I have found a new vacation wonderland.  The desert southwest.  Maybe it's the novelty of something new but this was paradise.  Warm and dry without all that sticky humidity.  If we wanted wet, the hotel had a pool.

If a pleasant vacation wasn't good enough, a cosmic quirk of fashion made me look and feel comfortable to boot.  I know my friends were bemoaning the "pregnancy look" being in style but when you have turned into the human gas bag those nice feminine empire waist blouses make you downright thankful.   Now everyone can hide that enlarged middle with style.  And swimming?!?  God it's a fine time to be alive ladies!  SWIM DRESS!!!  A-line.  Hides middles and hips.  Houdini couldn't have done better.

We started our adventure in downtown Phoenix.  Everything was easy to get to and there were people with ASK ME shirts walking the streets ready to tell you about anything you wanted to know.  The guy we asked for recommendations on authentic southwestern cuisine was from Pittsburgh.  Go figure.  The city was clean and beautifully landscaped.  There was rosemary growing as a shrub along the sidewalks so you would walk along and get wisps of scent every so often.  It might have been part of the plan because we soon found ourselves at a restaurant with an outdoor table.  Almost every restaurant had outdoor dining, and why not, it only rains three times a year.

The second day we spent at the zoo which is in Papago Park.  I learned later that Honey is not much of a zoo doer, it was all for my benefit.  Isn't that sweet?

We spent the afternoon hiking the rock formations (mountains) in Papago Park.  Our hotel was close to the zoo and Papago Park, in between Scottsdale and Tempe.  Anywhere in the city you could look up and see a mountain range.  It was really cool, as in neat. This is approaching the mountains.

This picture below is looking down at Phoenix from the top of the rocks on the left, or close to the top.  I wasn't quite so brave on the first day of vacation.

The next day, our second full day, was probably the best day of our trip.  We went up to Frank Lloyd Wrights, Taliesin West.  That is going to take a whole blog by itself.  If you like building and architecture, stay tuned . . . . . 

As for food, there is everything.  Honey wasn't totally immersing himself in southwestern food but he did try out a Mexican Restaurant, El Penasco .  We both went for the unusual (by our standards) Shrimp Poblano and it was tasty.  They had a green salsa that was yummy and I ordered a side of guacamole.  Now I don't know why Honey will eat the green salsa but not guacamole.  I thought it might be a green thing but I'm starting to think it's an avocado thing.  Well his loss.  Ooops, the green salsa had bits of avocado.  Well what he doesn't know . . . .

The standout meal of this trip belongs to Bandera .  We were stumbling around Old Town Scottsdale when we smelled the heavenly scent of fire roasted chickens.  We followed our noses to a screened in section of a building and there through the screen were lines of seasoned chickens rotating around a wood fire.  We stood there gazing upon the chickens, smelling the tang of the smoky fire (probably mesquite) wishing we hadn't eaten earlier.  Luckily the next day when we were planning dinner, Honey suggested we go back to Scottsdale for one of them twirly chickens (my definition).  Boy am I glad he remembered.

We both had the chicken and it was FANTASTIC.  Moist and flavorful.  The menu wasn't large but it was creative and we had fun getting our waitress to explain 90 degree rice (rice with cilantro) which we both ended up having.  Honey had the roasted red and green peppers, and I had the cucumber salad that was unique and refreshing.  Oriental cucumbers with red onion, corn kernels, avocado, goat cheese, and a light vinaigrette.  It was great.  A decidedly southwestern flavored meal.   Contrary to super sized American meals it was just enough.

We fell asleep to John Adams on HBO and woke at 3am because of the difference in time.  Honey would try to lull me back to sleep with tales of the Great Southwest Pterodactyl (jet), or the coiled green copperhead:

and it's cousin, the coiled red copperhead.  Look this one is feeding:

He would tell me of the Arizona Cactapus.  You are on your own here.  I don't know how to explain that one.  Then he would ask me, "you're going to put this in your blog, aren't you?"  And as I drifted off to sleep I would chuckle and say, "of course you big silly." 

tags: arizona  phoenix  desert  warm  hot  vacation  fashion  style  swimming  hiking  zoo  mountains  food  restaurants  el penasco  bandera  tempe  scottsdale  humor  sun  

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