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.