesadilla was okay (how can you screw up a quesadilla) and our new friends said their steak was great; cooked perfectly. 

We definitely recommend Flanny’s. Check them out on Facebook as it seems that they have quite a few beer events which will be fun to check out in the future.  We dinged them from a 5 star rating because they had Bud Light & Miller Light on tap;-)

Flat Iron – Siphon Draw

Where:   Apache Junction, AZ – Superstition Mountains
When:    December 31, 2011
Who:      Mo & Justin
What:     Desert Hike
Cost:      $8.00 per car
Rating:   5.0 (out of 5)

If you are looking for a challenging, spectacular hike, the Flat Iron / Siphon Draw hike is one that should definitely be on your list.  I’ve hiked  Siphon Draw to the basin, a few times now but the hike to the Flat Iron looked too daunting for something to do by myself (I usually hike alone).  When I hiked Siphon Draw to the basin most recently in December, I was itching to try to hike up to the Flat Iron, which is the top of the Superstition Mountains, 4861 feet!  When I got home, I text my friend Justin and asked if he’d like to hike the Flat Iron with me, so we headed up on New Year’s Eve day. 

We're hiking to the top of this!

If you want to read about the Siphon Draw hike to the basin, click here to read my previous post. 

Mo enjoying the slow ascent to the top of the Flat Iron

Justin and I did a little reading up on this hike and found a few blogs that had some great tips and warnings.  I will give you the same warnings…this is a very technical and difficult hike so if you do not like heights or rock climbing, stop at the Basin/Waterfall and turn around.  We read that you should wear pants and gloves for this hike but we didn’t feel that pants were necessary.  Gloves would have definitely helped, but not imperative – we hiked it in shorts and no gloves and did just fine. 

Flat Iron is not for the faint of heart - but we enjoyed every bit of it

For me, the most difficult part of the ascent, besides the steep vertical climb, was the first section after the basin; it’s pretty much a sheer rock that you have to climb up, without slipping.  Make sure when you are doing this hike that you have sneakers or hiking boots with a good grip / soul.  There are a lot of sections where you could slip and easily fall with inadequate footwear.  After you clear that first section, it’s a mental a physical test to get to the top, but it’s also a lot of fun.  Both Justin and I thought we were in pretty good shape, but we found ourselves stopping every 100 yards so it was a very slow ascent to the Flat Iron. 

The dynamic duo - we made it!!

Take your time on this hike; there is no need to rush.  Justin and I had a great time chatting with everyone on the trail as we meandered up the mountain.  We both agreed that this is what we consider a “hike”; long, challenging, scenic and fun.  80% of the hikes in the valley are more like glorified walks and they surely serve a purpose as I don’t want to hike Flat Iron every week;-)

Tree pose on top of the Superstition Mountains - doesn't get much better than this!

After 3 hours of hiking, we finally made it to the top of the Flat Iron and what a great feeling!  It was kind of surreal to be on the top of the Superstition Mountains and kind of frightening as well when you are at the edge and realize how high up you are, 4861 feet!  We spent about 30 minutes on the top; checking out all the different sights, grabbing a bite to eat and just enjoying the accomplishment! 

Having some fun on the Flat Iron

The way down was a little hairy in spots and we found ourselves on our butts quite a bit, making the descent cautiously.  We made it down in 1.5 hours and it was pretty tough on the knees and quads.

The descent is just as "fun" as the ascent!

I’ve heard this hike be described as hiking Camelback Mountain twice back to back, it’s that tough, but sooo worth it.  We highly recommend this hike, but give yourself 5-6 hours for the entire hike.  Good luck, and enjoy it, we surely did!

Time for a beer!

Quiessence

Where:   Phoenix, AZ
When:    November 24, 2011
Who:      Mo, Malcolm, Pepito and Kate
What:     Restaurant
Cost:      $65 for Thanksgiving Dinner
Rating:   5.0 stars (out of 5)

Entrance to Quiessence

When we were thinking about how to spend our Thanksgiving, which decided to mix it up this year and splurge a little by going out to dinner.    Quiessence is one of those Phoenix gems that we’ve always wanted to try, but it is also one of those places that is reserved for a special occasion, by that I mean it’s pricey!  It’s pricey, but it’s beautiful.  I had been here before for a company event and Pep had been here for a wedding, but none of us had been here for dinner. 

Beautiful Ambiance

For Thanksgiving, like all restaurants, Quiessence had a price fix menu for $65 that included three courses.   I know what you are saying, “$65 for a turkey dinner – how good can it be?”  Well, I have to say, was the food worth $65 alone, probably not, but combine the atmosphere and service, definitely!   The first course was a choice between salad or soup.  The second course had four choices;  Wild Venison, New England Lobster, Polenta or Turkey.  Lastly the dessert was a choice between pumpkin pie or apple crisp.  All dinners were served with bread and sides; carrots, potatoes, stuffing and green beans. 

Thanksgiving Menu

Quiessence is located at the Farm at South Mountain that houses three restaurants; Morning Glory is the breakfast restaurant, The Farm is the lunch restaurant and Quiessence is the dinner restaurant.  Don’t let the location scare you away from trying each of these restaurants; 32nd St. and Southern.  I’ve now eaten at all three restaurants, and I recommend all of them…highly!  The location is so charming and nothing like any other restaurant I’ve been to in the valley.  The uniqueness of each restaurant is hard to describe, so I won’t try; but so well worth the treck to these gems. 

Not Your Mother's Turkey!

For the first course, everyone had the soup except for me; I had the beet salad.  Both were excellent as you can imagine.  For the second course, only one of us didn’t get turkey; yup the brit!  Malcolm ordered the wild venison which he said was okay – not fantastic.  What the hell was he thinking anyway…who doesn’t order turkey on Thanksgiving?  Well, he missed out because the turkey was excellent.  How could can turkey be, you might ask?  Really freaking good!  For dessert, most of us ordered the apple crisp which was to die for!  It was so good, we kept trying to stuff more into our full belly’s…but none of us could finish it. 

Apple Crisp

Quiessence is one of those places you don’t just go to but you experience.  Treat yourself.  Treat your partner.  Treat your parents.  Whatever, but just go.  By the time it was all said and done (wine), each of us paid $101 for Thanksgiving dinner.  Was it worth it?  Hell yes!  We all work hard and deserve a little treat now and then and this was just the place to do it. 

Great Friends!

Eat, drink and be merry and most importantly enjoy your friends, family and life!

Vintage 95 Wine Bar

Where:   Chandler, AZ
When:     November 11, 2011
Who:       Mo, Malcolm and Pepito 
What:      Wine Bar
Cost:       It’s a wine bar
Rating:    4.5 (out of 5)

I found out about Vintage 95 through Facebook, on the Mouth by Southwest page.  Mouth by Southwest (MXSW) is an online-only news website that covers eating and drinking in the East Valley, which includes the communities of Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Mesa and Queen Creek.  They wrote a recent article about the Vintage 95 grand opening and it looked like a place we needed to check out.

Okay, so I admit that I am completely immersed in Social Media and I love it.   After I saw the Facebook Post on Mouth by Southwest about Vintage 95, I then became a “fan” on the Vintage 95 Facebook Page.  In my opinion, having information on places I like or am interested, available to me by a quick glance at my phone or computer is pretty damn cool.  So, on Friday when my friends and I were trying to figure out where to go for Happy Hour, I saw that Vintage 95 was giving a free glass of wine to the first 3 people who came into the Wine Bar and mentioned the word, “Fireplace”.   Pepito and I got there around 5pm and were the only one’s there, which is never a good sign.  I told the hostess the secret word and she said, “Do you want to sit by the fireplace?”.  So, the good thing about Social Media is that it draws people in and engages people.  The downside is when you don’t let your employees know what you are doing in those Social Media channels, it can cause confusion.  It was fine and we squared it away, but we were two of the first three people to say the secret word.  We felt like we won!

Pep and I decided to sit outside since it was a beautiful fall night in the desert.  The patio area is really nice, with fire pits, patio heaters and bright, comfortable furniture.  We got a great spot on the comfy sofas and ordered a bottle of wine.  For happy hour, selected glasses of wine are $5 and selected bottles are $20.  We ordered a bottle of Seven Daughters white wine, which we had before at a wine tasting.  We settled in and Malcolm joined us shortly after we arrived.  We were enjoying our wine when Pepito and I forgot about the secret word so we asked the waitress what we get for saying “Fireplace”?  She said that we get a free glass of wine, so we all ordered a glass of the Seven Daughters that we were already drinking.  Malcolm was looking at the menu thinking of ordering some appetizer and noticed that with a bottle of wine you get a free cheese tray (or meat tray).  So, we ordered it and were impressed with the presentation; a large wood cutting board with apples, nuts, dried fruits and three very small pieces of cheese;-).  But hey, we didn’t complain, it was free, right.  With the free wine and free cheese, we felt like maybe they were going to owe us money by the end of the night. 

As the night went on, the place filled up nicely.  The outside area which probably seats 40 people was completely full and the inside had every table filled as well.  The atmosphere in the place is great, warm, intimate and charming.  The clientelle was all over the board; from young hip people like us (kidding) to older couples.  There were a couple of big family gatherings, a few couples on dates and then lots of other friends just hanging out.  We know that downtown Chandler has a habit of inviting great places; 98 South and ever variation of wine bar in that corner spot, but sustaining them has been a challenge.  We hope Vintage 95 makes it.  Us East Valley peeps need fun and unique places to hang out.

We highly recommend Vintage 95 although we can’t really comment on the food – all we did was drink.  But, the location is great, the staff was nice and the atmosphere is great.  Eat, drink and be merry…and enjoy your friends!

Butcher Jones Trail

Where:   Saguaro Lake, AZ
When:    November 4, 2011
Who:      Mo
What:     Hike
Cost:      $6 per vehicle – Pass not sold at the trailhead
Rating:   4.5 (out of 5)

Another gem of a hike, thanks to “60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Phoenix” which is a must have book for any Arizona hiker.  I picked up the book after hearing about it from a couple I had met on one of my hiking adventures.  They kept telling me about all these trails they had done and I hadn’t heard of any of them and I’ve been hiking in AZ for almost 20 years. 

Anyway, Butcher Jones Trail is at Saguaro Lake, so it’s easily accessible from pretty much anywhere in the valley.  To get to the trailhead: from the Phoenix area, take HWY-87 North toward Payson. Turn right onto the Bush Highway and go 3 miles to the well signed turn for the Butcher Jones Recreation Area. The well marked trailhead is located at the southwest corner of the parking area. There is pay fee of $6 but you cannot buy a pass at the parking lot so plan ahead and get your pass before making it to the parking lot. 

This hike is an easy hike as the trail simply snugs the lake’s edge with little elevation change.  There are some hills, but nothing anyone would have any trouble with.  The best part about this hike is the solitude and scenery for sure!  I’ve done a couple of lake hikes before and all are great, but this one had some spectacular views.   On this particular day when I decided to head to the lake, a haboob was rolling in so it was a little eery.  If you are thinking about hiking in a haboob, I would maybe think about staying in and drinking a nice bottle of wine and do a hike another time. 

 

The hike starts out by the beach area of the lake on a somewhat paved path.  Why it is paved, I don’t know.  It snakes around a small marsh area before heading into a somewhat creepy and dense part of the shoreline.  It was probably creepy because of the haboob haze, but nonetheless, I wasn’t a fan of going through it, never mind having to do it again ont he return back since this hike is in and out on the same path.  After you pass the first riparian area and go about 1.5 miles, you think you are being taken away from the lake, but you will soon learn that you are being taken to a different part of the lake, which is amazing. 

The hike is 2.5 miles in, so figure 5 miles for the entire hike.  There are many places where you can deviate from the path and head to the shoreline for added mileage if you so choose.  I was tempted a few times, but I wasn’t sure how much time I had before the rain was coming in so I just did the regular path.  I think this is a great hike for anyone, especially if you are looking for something a little remote and relaxing.  I can’t wait to go back on a day where I can actually see something other than dust and dirt in the air. 

Beautiful Butterfly

Parsons Trail

Where:    Cottonwood, AZ
When:     October 22, 2011
Who:       Mo
What:      Hike
Cost:       Free
Rating:    4.5 (out of 5)

Simply Beautiful

Wow…simply amazing hike!  Before I get into the meat of things, the only reason why I didn’t rate this 5 stars is because it’s actually more of a glorified walk than a hike; not that there is anything wrong with that.  But, if you are looking for a heart pumping workout, this isn’t it.   However, if you are looking for a peaceful, scenic and serene hike through some spectacular surroundings (how’s that for alliteration??), than this is for you. 

Beautiful backdrop on the road to the trailhead

I read about this hike after performing a Google search on “Foliage hike Arizona” and this hike seemed to pop out secondly to West Fork in Sedona.  Since I have done West Fork a few times, I opted to try something new.  I loved the remoteness of this Parson’s Trail hike when I researched it and hoped there would be some good leaf peeping this past weekend when I headed up to Cottonwood; I ended up hitting the early stages of the leaves turning.

View from the top of the trailhead

I caution you on the dirt road to get to the trailhead; it is long (11 miles) and the last mile is pretty hairy. I have a Mazda 3 and almost turned around in the last stretch of road because I didn’t think my little zoom zoom would make it, but I did.  I was surprised to see other non 4-wheel drive/non high clearance vehicles at the trailhead too; I wasn’t the only knucklehead to attempt this. I won’t attempt this road again in my little Mazda – I’m seeking some friends with 4-wheel drive vehicles for my next adventure to Sycamore Canyon!  To get to this lovely dirt road, enter into the turnoff for Tuzigoot National Monument and take a left on Sycamore Canyon Road, which is paved, for a bit. 

Yes, that is the trail going under/through that tree

I started hiking around 8am and it was about 60 degrees, a perfect brisk morning.  The hike starts with a pretty steep decent to the river and once you hit the bottom, the rest of the hike is relatively flat.  I read that this hike has a few river crossings but after the first mile or so of the hike questioned if I was on the right trail.  When you get to the bottom, there is a signpost that indicates which direction to the two trails and since I had only read about Parson’s, I hung a right and started on the trail.  The sounds of the river disappeared as the trail seemed to drift further and further away from the bubbling brook that sounded so heavenly.

At times, I felt as if I was in New England

After about a mile or so finally the first river crossing came, YAY!  It was pretty easy going – hopping on rocks over the small river/creek.  Note:  It hasn’t rained in over a month so when I did this hike the river/creek was probably as low as it’s going to get.  I did read that after some rain, the crossings could get a little more “interesting”.  After the first river is where the hike becomes simply spectacular, especially reaching the 2nd crossing and beyond.  I would say the 2nd crossing comes at about the 2 mile mark or so and this is where I almost turned back because I couldn’t find the “exit” rock formation; hence I couldn’t find the trail on the other side.  I ran across a group of guys where on a father-son hike and they helped me find the trail; thanks guys!

Follow the rocks

After the 2nd crossing, things get really beautiful as you come across all different types of rock formations.  It never ceases to amaze me how close this amazing beauty is if we just get out into nature.  At times during this hike, I found myself saying, “Holy shit” because it was that beautiful.  Around mile 3 I crossed the river/creek for the third time and quickly another crossing came, but I again couldn’t find the exit rock formation so I decided to turn back.  Since I was by myself, the last thing I wanted was to get lost and I figured 6 miles was a decent day on the trails!  As I was coming back, I ran across the guys who helped me find the trail earlier and told them I was heading back.  One of the guys told me that I saw the best part of the trail so that made me feel better. 

At times, I felt as if I was in Sedona

Heading back was as amazing as heading in as there is so much beauty all around, you miss things.  When you do this hike, take your time and look all around; up side, behind, etc.  This hike is absolutely spectacular and if you would like to see all my pics from this hike, you can go to my Picasa album.

I love nature!

Bonfire Grill

Where:    Scottsdale, AZ
When:     September 21,  2011
Who:       Mo, Pepito, Malcolm, Kate & Jason
What:      Dinner – Price Fix $30
Rating:    4.5 (out of 5)

I had never heard of the Bonfire Grill before perusing the menus on the Arizona Restaurant Week website.  For anyone who hasn’t heard of this Arizona event, you’ll have to wait until next year to participate because it’s over…for now.  We are always looking for new places to dine…off the beaten path.  Once we saw the menu offering for the price fix we were sold!

First Course

- Choice Of -GRILLED STREET CORN
charred scallions,smoked paprika aioli, white cheddar

TOMATO SALAD
baby tomatoes,cucumbers,red onion,avocado and lemon vinaigrette

STEAMED CLAMS WITH ARIZONA TOAST
beer steamed clams,scallion bacon broth,green chilis

Second Course

- Choice Of -PECAN GRILLED SALMON, CUMIN BEET GLAZE
creole dirty rice, shrimp, andouille sausage, sweetcorn and pepper relish

SHORT RIBS, ROOT VEGETABLES
beer braised onions, mashed potatoes, honey carrots and black pepper bourbon sauce

BACON WRAPPED PORK TENDERLOIN AND PINEAPPLE
cipollini onions, soy butter, pineapple mint glaze

 

Third Course

- Choice Of -CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING
strawberry sauce, banana ice cream, toasted peanuts

CAST IRON TOASTED MARSHMALLOW
shaved chocolate, graham cracker cookie, ice cream

We made reservations at 6pm and all got there a little early and decided to enjoy a cocktail in the bar area.  With the exception of about 5 other people, we were the only people in the entire restaurant.  For some reason, the entire staff was dying to seat us as they came over to us repeatedly asking if we were ready to head to our table.  We just wanted to take things slow and enjoy a cocktail before sitting down for dinner; it’s not like they were sooo busy that we had to get seated right away.  One of the waitresses told us that at 7pm there was a private party that reserved the whole bar area.  Why she felt the need to tell us this, we don’t know, since we had reservations at 6pm and didn’t intend on hanging out at the bar for an hour. 

 

Bonfire Grill

We were seated at a U shape booth which was perfect; tucked away in the corner so we could let the expletives fly, j/k.  We ordered a bottle of wine while we were all deciding what to order.  Everything at the Bonfire Gill is cooked over pecan wood and you can smell it the second you walk in; unbelievable!  For the first course, most of us chose the clams which was a great starter.  The presentation was great; served in cast skillets with charred bread for dipping.  So far, everything is a home run; our waiter, the ambience and the food.  The initial weirdness to rush us to our table was long forgotten; the wine helped!

For the second course, three of us ordered the salmon, Malcolm ordered the short ribs and I ordered the pork – how can you go wrong with bacon wrapped tenderloin??  Everyone was digging into their dishes, enjoying inappropriate conversation that usually plagues our group.  Not sure the waiter enjoyed our inappropriate banter as he kept walking into conversations like “Have you ever faked it?”.  He had a sense of humor and let us be for the most part, coming over at appropriate intervals.  There is nothing worse than the over-zealous waiter/waitress or the non-existant one; he was smack dab in the middle. 

As the “salmon” eaters were getting to the meat of their piece of fish they noticed that the center was well under-cooked.  They were talking about it when the waiter came over.  Of course, Pepito has to say something, with his 2 bites left of his plate.  “The salmon doesn’t seem to be done”, Pepito says to the waiter.  The waiter told us that is how they prepare their salmon, but he could put the rest on the grill to cook it if everyone wanted.  The waiter probably should have told us that when the salmon was ordered, how they prepare it in case anyone wanted it more well done.  Jason & Kate were the smart ones who declined to have their salmon recooked; who sends food back???  Oh yeah, Pep does!  So, a few minutes later, the waiter comes back with a fresh, whole piece of salmon!  Talk about going above and beyond…it was great.  We are all laughing at Pep making fun of the fact that the guys in the back probably spit in his salmon, etc.  He devoured it until he came to the center, which was again underdone – for his liking.  A bus boy comes by and looks at Pep’s uneaten plate and says, “Oh, this one wasn’t good enough either?!?”  We died!  We are officially “That Table” at this point. 

The pork and ribs were both phenomenal!  As we enjoyed our wine and watched Pepito work on his salmon a gentleman came up to our table apologizing for taking over the bar area.  In return for our inconvenience he bought our bottle of wine for us.  Huh???  We weren’t inconvenienced at all, but we’ll take that free bottle of vino buddy! 

S'Mores

So, now it’s time for the third course, dessert!  Three of us ordered the S’mores and the two Brits ordered the bread pudding – wrong decision!!!  I didn’t think the Bonfire could top dinner, but the S’mores were off the charts!  We didn’t know where to start; they were messy, gooy and heavenly! 

The only reason why I didn’t give the Bonfire Grill a 5 star rating is the weird service.  Definitely check this place out, the food and atmosphere is amazing!  We will be back.  Eat, drink and be merry!

Carolina’s

Where:    Phoenix, AZ
When:     September 29,  2011
Who:       Mo
What:      Restaurant – Lunch Cost: $2.00-$6.00
Rating:    5 (out of 5)

Ahhh…where to start with Carolina’s; the food, the history, the experience, the food?  First of all the 5 out of 5 star rating is simply based on the food and the experience.  Sure, we can all go to the upscale places for our Mexican fix; Black Chile Grille, Aunt Chiladas, Mucho Gusto, etc. but what you miss out on is the experience!  By experience, I mean, the possibility of getting shot…just kidding…sort of. 

Carolina’s is on 12th St. and Mohave; not the best neighborhood in Phoenix.  The history of Carolina’s has stories of the building being riddled with bullet holes, etc.  So, probably not a place you want to take your girlfriend for a romantic dinner.  But, for a work lunch, this place is PERFECT!!  I had heard great things about the food at Carolina’s, but was also warned of the neighborhood.  So, when my co-worker and I decided to go to lunch, we choose to have a little adventure and scoped out Carolina’s. 

Carolinas

We arrived around 11:40am and already had trouble finding a parking spot because of the crowd.  As we went in, we noticed the dismal, cafeteria like set up for the “dining” area.  At Carolina’s, you order at a window, pay (no credit cards), and get a number and wait for your order to be called.  We luckily found seats, seats that were not broken.  About half of the seats were missing backs, which makes it that much more fun!  We both ordered the #5 Machaka plate that came with rice, beans and a warm tortilla. 

Our number was called about 2 minutes after we sat down and everything came in a plastic to go box, even though we were dining there.  We opened the boxes and dug in.  The next 15 minutes were a blur because we devoured our meals…everything was sooo good.  When we took a breather from eating we noticed how busy the place got.  People were waiting to order food because there were no seats available.  I would say it may be a good idea to just do take-out, but then you miss out on the “dining” experience.  Get there early, and enjoy!

Christonpher’s

Where:    Phoenix, AZ
When:     September 17, 2011
Who:       Mo, Malcolm, Kate and others
What:      Restaurant – Dinner
Cost:      $40 Price Fixe for Arizona Restaurant Week
Rating:    3.5 (out of 5)

It’s Arizona Restaurant Week!  Don’t know what that is, well you have missed out!  Once a year, restaurants from around the state participate in a price fix menu for one week only.  Sadly, this is my first year participating mainly because Facebook has kept it almost impossible for me to miss.  I became a “fan” of their page back in June and have been receiving updates as the official week approached.  In year’s past I had found out about it when it was either half over or already past. 

Some friends last-minute decided to plan a get together at Christopher’s at the Biltmore who was participating in the Arizona Restaurant Week.  I am a little embarrassed to admit, but I had never heard of Christopher’s.  I’m not on the “pulse” of anything new or hip so this should come as no surprise.  We made reservations for 8:30pm and arrived promptly at 8:30pm, however they couldn’t seat us right away.    We finally got seated around 9:00pm, which was fine since we made good use of their lounge, Crush.  The ambiance of both the restaurant and the lounge are super contemporary and hip – really cute place.  The strange thing was that most of the patrons were geriatric, not the clientelle I would have expected at this place. 

Christopher's Restaurant at the Biltmore

Being a “newby” to Restaurant Week, I for some reason, assumed that the participating restaurants were only serving off the price fix menu; kind of like Easter or Mother’s Day where there is a special menu only for that day.  Well at Christopher’s that was not the case; you could either order off their regular menu or off the price fix which I thought was odd for some reason.  I got over it and most of us ordered off the price fix menu.  I thought it was a little strange that some people in the group ordered off the main menu; Can’t you order from that any day? 

Anyway, we ordered and the dishes were as you could imagine, small.  This particular price fix had 3 courses and cost $40.  Most of us ordered the Pancetta, Scallops & Steak and all agreed that the Scallops were the best dish, by far.  The steak was just okay as was the pancetta.  So, for $40 the meal was a little disappointing and the service was sub-par. 

Arizona Restaurant Week Prix-Fixe Menu – Christopher’s
First Course
- Choice Of -

Terrine of Hudson Valley ABC Foie Gras W/ Broiche , Armagnac Date Tart

House made Pancetta with Braised Cabbage

Second Course
- Choice Of -

Diver Scallops with Chared Onion Vinaigrette

Steamed Mussels with White Wine and Spanish Chorizo

Third Course
- Choice Of -

Hanger Steak with Red Wine Sauce and Sautéed Shallots

Pan Seared Duck Breast with Brussel Sprouts and Cider Gastrique

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red rock state park

Where:   Sedona, AZ
When:    August 20, 2011
Who:      Mo
What:     Desert Hike
Cost:      $3 per person walk in + $5 Red Rock Pass
Rating:   4 (out of 5)

I don’t think I’ve been on a hike in Sedona that I didn’t love, and my adventure in Red Rock State Park is no exception. I stumbled upon the East entrance of the park on a previous hike (see Turkey Creek). I hadn’t heard anything of Red Rock State park prior to this little discovery, probably because it’s pretty far out of the town of Sedona; okay like 10 miles or something. 

East Entrance Sign

I looked online at the hiking trails and found that there isn’t any trail that is longer than 1.9 miles and all were relatively flat; so a glorified walk in my opinion.  I parked at the East entrance and made my way through the gate to the park; paid my fee at the unmanned station.  You put your $3 in an envelope and keep the stub for proof that you paid.  I had planned to do the outer rim of all the hikes, figuring it would be about 3+ miles, but as I started on my way, I figured the trail map must be off.  Either that, or the vortex was having some freaky deaky hold on me because everything seemed way shorter than the map leads you to believe.  Click this Red Rock Map to see my route, which is highlighted. . 

Kingfisher Bridge

I started on the main trail, making my way to the Kingfisher Bridge.  This spot is beautiful, but it’s more about the sounds than the sights as the river is brown, muddy and downright gross.  But, listening to the river running and smelling the freshness of the trail is heaven.  While I was hiking there was a nice small breeze, just enough to rustle the leaves and cool things down a bit.  I wasn’t planning on doing the Bunkhouse trail, but I had to use the restroom, so I went to the Visitor’s Center.

Interesting History

The Bunkhouse trail is paved, for wheelchair use I assume.  It is also the most uneventful of all the trails and the scenery isn’t as good as the others, so unless you start here or if you have to go to the bathroom, I suggest skipping this portion of the park.

Next I went down the Sentinal Crossing which brings you over two adorable little bridges.  The stream flowing underneath along with the heavy tree cover was a perfect place to sit and just “be”, which I did.  It’s amazing to that there are thousands of people visiting Sedona and you can manage to find little secluded and peaceful spots that make you feel as if you have Sedona all to yourself.  Just as I was feeling the peace, some other hikers came by so I had to get up (the bridge is not wide enough for my butt and someone to walk past).  So, I got up and continued to the Kisva trail.

Ahhh...

The park is very clearly and well marked.  Just about every 1/4 mile there is a sign telling you where you are and what trails are intersecting.  These came in very handy seeing as everything seemed so much shorter than I envisioned.  As I hit the Eagle’s Nest Trail, I realized how special this park is.  From the meadows of tall wildflowers with the backdrop of the red rocks, to the deer that crossed my path and the rare birds flying above me; Red Rock State Park is unique and special.  There is a spot on Eagle’s Nest trail where you can sit and bird watch, which I did for a bit, but I know nothing about birds so I wasn’t there long.  The trail takes you up one of the only ascents in the park, and it’s only a couple hundred feet so anyone can do it.  The views were spectacular from up here.

Spectacular

At this point, I had only been in the park for about 45 minutes but should have gone 3-4 miles according to the map. I’m a fast walker, but not that fast.  I continued along the Coyote Ridge Trail which was beautiful.  Then, I finished the Javelina Trail and was back at the entrance and I was only in the park for an hour.  Something wasn’t adding up as I can’t imagine I walked about 5 miles in an hour.  Well, I was enjoying the park so I decided to do the Yavapai Ridge Trail to get a little more exercise.  This was a sort of odd hike as there is a house close to the trail so you feel like you are in someone’s back yard. 

View from Javelina Trail

I highly recommend Red Rock State Park.  It’s Sedona for sure, but it’s a little different taste of Sedona.  You can do the whole park in less than 2 hours as I did.   However, if you are looking for a real hike, this isn’t for you, it’s more of a glorified walk through the park.  This may sound strange but it’s a very romantic park as it is not busy so you can have the place to yourselves.  Secondly, there are all these hidden little benches around the park where you can sit and just enjoy nature and each other’s company.