Phoenix

I've written quite a few posts about Arizona over the years, since my sister has lived there since 2010.  I like it more and more when I come to visit!

Even though I've been trying to be healthier lately, my sister insisted on treating me to In-N-Out Burger on the same day I flew in.  I'm not going to complain.  She doesn't even eat red meat; she gets the "grilled cheese animal style" which is everything but the meat.  You can also order it without the bun "protein style" to have it wrapped in lettuce.  We like our fries "well done".

After my work in Tucson, I headed back up to Phoenix for another weekend with Sissy.  She took me to Arcadia Farms Cafe for lunch, one of her favorite spots in Old Town Scottsdale.  I had the chicken Cobb salad, and it was so fresh and delicious!  She'd warned me ahead of time that the service there was slow... but that still didn't prepare me for how long it took to get a drink, an order, even just a cookie and a check!  It's the kind of place where you need to be ready to help them speed along, like being that person who asks for a check when you're ordering dessert.  Otherwise, you're stuck.  But the food is SO GOOD, guys.  Seriously, so good.  We had a lemon cookie to split for dessert and it was heavenly.  I can see why people would come back to a place like this, where the service is 2-star but the food is 4-star!

We also had our eyelashes tinted and permed at Luminosa Beauty Bar, which was weird... but I love the results!  OMG!  Lashes for daysssss with no curling or mascara.  Actually, for weeks.  Amazing.  Shoutout to Chanel for the amazing work.

We also hit up Last Chance, where all the Nordstrom Rack merchandise goes for final sale.  It is not a place for the meek, but my sister is an expert.  I scored a Rebecca Minkoff bag for $40 (normally $200) and took home two pairs of Ugg boots (paid $60, normally $220).  One pair was a birthday gift from Sissy, the other I couldn't resist because I'm a nutcase who buys things I love in multiple colorways.  It was totally snowing in Nashville the day before I went home from Arizona, so it was justified quickly.

We also took a nice stroll through the Heard Museum, which is all about American Indian art.  The textiles, pottery, and jewelry were my favorites.  So incredible to see the handiwork of these tribes who were in our country long before Europeans landed.

My visit to Phoenix also meant quality time with my nephew-dog, Sumo!  Look how big he has gotten!  What a cute squish.

We had a couple of other delicious adventures on my last day in town, too...  I had a breakfast burrito at Presidio Cocina Mexicana, which was super tasty.  I saved half of it for my breakfast the following day.  Really clean, fresh little spot not far from the Heard Museum.

We (Sissy, her fiance, and I) went downtown on my last night to have dinner at Nook Kitchen. The location we visited downtown is attached to the coolest Hilton Garden Inn I've ever seen.  If this is the future of hotel restaurants, I'm so in.  We started with the arancini, which are amazing fried risotto balls.   Yummmmm.  These were good!  We were able to sit outside and enjoy the nice weather too.

I was craving comfort food and sticking to an Italian theme, as I tend to do; fresh pasta is hard for me to turn down.  Hello, bolognese!  I thought their pasta was tasty.  I ate every noodle.  If I go back, I'll have to give their pizza a try.

All-in-all, I really loved my most recent trip to Arizona, both Tucson and Phoenix.  I am lucky to have been able to spend a full week there, and get the perfect combination of work and family time.

Tucson

So I went to Tucson for work back in 2013, and I said I'd love to come back to that resort.  Well, lucky for me my work brought me back!  I spent five wonderful days at the JW Marriott Tucson Star Pass Resort, and I had a ball.  My sister picked me up at the airport, and we road tripped from Phoenix down to Tucson.

Sissy mentioned to me that it's a foodie city, so we went out for dinner downtown at the beautiful Maynards Market & Kitchen.  We started with drinks and the chef's board, which had three cheese and two cured meats.  I also liked their quince paste.  For dinner, we split the bistro salad and their pasta of the day.  The salad was yummy, and the pasta was good.  I think the olives in the pasta were a little overpowering, but we left stuffed and happy.

The next day, we went for a hike near the resort.  So many cacti!

Before Sissy headed home, we had brunch at 47 Scott.  They had $3 mimosas, y'all.  I got mine with grapefruit juice, because that's my obsession lately.

I got the grilled cheese (three cheeses, incredible) and tomato soup.  There was also a hot chili sauce for the sandwich, and it was soooo good.  Seriously, I'm still thinking about this sandwich.  I digress, need to keep blogging and stop thinking about the sandwich.

Once my sister headed back to Phoenix, I spent most of my time at the resort.  I had a massage and exfoliation at Hashani Spa, taking advantage of a special, and spent time by the pool.  It was the most amazing Monday ever!  I did a short hike on my own too, and it was beautiful.

I didn't stay at the resort the entire trip, though!  I headed out with three of my favorite coworkers for dinner at Penca.  An unmarked, sleek, dark restaurant, it has a mysterious vibe.  The drinks were strong and the food was yummy.  The service was a bit on the slow side, and the chip bowl was often empty.  Party foul!  But surrounded by friends engaged in good conversation, I barely noticed.  Hello, chicharrones, guac, and tacos!

I don't have enough words to describe my trip.  It was probably my favorite work trip of all-time, surrounded by really great people and a beautiful desert.  We had a ton of fun, and I really enjoyed it.

I loved my week in Tucson!

FnB & The Henry

I ate a lot of delicious food while in Phoenix, and I wanted to share some pics of two of them.  The first was the location for one of my work team dinners, FnB.  FnB is acclaimed locally and beyond, with a super-seasonal menu that has a lot of unique options.

I started with a cocktail: the Cranberry Presbyterian, a ginger ale with cranberry-infused vodka.  I giggled when I saw it listed under the heading "Potent Potables", because Jeopardy.  It was strong and tasty, not quite as cranberry-heavy as I expected, but fresh.  We also had a number of small plates to start, with my favorites being the Peruvian chicken spring rolls and house pulled mozzarella (pictured) as well as the pork rillette.

For my main course, I had the pasta with duck confit, lentils, foraged mushrooms, spigarello, and bread crumbs.  The pasta tasted deliciously fresh, and the combination of flavors didn't taste like anything else I'd had before.  The kudos and recognition this restaurants receives (including two James Beard noms for the best chef in the southwest) don't surprise me a bit!

The service was fantastic and the food was too.  We didn't have the right headcount and they were able to move some tables and accommodate more people quickly, not an easy task in a small restaurant.  Our group was still talking about how great the experience was the next day.

My last dinner in Phoenix was Sissy's pick: The Henry.  She'd taken me to a Fox Restaurant before, and they've never failed to impress.  The Henry was no different.  Its concept is "the greatest neighborhood restaurant", and I loved it!  They are open all day, with a coffee shop inside, but they dress up nicely for supper.  The decor was on trend with its combo of old and modern fixtures and furniture.  Sissy, JA, and my college friend AC met up for drinks and bites.

I kicked off with a Pineapple Pisco Sour, and was super impressed at the restaurant emblem in the foam!  It was a delicious version of my favorite drink from our honeymoon in Peru.

I decided to have soup and a starter for my dinner.  The soup that day was a chicken tortilla soup, which had fresh avocado in it.  It was tasty and it the spot, as the evenings in AZ were in the low 40s when I was there in January.

I also had the Short Rib Potstickers, which were excellent.  They tasted fantastic!  I had a bite of AC's Prairie Breeze Cheddar Popovers too, which were super soft on the inside.

Phoenix and Scottsdale are full of fantastic food and drinks, y'all.  I seriously tuck in to delicious meals every time I visit!  Sissy has the best recommendations, and even though she doesn't like to dine out as much as I do, she's always ready to take her foodie sister to the best spots.

Phoenix/Scottsdale

Most of my week in Arizona was spent in Phoenix and Scottsdale... either with Sissy or staying at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn in Paradise Valley.

View from my porch at the JW Marriott

While Dan was still in town, we spent time helping Sissy and JA renovate and move into their adorable new house.  We also grabbed beers and food at Mother Bunch Brewing downtown, tacos to go at America's Taco Shop, and I made my orange chicken that my sister loves, in my biggest batch to date.

Mother Bunch Brewing

Orange Chicken

We also got to grab some In N Out, which, other than the Grand Canyon, was Dan's favorite part of visiting Arizona!  We dug into some double-doubles, and Sissy had an animal-style grilled cheese.

Once Dan left, I indulged in a facial and massage at my favorite spa ever, Joya Spa, which was incredible as usual.  I even had some time in their luxurious, quiet whisper room.  Bliss!  Then it was off to work meetings, but not without a little bit of fun...  We did a scavenger hunt with Real London Bus and an evening at TopGolf.  I had delicious dinners at FnB and The Henry (post and pics to come later), took daily of photos of cacti and bunnies (LOL just look at my Instagram) and enjoyed the resort's fire pits in the chilly evenings.

When Sissy moved to Arizona, I don't think I thought I would enjoy going out there that much.  But now that we're older, I miss her more, and I'm happy to venture West for the beautiful landscapes, delicious food and drink, and of course some family time.


P.S.  What Aubrey trip is complete without some kitty love?  Here are pics of my nephew-cats Charlie and Benny... Sweet squishes!

Grand Canyon & Flagstaff

I had to head back to Arizona (lucky me!) for work, so Dan and I headed out early to spend a long weekend with Sissy and her fiancé, JA.  Since it was Dan's first trip to Arizona, we had to make it special... so we drove out to the Grand Canyon to show him why it's considered one of the wonders of the world!

Once we got out of Phoenix, the scenery changed dramatically into a winder wonderland!  All along the road, people were pulled over to go sledding and romp in the snow.  It almost didn't look real!

The snow made it all the more beautiful and stunning!  Sure, it was cold... but it was a bright and sunny day to be out experiencing the park.  This post is photo-heavy and light on my narration, but that's because I think the photos just speak for themselves.

I think that Dan found the Grand Canyon to be surprisingly impressive...  That is, people build it up in talk to be this big thing, but most things in life end up a little disappointing when you have those expectations.  The Grand Canyon, however, doesn't disappoint.  Even after more than one visit, I'm still in awe that it exists.  And, as Dan pointed out, how long it took to form such a stunningly deep impression into the earth.

After our visit to the Grand Canyon, we drove to Flagstaff for the night.  We stayed at the historic (and reputedly haunted) Hotel Monte Vista.  While the hotel itself is a bit past its prime (it used to host very famous guests), we found our suite to be clean and suitable for the night!  The hotel also has a couple of pretty decent bars, and it was walking distance to the main downtown drag.

After checking in, we walked to local ramen joint SoSoBa for some food.  It was a cold and snowy day, so a bowl of hot noodles and broth sounded perfect.  There were a good number of other folks in the tiny restaurant, a good sign.  Service was solid, beer and drink options plentiful, and hipsters galore.

We started with Balls of Fire, their housemade fried mac 'n' cheese balls with spicy sauce.  Dan liked these so much, he wished he'd ordered a few more for his meal!

For my main dish, I had The Mic Drop: udon noodles, pork belly, carnitas, chicharron, sliced ham, bacon, kim chi, veggies, and a tonkatsu pork broth.  Basically, a creative bowl of carnivorous "ramen" that really hit the spot.  It was definitely tasty, despite being a departure from traditional ramen.  

After eating, we browsed some boutiques (mostly outdoorsy places) and had a couple of drinks at the hotel bar before turning in.  In the morning, we had a delicious breakfast at the popular (judging from its line) Macy's European Coffeehouse and Bakery, a vegetarian spot that served me a cider and breakfast sandwich so delicious, I didn't remember to take any photos before devouring!

All in all, it was a great road trip from Phoenix.  I think Dan liked Flagstaff even more than Phoenix, though both boast a lot of craft beer!  We'd definitely come back, and now we know why Sissy loves it for a quick getaway from the desert.

36 Hours in Phoenix

Last month, I needed a few more airline miles to maintain my frequent flyer status, so I took a quick (seriously, 36 hours!) trip to Arizona to see my sister.  As it happens, my mother needed to do the same thing, so the women of the family (and my future brother-in-law JA) reunited.  Mom & I stayed at the gorgeous Omni Montelucia Resort.

View from our room

I got in late Friday night, we drove through In N Out Burger, then settled in for the night.  In the morning, Sissy and J picked us up for breakfast.  We headed to Jewel's Bakery & Cafe, where I loaded up on protein with the Chorizo Omelet, which had a corn tortilla inside it!  Yum.

Then we drove to White Tank Mountain Regional Park for a hike in the park.  We saw old petroglyphs, cacti, and the slow trickle of a waterfall at the end.  It was a leisurely hike, but a good time!  The scenery was totally beautiful.

This cactus must be so old!  Saguaro may grow their first side arm any time from 75–100 years of age.

Had to wear my Army "A" as it was the day of the Army-Navy football game

Mother-Daughter photo in front of some petroglyphs

Afterwards, we met up with J's parents to refuel with some pho from Saigon Kitchen.  It was a chilly weekend in AZ, so it was the perfect way to warm up.

We wrapped up the night by checking out Sissy's house remodel, shopping at at outlet mall, then heading to the resort for a good night's sleep.  Mom and I drank wine and did face masks, and I enjoyed the amazing shower at the resort.  It was like its own room!

View of one of the resort pools

In the morning, when I woke up, we headed to the resort's Joya Spa for a wonderful massage, courtesy of Sissy!  It was my first full body, professional massage, and it was heavenly.  I felt so weightless and relaxed.  I might be hooked!

While I was only in Arizona for 36 short hours, it really felt like we made the most of it.  I'm headed back to AZ for work soon, so I'll have more adventures to share when that trip wraps!  At the spa, after my treatment I picked up one of their message cards at random, and it made me smile.  It reminded me to spread joy, and it was perfect timing!  Definitely a wonderful reset.