Tag: Attraction Review

Architecture, ART, Attractions, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Memory Keeping, Museums, TRAVEL, United States

Philbrook Art Museum & Gardens

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: A SPOOKY NIGHTTIME TOUR AT THE PHILBROOK

Welcome along on our long weekend visit to Tulsa. During the early hours of Friday we visited the sights of Woodward Park and had lunch at the Wildflower Cafe. After Bill’s nap (what would a vacation be without naps) we took off for the Philbrook. It was a little rainy and dark to enjoy the gardens, but we enjoyed the time in the museum. Come along!

PHILBOO!

We did not wake up one morning and say, “Let’s go to Tulsa for Halloween!” Halloween is not a big deal at our house and that just happened to be the weekend we didn’t have other commitments. In fact, Philboo, the museum’s Halloween event, was a bit of an inconvenience, because a museum or garden filled with screeching, running kids in costumes sounds like a bit of a nightmare to us.

My plan had been to go from the Sneedon Mansion to the Philbrook, see the garden that afternoon and enjoy the museum that evening, because the museum was supposed to belong to the kids Saturday. I didn’t realize we’d spend such a significant and wonderful time at Woodward Park attractions and then have naptime, but that’s how it played out.

I have no complaints about our visit to the Museum, but the bad weather made seeing the gardens a bit of a challenge. Friday night was Philboo for adults. Lots of costumed patrons, but no screeching and running, so it was no problem. Not your normal night at the museum, but nothing disruptive. We had a leisurely time enjoying the galleries of the museum and checking out the gift store.

THE MANSION & MUSEUM

The Phillips Mansion is gorgeous – yes, Phillips like the gasoline, but not the Phillips 66 brothers. Waite was an oilman, but he went a different direction than Frank and L.E., his older brothers. Doesn’t sound to me as if there were any losers. All the brothers did well, but Waite was a quieter, more behinds the scenes entrepreneur and perhaps the more successful. Certainly the more philanthropic. He built his mansion, lived there filling it with treasures for a while and then gave it and the art to the city of Tulsa.

Though there’s lots of nice pieces in the Philbrook, for me there were no showstoppers – pieces or artists I went specifically to see, or pieces that moved me spectacularly once I was there. For me, it was the mansion itself which was the real draw. Above is a sampling of the walls’ offerings, thanks to photos made by Bill.

THE GARDENS

During our Friday night visit, it was cold, wet and dark in the gardens. You could step out on the terrace, but there was not sufficient lighting to be able to see what the gardens held. I despaired of ever getting to see them, but I didn’t know exactly what to do about it.

Saturday was given over to the Art Deco Tour of Downtown, which I’ll tell you about next week. It was also the height of Philboo, so as much as I wanted to see it, I didn’t even suggest it.

Our flight back to Dallas was not until 2 on Sunday, but that meant we needed to get to the airport by noon. Bill’s not much for getting up early on vacation without a specific reason and didn’t know whether or not he’d think the Gardens were specific enough of a reason, but he got in gear on Sunday morning and off we went.

As a patron of the Dallas Arboretum I’m used to a garden that takes hours to see. I knew the Philbrook Gardens were less extensive. I think we arrived with about 45 minutes to spare and that turned out to be more than enough, because the gardens are much more compact. Unfortunately, the price was steep, at least compared to the $5 per person admittance we’d had on Friday night. We paid twenty each for our Sunday visit, because that’s the price. There’s no, I-just-want-the-gardens price or even a senior discount.

But it was worth it. You start just outside the mansion on a balcony and stroll down immaculate terraced gardens to a fountain. After the fountain is a pond surrounded by more haphazard gardening.

Then there’s the park like setting with the folly. Very Thomas Kincaid-ish.

The terraces, the pond and the folly are the main attractions and going back up to the balcony is as delightful as walking down the terraces to the folly.

There’s a kind of side garden with a pool and bathroom facilities, where I think they have concerts and events. As you can see, the weather was not great, but at least it was not pouring rain. We saw the gardens and I was happy.

So, that covers the Philmont Art Museum and the Gardens. I was not blown away by the art, but I think you should plan on seeing this place. It’s wonderful. Come back next week and we’ll go on a great tour of Downtown architecture.

ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Museums, Music, TRAVEL, United States

Tulsa’s Terrific History Museum

Jane Sadek

THE MUSEUM OF TULSA HISTORY ROCKS WITH LEON

So, on this long weekend in Tulsa, I reluctantly went to the Tulsa History Museum expecting a ten minute stroll through a building full of junk and a segue to the next items on my list. Was I ever wrong! Come find out how wrong!

A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE BUILDING

From the exterior, this museum looks like Sneeden Mansion Part Deaux, because that’s exactly how it started it’s life – as a home for a Sneeden family member and the goal was to make the two home complimentary. In the actual Sneeden Mansion, efforts had been made to keep the charm of its original appearance. The Museum Building had been gutted and redesigned as a museum.

At the entry a charming volunteer was thrilled to have us visit on the damp & cold fall morning. I smiled sweetly and hoped she wouldn’t hear my stomach growl. We paid the admission price and picked up a map. As we walked away, she said the best place to start was in a room to her right and she warned us not to miss the Leon Russell exhibit in the lobby.

LEON RUSSEL!!!!

I think Leon Russell just might be one of the best pianist and song writers of my generation. Don’t think I know what I’m talking about. Ask Elton John. He’s in absolute awe of the guy. I swear tears came to my eyes and I wandered over to the exhibit like Eloi being summoned for dinner – as in to be dinner, not to have it. It was a religious experience for me.

Though Bill totally understands my admiration for the guy, he isn’t of the same mindset and after a few photos he was ready to check out that room to the right of the volunteer. The exhibits in that room immediately let us know we were not going to be looking at granny’s cast offs this morning. This was real history.

The Greenwood District, Black Wall Street and Remorseful Citizens

This gallery covered the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre – something none of my history books had covered – just as they failed to discuss what had happened in Oklahoma City in 1989. However, what happened in the Greenwood District of Tulsa in 1921 was of greater magnitude than anything I remember hearing about growing up in Georgia in the 60’s. It started over something petty and turned into a killing free-for-all. Tulsa was humiliated by her behavior and set out to do better. It’s a horrible event that engendered a gentler citizenry.

From this sad event, Tulsa History Museum goes on to be proud of what came out of this awful time. Though I’d been hungry when I walked in, I soon found myself fascinated by what the museum had to offer and my stomach quit growling. There were some cases showing off the gifts of various Oklahoman artists, such as Native American ballet dancers that were known to the world as The Five Moons. Perhaps the most fun was the wonderful collection of clothing and shoes, wonderful pieces, beautifully preserved and displayed!

PUT IT ON YOUR LIST

Now that I know, I can’t believe I almost missed one of my favorite things from the weekend. I would put it neat the top of MUST SEE’s in Tulsa. While in Woodward Park we did drop by the Teaching Barn, which is part of the Garden Center’s properties. It was the working barn of the Sneeden Family, but the best part was the garden behind it and somehow I left those pictures out of my albums. Not to worry, here are a couple!

Before we left the History Museum, I consulted with the marvelous volunteer who’d been so happy to see us at the beginning. We were looking for lunch, someplace special. Her answer was The Wildflower Cafe. We had to wait, but it was worth it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t exist anymore. They are moving downtown to a new location, but it makes me sad. I’m sure they’ll just improve everything, including the decor, which consisted of old needlepoint pictures, made from kits in the 70’s and 80’s. I know the dates, because some of the pieces were items I completed or at least started myself! Probably worth checking out if you go, but I can’t promise it will be as charming and delicious as I remember!

After lunch, Bill was ready for a nap. So, we planned to take in the Philmont that evening. Take a rest yourself and join me next week for the Philbrook!

Architecture, ART, Attractions, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Museums, TRAVEL, United States

Tulsa’s Wonderful Woodward Park

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: SURPRISES AT SNEEDEN MANSION

Welcome to our long weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We got settled in Thursday evening after a difficult flight and lucked into all kinds of pleasantries on Friday. Come along and discover Tulsa’s Sneeden Mansion, their Garden Club Center and a great event space.

Taking Some Tulsa Time on Friday Morning

Being the early riser, I hit the very adequate gym at the Broken Arrow Towneplace Suites. No stretching chair and no rowing machine, but I made the most of the treadmill. I stopped at the free breakfast buffet to see if they realized there were gluten free people in the world and was pleasantly surprised to find a pretty decent breakfast. It wasn’t the freshly made waffles others were enjoying, but there was plenty and it was good.

Upstairs, Bill decided to make some coffee in the room, before he went down for breakfast. We’d already had maintenance up to the room for something the night before and with coffee flowing all over the counter and floor, we had to invite them in again. We saw them quite often over this weekend. They were always very nice, very quick and very accommodating, but who wants to spend their vacation with the maintenance personnel! Eventually, we got Bill some breakfast and got on the road.

Historic Mansion Turned Garden Club with a side of Rain

Going to Tulsa was not a spur of the moment kind of thing. I’d been lobbying for it for years. I heard about Philmont Art Museum & Gardens and knew immediately it would be the cornerstone for a great weekend. Then came the pandemic and other distractions. Finally, I was there.

During my research, I discovered while I could get into the Philbrook almost anytime, the access to what is now Tulsa’s Garden Center was limited. What had been the Sneeden Estate was now Woodward Park and the Sneeden Mansion was now the Garden Club inside said park. The Mansion was open to the public during certain hours each week, but they didn’t have tours and I don’t think very many people took them up on visiting, because they weren’t quite sure what to do with us.

An employee took us on a tour that was more like a sales appointment for an event, because apparently hosting catered events, like weddings and fundraisers, are the primary activity these days at the Garden Club. In fact, the Tulsa Garden Club was having a rummage sale there the very weekend we were there and members were feverishly setting up for the fundraiser.

All that aside, the mansion is a beautiful place. I’m sure the festivities hosted there are spectacular. I imagined splendid evenings with elegant ladies being swirled around the black and while tiled floor under the glorious chandeliers.

One of my favorite things was the his & hers powder rooms at either end of the elegant entry way. This reminded me of a similar arrangement in the entry way to the DeGolyer Mansion at the Dallas Arboretum. The library would have done Hogwarts proud. Downstairs there was an area custom designed for events with more testosterone.

While our designated tour guide was a little awkward at first, our fascination with the place won her over completely and we were fast friends by the time we left. She urged us to see the Conservatory just across the parking lot and warned us to be sure and see the Tulsa History Museum, which was just steps away and had been built by the Sweedens for a family member. Oh yes – and we shouldn’t miss the Teaching Barn either.

THE CONSERVATORY

There was no way we could miss the Conservatory with our new friend standing in the doorway of the mansion, to make sure we found it OK. Not that it would have been easy to miss the glass building with white frames. The central area had a pool and fountain. Various arms of the building created spokes around it. While impossible to miss, it was not particularly large in comparison to the spacious mansion it had been built to adorn.

We snapped a few pictures, while discussing whether or not to take in the History Museum. Now I’m usually all about history museums and I knew it was in Woodward Park, but nothing I’d read about it made me believe it was really worth a visit. Often history museums in smaller towns are just a place for people to drop off unwanted old stuff,

Bill said we were there, so we might as well see it. Most of the things I had on my list otherwise were gardens and this damp day was not exactly designed for garden visits. Bill was right. I had no idea what we would be missing if we’d blown it off. Come back next week and see what I meen.

Accommodations, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Chillin’ on Navarre Beach

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: THE BEACH IN BETWEEN

Our friends live in Pensacola, but we wanted some time on our own. Bill thought he wanted to stay in Destin. I knew we didn’t want to stay in Destin. What were our options? I’d been to a travel show in Dallas and Navarre Beach showed up in a big way, offering free turquois sunglasses and promising Florida’s Most Relaxing Place. I was sold. Let’s go!

The Quiet Rhythm of Navarre Beach

Navarre Beach kept it’s promise. I can’t imagine a more relaxing place. We rented a place in Sand Castle Townhomes. Somehow both Vacasa and VRBO were involved in the transaction which I started on Expedia. This short term rental stuff is still new to me. We stayed in #18, which called itself a two story townhome, but that’s only because they don’t want you thinking about the first floor where the car is parked. So, the first thing we did was drag our luggage up two flights of stairs.

Sand Castle Townhomes is an older complex, but everything in #18 was brand spanking new. My biggest complaint is that the primary bedroom didn’t have an en suite bath, but I’m healthy, so a few more steps didn’t hurt me and the huge closet in our room was an asset. There’s a pool we didn’t use, but we loved the gazebo and pier behind the complex.

Our days there, for the most part, consisted of hanging out in the townhome for most of the day and then walking on the beach as the sun began to set. We loved our evening beach strolls. White sugar sand and emerald waters – what could be better. And we celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary there, so that made it even more special.

Our Day Trip Fails

I don’t beach well. It’s too sedentary for me. I don’t want to cook in the sand and I don’t want to play in the water. Bill doesn’t like the heat either and if he’s playing in the water, he’d rather be in a pool.

So, I planned a couple of expeditions, one of which failed spectacularly and the other was meh. Warning, there are two parks with similar names in Florida which feature activities in crystal clear spring lakes. There’s Ponce de Leon Springs, a small park for swimming in the Florida Panhandle and another one, De Leon Springs is 500 miles away. The one that’s 500 miles away has kayaks, canoes and paddle boats, as well as pontoon boat cruises.

Do I need to tell you that I took us to Ponce de Leon Springs, thinking we were going to get to do all the stuff they have a De Leon Springs? That was a major disappointment. So, we tried to google up another kayaking adventure, but when we got to Defuniak Springs the kayak rental business was defunct.

So, we headed to Destin instead. It was an interesting field trip and before it was over Bill agreed with me, that I had been right to avoid staying in Destin. It’s a parking lot for a crowded beach. That evening we were very happy to stroll our quiet, beautiful Navarre Beach.

Another day we went back to Destin to see if we missed anything. We went to Harborside Market, an entertainment complex with a $20 parking lot. Bill drove around until he found someplace he could park for free (by a small cemetery) and I’m glad, because our visit was not worth $20. We drove around a little more, didn’t find anything of interest and headed back to Navarre.

Juana’s Pagodas and Other Adventures

Navarre Beach’s answer to the Flora-Bama Bar is Juana’s Pagoda. The complex has several dining venues and bars, a beach and water sport rentals. We had a great breakfast there one morning and somehow got hooked up for a free boat ride, which was a lot of fun. Had I been there on my own or with other travelers, I might have spent a whole lot more time there, but it didn’t ring Bill’s chimes.

The best place to eat in the area is Dewey Destin’s. The food was marvelous and their beachside tables were even better! The Navarre location is relatively new and is on the mainland rather than the channel island where our townhome was. Unfortunately, we didn’t find it until rather later in our stay. After our great lunch there, we showed up for dinner the next day, but they closed a lot earlier than we anticipated.

Another popular spot in Navarre Beach is Andy D’s and it’s hopping most of the time, probably from the lack of other options, because the food is mediocre. So, for most of our stay in Navarre, we either had fast food or made do with groceries we’d stocked in the townhome.

Perhaps one of the more entertaining ways I killed time, until we could have our evening stroll on the beach, was to attend a beachside church service. There was a little music and then an evangelist got up to teach. Well, let’s just say he was not my style. He was a whole lot to the right of me in his political leanings, so that should tell you something scary. He also spent a whole lot of time bragging on himself for having these services and cataloging all the rough souls he had saved along the way. After an hour and a half, I’d had enough. It sure made me appreciate my own church!

We found other ways to enjoy ourselves during the long days, besides laying around the townhouse with me reading the books I found in a drawer and Bill working endless sudoku puzzles. One day we went to some open houses to check out the local real estate and I’ve already mentioned the gazebo and pier behind our complex. We spent a good amount of time out there Another day we visited the Spring Hill Suites Hotel, because it was the only hotel or motel there was. Our friends came over from Pensacola to check things out one day. Lazy, relaxing days.

However, when it was time to head home we were just about lazy-day-ed out. We were eager to get back to our lives. We suffered some of the usual slings and arrows of travel, like the rudest TSA agent I’d ever encountered, but otherwise it was an easy trip home.

So, would I go back to Navarre Beach? In a heartbeat, but I’d be better prepared with ways to entertain and feed myself during the long, hot parts of the day. Otherwise, perfect.

Attractions, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL

Tourists in Pensacola

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: A SMORGASBOARD OF PENSACOLA

From Historic Downtown Pensacola to the Flora-Bama Bar, my friend made sure I didn’t leave P-Cola without seeing the highlights. She didn’t hide the fact that she’d love to see us multiple times a year, instead of every once in awhile, so she pulled out all the stops.

The Driving Tour

Hunger problem solved, my friend drove us to Downtown Pensacola. They’ve done a great job of preserving the quaintness of the past. Row upon row of restaurants and shops beckoned, but we were just enjoying a drive by.

From there my friend took us to some of the more distinctive neighborhoods and showed us how people live in P-Cola. We got the impression she was interested in having us do more than visit.

Then we got serious about what would be for dinner and she took us to an amazing fish market called Joe Patty’s. What started as a guy selling fresh fish off the dock has turned into an institution dearly loved by P-Colers. Inside there’s a long ice filled counter offering every kind of fish and sea thing you can possibly imagine. Over to the side is a shop with spices of every variety and all kinds of gadgets and souvenirs. The lobster tank towards the back had some of the biggest monsters you can imagine trying to figure out how to climb out of the tank. If you want, they’ll steam your seafood right on the spot and take the work out of it, but my friend is an amazing cook, so we were glad she took the fresh fish home and made us an incredible meal.

The Story of the Flora-Bama

Yea, many long years ago a guy bought a huge piece of land near the border of Florida and Alabama. He had a vision that started with a package store virtually out in the middle of nowhere. That package store is still there and you can pick up some iced down brews to take home, but there’s also the kingdom of Flora-Bama.

The Flora-Bama bar itself is a huge wandering building that had to be created by a drunk carpenter – a carpenter that stayed drunk for decades. There might be a rhyme or reason to it, but it didn’t make much sense to me. There are beachside bars and dune side bars and inside bar and patios and dance floors and stages and who knows what all. There’s one room decorated with abandoned bras hung across crossed lines over the bar, as well as hanging off everything else in the room.

The Flora-Bama Bar is most famous for its annual mullet toss. I’m not going to try to explain it to you, but my friend tells me there is not a bare spot on the beach to stick your toe on mullet toss weekend.

But there’s more to the Flora-Bama than the bar and the package store. There are a number of other bars and restaurants all around with the Flora-Bama brand and all of them are pouring money into the pockets of that guy who bought the land and built the package store.

My friend likes the Flora-Bama Yacht Club best of what’s available, so that’s where we started our Flora-Bama tour. It really was a nice place to put your feet in the sand and enjoy a cold one of some sort. I had one of their signature drinks called a Bushwacker. They won’t tell you what’s in it, they say, “think of it as an adult milkshake.” It was interesting, but my drinking is either wine or margaritas, so I’m not the one to ask.

After our Bushwackers we strolled across the street and made our way around and through the original bar. I can tell I’m getting old, because I had no desire to be there for the mullet toss and I agreed with my friend that the Yacht Club was more our style.

The next morning we hung out a while, having breakfast and taking a dip in their pool. Then we headed for the next portion of our vacation. Come back next week and we’ll go to Navarre Beach.

ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Museums, Performing Arts, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Off Into the Blue with the Angels

Jane Sadek

Making Memories: Let’s Go Fast!

The Blue Angels are the ace performance team of the Navy’s pilots. They call Pensacola home and Pensacola is proud to claim them. We got the insiders version of their Wednesday morning practice run. Come along for the fun!

Soaring with the Blue Angels

My friend lives about 10 minutes from the air base where the Blue Angels fly, but she never gets tired of watching them. When I told her we were coming, she immediately suggested we go. I was concerned she was tired of seeing them, because everyone who visits must want to go. I had the same situation living close to Hearst Castle, but whereas I got very tired of seeing the same thing over and over again, my friend relishes the opportunity to spend a morning with the Blue Angels and she knows all the tricks.

She got us there in time to get a front row seat. We perched on the edge of the runway and enjoyed the antics of the volunteers as they provided pre-show entertainment. They probably wouldn’t call it that, but they’re so excited about their angels and have so much good information that waiting for the show is no burden. We did take turns going to the souvenir shop and viewing the many planes on display around the air field, but nothing was as entertaining as the volunteer in our section as she shared with us what to expect and how to watch her angels.

Then the jets took off, but there is no describing the show. You are so close to the jets. They make such a roar. The pilots do such amazing things you’d think the jets were merely toys in the hands of a playful god, but these are human beings driving humongous vehicles through the sky and they seem to come within a hair’s breadth of one another time and time again. We were awestruck from beginning to end.

Naval Air Museum

As if we hadn’t been wowed enough, after the show my friend ushered us into Naval Air Museum. A year before we’d spent a whole day at The Museum of Flight and in some ways it was more spectacular, but in comparison, the Naval Air Museum is no less interesting. We wandered through the space awestruck, looking at the wide variety of airplanes and jets. I was particularly interested in some displays they had concerning the training Navy pilots undergo. It’s not a job for the light of heart.

As interesting as it was, we finally had to give in to our growling stomachs. We’d had a nice breakfast spread at my friend’s home, but sitting out in the sun, enduring the power and excitement of the show and then wandering around the museum had used up all our calories. We made our way to the nearest Mickey D’s where I got a milkshake I’d been craving for days. The others celebrated their lack of aversion to gluten and ate Big Macs. Ah, I remember Big Macs.

There was more sightseeing to come, but join us next week for our tour of Pensacola and the Flora-Bama!

Cruising, Gardens, International, Shopping, Shore Excursions, TRAVEL

RC, That’s More Like It

Jane Sadek

MEMORY MAKING: THE BETTER SHORE EXCURSIONS

Having Fun in Spite of the Challenges

After the Shore Excursion FAIL in Tulum, we didn’t have much in the way of expectations when it came to Roatan, but it turned into a pretty wonderful day. The same with Costa Maya. We’d had the awful Jaguar Paw Debacle, but our bike ride and kayaking in Costa Maya, though not wonderful, was fine. Come along and enjoy these days with us.

Happy in Honduras

From the moment our ship pulled into port at Roatan, it looked as if we might be having a better day than we did in Tulum. The area around the port was very inviting and fresh, as if they’d had their gala grand opening the day before. Not at all the gloomy ferry docks of Cozumel.

We hurried through the inviting port area and found our shore excursion bus. A very short, scenic, tropical drive took us to Carambola Gardens and we were greeted by festively dressed employees who heartily welcomed us. They led us to a covered pavilion where in the shade of towering trees we participated in a very informative demonstration. Cacao beans were turned into chocolate the old fashioned way and we even got to try it out ourselves and make some dessert.

As the chocolate hardened, we were taken on a tour of the gardens. It was surprising to me, because there were no flowers. That’s what I think of when someone tells me we’re going to take a garden tour. Instead we were introduced to a wide variety of tropical trees and plants. A very sweet guide told us the fruit produced by each plant or tree and how the fruit and other various parts were used. I wished for some flowers, but was pleased by what was presented.

We returned to the collection of buildings and pavilions for a delicious lunch, topped off by the chocolate we had made ourselves. On the way out there was a shopping opportunity and I found this really cute bag I couldn’t live without!

Back in the port area, we had even more shopping opportunities and if we’d wanted to, we could have spent the afternoon hanging out at their pool. It was really a very nice place. Were I to go back today, I’d plan to spend my day there perhaps and not even take a shore excursion – it was that good.

Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico

When it comes to shore excursions, I try to mix it up. We’d done a historical/archeological tour to Tulum, chocolate making in Roatan and cave floating in Belize. A nice coastal bike ride and kayaking sounded like a great way to round out our activities – especially since for some reason Royal Caribbean thought anyone over 65 was too old for four wheeling. I hold that against them, too. I’m sure I’m more fit and able to drive an ATV that some of the 20 and 30 something passengers who were cruising with us. Not to worry though, I will not ever cruise Royal Caribbean again – even if it were free!

Though it was not as awful as the Jaguar Paw Experience, our Bike & Clear Kayak Adventure didn’t turn out exactly as I had imagined. We found our shore excursion group in the meeting area and followed our guide to our bikes. They’d seen better days, but they worked, so we jumped on and rode away in a line behind the guide.

I’d imagined biking through gorgeous tropical and/or beach scenes. For the first half of the ride we rode through what looked like one abandoned construction site after another. It was disheartening and disappointing. Eventually, we did come to a sort of beach boardwalk, but there were no boards, only bricks. It was early enough in the morning that vendors were setting up their wares and few people were enjoying the beach. Our guide led us to a fenced-in cafe where we were told to park our bikes and go to the patio.

We were given bottles of water and told to get ready for kayaking. We put on our water shoes eagerly, claimed our craft and headed out into the water. These were clear bottomed kayaks, but there was nothing to see except water, sand and some grasses growing in the water. It was great to be out on the water, but I’d hoped to see something exciting as I paddled along. Entirely too soon, they were rounding us up for the ride back to the port.

While I’d hoped for more, they’d delivered everything they promised. So, while it will not go down as my favorite shore excursion ever, it was a grand event compared to some of the other excursions I’d suffered through on this cruise.

The next day was a day at sea and talk about suffering, we were SO tired of the disappointing routine on Vision of the Seas. The food is perhaps the thing that discouraged us the most. On most cruises, the food is an important part of the entertainment, but there was nothing entertaining about this cruises’ food.

We loved our dinner mates and our server really did try to show us a good time, but the food was subpar. In fact, no matter which dining venue we went to for a meal, Bill ended up at the snack bar getting another piece of pizza or a sandwich. I would have joined him were it not for my gluten free issues. At least there WAS a snack bar, but that’s a sad way to nourish yourself for a week!

On Day 8 we disembarked, flew back to Dallas and were never so happy to be home. I’d been toying with the idea of using a vacation club deal to go to Florida, but this experience was so bad I decided if I want to go on vacation, by golly, I was just going to pay for it! Of course, that didn’t keep us from accepting a $1200 voucher for getting bumped from a flight. And we did decide to go to Florida, but not to the vacation club. Come back next week and travel with us to Pensacola and Navarre Beach.

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

I Love Desert!

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: SOUTH MOUNTAIN PARK FUN

Family is great, but it’s also great to wake up to a day you get to spend with your husband, enjoying one of your favorite landscapes. This was our last day in Phoenix, but our flight was late enough that we could spend some time in the desert. Join us to enjoy an incredible landscape.

Snoozing Our Way Into South Mountain Park

Most everyone I know thinks the beach is their ultimate destination and beaches are fine, especially at sunset, but I’m usually bored out of my gourd. The landscape that does it for me is the desert. Just as my beach loving friends feel they could spend the rest of their lives staring out at the waves lapping on the shore, I feel my soul soars when I stare out across a pristine view of a desert. So I was excited about a day in the desert with my sweetheart.

I was pretty excited about having breakfast at Snooze, too. We discovered Snooze during a visit to Scottsdale back in 2020. Absolutely loved it, so I was eager to return. If you don’t know me, you might not realize that breakfast on the road is a tough nut to crack. I don’t do coffee and I’m iffy with eggs. Used to be that I could go the pancake or waffle route, but my still relatively new gluten free state adds challenges to ordering breakfast. Still, I had fond memories of Snooze and was hoping they could feed me well on this gf diet.

Oh my goodness!! Let me tell you about Habanero Pork Belly Breakfast Fried Rice!! As my eyes roved over the menu trying to find a gluten free breakfast I could get excited about, my eyes landed on this Tex-Mex, Soul Food, Chinese dish. I was more curious than excited, but I decided to give it a try. One of the BEST meals I’d had in a long while! Who would’ve thought! And while I was looking over the menu I discovered Snooze now has locations in Dallas and I’ve scoped out a few. I haven’t been yet, but when I do, it will be this Tex-Mex, Soul Food, Chinese dish.

On to the Desert

From Snooze we headed south to the mountains – glorious, desert mountains! God is with me all the time, but somehow He’s even more there when I spend time in the desert. Bill and I merely drove around South Mountain Park and visited a few other popular sites like Hole in the Rock, but it filled up my desert cup for the battles ahead.

I had done my research and had printed out a map of South Mountain Park. Some parts were closed for construction, but we headed up in the hills to Dobbin’s Lookout. The view was spectacular and you could easily see why he frequented the beautiful spot.

At one point we came to an intersection that offered a route back to Phoenix or on up to Gila Mountain Lookout. We continued to climb and we decided the lookout must be the highest land around, because that’s where all the antennas were. I could have spent hours hanging out at Dobbin’s or Gila Mountain Lookout. I felt as if my very bones were being strengthened, but Mr. Bill was just hot, so we did venture back towards the city, hitting a few well known spots like Hole in the Rock, which I would have been happy to climb to, but Bill wouldn’t even stop the car long enough for me to get out.

We hurried to the airport to make our flight, but had to wait, because the flight was over an hour late boarding. It was quite late when we got back to Dallas.

So what’s next. How about a “FREE” Caribbean Cruise? See you next week!

Architecture, ART, Attractions, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

The Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix

Jane Sadek

Making Memories: Double Your Pleasure with Wrigley’s Mansion & a Meal

A Marketing Headache

We enjoyed seeing Wrigley Mansion, but felt sorry for it. It doesn’t know what it is, so you’re not going to stumble across it without a little intention. I found it by googling “Phoenix Historic Homes,” but I’m not sure many other people do that sort of search. Then I tried to figure out if they had tours and how to get on one if they did.

That was harder, because they can’t decide if they want to be a restaurant, a wine bar, a special events venue or a museum. Things like that didn’t used to be so important. You could get away with being everything to everyone, but in this search heavy society, you better know who you’re reaching out to before you choose your url.

On this side of things, I now wish someone had told me I should go for the tour, stay for happy hour and perhaps dinner. But I didn’t know that, so I booked the tour and wondered exactly what was going to happen. Bill likes to claim that he’s fond of playing it by ear, but in truth, he wants to be fully briefed on his options and if he’s going to go to a tour that turns into happy hour and perhaps dinner, I better have my ducks in a row before I ever book that tour. With other travelers I might have had a different experience, but I didn’t. Still, I’m encouraging you to have it.

The Tour

At 3 PM the happy hour and dining patrons weren’t there yet and only a few other cars were there for the Saturday tour. We made our way up all the stairs (there are a few handicapped parking spots higher on the hill) and arrived in the food service portion of the mansion. We were invited to have a seat and offered wine, but there wouldn’t have been time to enjoy it, so we didn’t take any.

The very millennial tour guide arrived not long after and gathered up her few patrons. We were taken to a music room that continued the home’s current multi-personality issue. It contained a piano which belonged to the Wrigleys, but the delightful room with its fantastic views was also furnished as a dining room for the restaurants.

Our guide walked us to what was the original entry to the house and it was spectacular. A magnificent chandelier with an accenting ceiling fixture highlighting a circular stairway. I can imagine a lot of Phoenix brides hoping to have their bridal portraits taken there, but it also contained a cabinet to sell souvenirs and a tall desk for a receptionist. I’d been in the house for a while, but I didn’t get a sense of how the Wrigley’s lived.

We climbed the stairs and discovered bedrooms fitted out as modern dressing rooms for those brides and their grooms. We were told the names of some of the more famous people who had stayed in the rooms and of the plans they had to turn some of the rooms into short term rentals, but I wondered who would stay in this confused place. And we still didn’t know much about the Wrigley’s.

Back downstairs, the obliteration of the Wrigley’s continued as they showed us various special occasion venues you could rent, but they’d all been redecorated and filled with modern furniture. I had come to hear about chewing gum and baseball, but all I did was tour a special event venue with multiple restaurants.

Outward & Onward

The tour dumped us in the wine bar and we were invited to enjoy happy hour. Some took them up on it, but Bill and I left. I was disappointed. For $5 less per person, we could have gone back to the Musical Instrument Museum and continued to play there. I do not recommend this tour, unless you’re just bored in Phoenix and need some place to go.

We returned to the hotel for a while and later Bill was ready for some dinner, which we got at a neighborhood Middle Eastern cafe. I wasn’t hungry.

The next morning we met his family for a farewell brunch at a place which wasn’t really laid out for a family brunch. Apparently the kids liked to hang out there, but it was a two story coffee shop with tiny tables for two. The guys are great, but I wouldn’t put them in charge of planning social events. The coffee shop didn’t even have a high chair for our youngest one.

We returned to the hotel to take advantage of their water park included in the price of your stay. We grabbed innertubes and floated around the lazy river a few times. There really wasn’t much more to it and everything looked as if it were waiting for a renovation. We finished the day as lazy bums. Me playing with my FOREVER account and Bill taking a nap.

The next day was our final day in Phoenix and we were headed to the desert. Oh boy! Come back next week and join us!

ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Memory Keeping, Museums, Music, Performing Arts, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix AZ

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: MY NEW FAVORITE MUSEUM

My great nephew in dental school invited us to his white coat ceremony. I wasn’t sure what that was, but it was in Phoenix, so I was ready to go. Come along and discover my new favorite museum!

A Challenging Morning

We had crazy time getting on our flight: missed the exit for the Parking Spot, wrong turn once in the Parking Spot lot, told the shuttle driver the wrong gate, then boarding pass printed the night before said one thing, the airline app said something else and the board in the terminal said something else entirely. Then we asked a airline employee who sent us to another terminal via Sky Link. That’s all before we boarded the flight.

Then on the ground in Phoenix, the car we got shook like it was coming apart, before we got out of the airport, so we had to go back and exchange it. By then we were starving, so we went to an IHOP. Our waiter was on the autism spectrum. Now I’m thrilled IHOP had hired him and he really did a good job, but communicating with him was a little challenging. When you’re already frazzled, that takes an extra level of concentration and my concentrator was broken.

Bill’s problem was completely different. He ordered strawberry pancakes, expecting big fluffy pancakes with fresh strawberries. He forgot he was at IHOP, but he was crestfallen when the pancakes arrived with frozen strawberries on top.

A Wonderful Museum

After all our tales of woe, one might think we were on a losing streak, but I struck gold when I took us to the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM). It fell on my radar the last time we’d visited Phoenix/Scottsdale, back in 2020, but try as I might, I couldn’t get Bill interested. This time I didn’t give him the chance to nay say it. I just said that was where we were headed.

What an amazing place! The MIM figured out how to make technology work in a museum. As you may remember several posts back, I’d panned the use of technology by the Seattle Art Museum which made enjoying their porcelain collection impossible. I was wary when the MIM receptionist gave us headsets and told us not to worry, because they’d come on automatically when we neared a display. He was right.

In the first gallery I saw all the icons I’d wished for when we were visiting MOPOP a few months before. It’s like someone had looked into my personal catalog of musical greats and chose the stars they’d highlight in the their museum. Well, some of them were not my favorites, but they were my dad’s and I stood there with tears in my eyes wishing he could be there with me.

Here’s how it worked. If you looked at a display case from afar, you could see the display with costumes, instruments and such. You knew who you were going to enjoy. Then, when you stepped up closer, an audio recording would play, filling you in on the details of the display and video recordings would show on various screens. Step away and they’d quit. It was phenomenal. I had a great time – and that was just the first gallery!

The next gallery was a hands on exhibit allowing visitors to play many different kinds of instruments – mostly percussion. Mr. Bill loved it and we spent a good amount of time there.

The balance of the museum might be the best part. They’ve divided the world up into various sections and whole galleries are devoted to the music of the different regions. Oh my goodness! There were gorgeous costumes from all over the world. Videos of folk dances or notable entertainers from an area. And the instruments. How wonderful! Various areas of the world have instruments I’d never dreamed of. It was one thing to look at them, another to hear how they sounded and something else completely to see a video of beautifully costumed dancers performing to music played on the instrument. I was in heaven.

For me, being cut off from the rest of the world with the headphones allowed me to be fully immersed in the experience. I was tapping my toes, snapping my fingers and clapping my hands. I might have even broken into dancing a few times. Did I mention this was a wonderful museum.

Having visited all the displays of the various countries we started visiting other galleries, devoted to specific instruments, like the piano or guitar. These galleries probably deserved just as much of my attention, but we’d pulled out of our garage about 4 AM that morning and the two hour time difference were telling on me. Besides, we had a family gathering to attend.

Here’s another spread from my photo book:

Please, please, please visit this museum if you are in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. I’ll e going back every time I’m in the area. Now plan of coming back next week and I’ll share some highlights from our family time.