Tag: Travel Blog

Accommodations, Architecture, ART, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, TRAVEL, United States

Adobe Village Inn

Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: IN THE SHADOW OF BELL ROCK

This was the view from our window.  Though not immediately identifiable from this angle, with the trees in front of it, the formation to the left is Bell Rock.  On the right is Courthouse Butte.  We were very happy with our accommodations!

It Looked Good and Got Better 

When the GPS told us we’d arrived at Adobe Village Inn, we patted ourselves on the back.  It was located right smack dab in the middle of the most awesome scenery.  From outside, the inn was a lovely adobe home with gardens.  Fountains, a tile roof and various statuary said this was going to be good.  We were greeted by a gentleman who looked like he belonged in a setting just like this and he welcomed us into the home.

We should have taken more pictures.  The living room was spectacular.  Expansive view, tile floor, lovely patio, charming decor and more and more and more.  We were so excited we were almost giggly.

The nice gentleman who looked like he fit right in was actually the manager, not the owner, but he gave us a nice tour and let us to our room.  Our room was great – if not perfect.  There was a fireplace, but it was crowded into a corner.  The only way to get cozy with it was a love seat, crammed into the same corner.  On the other side of the entry was a huge space that was a sort of dressing room/closet combo with bathroom.  I would have preferred more space around the fireplace, but they didn’t ask me.  I’m thinking many of their patrons do sporting things and the big closet space is for storing their equipment.

Further in the room, past the storage/bathroom there was a large piece of furniture, like a sideboard with coffee and such.  On the facing wall was the TV and other electronics.  Then the room opened up to embrace a king-sized bed.  Theoretically, you could watch the TV from the bed or love seat.  In reality, you weren’t there to watch TV and it wasn’t great viewing from either spot.    

They get an A for hospitality.  Snacks were available, the fire was going and nice music was playing.  I gave it a 9.5.  We retrieved our luggage and got settled in.  There was a patio, but the sign said we weren’t supposed to go out there.  Another window, next tot he bed gave us the view above.

In our discussion with the manager we discovered the Inn really was a village.  Besides the several rooms in the home, there were several casitas just up the hill a few steps away.  Wedding ceremonies are often held on the lovely patio and the wedding party stays in the casitas.  Up from the casitas are other full size homes and several of them belong to the inn to be rented out by larger groups.  I highly recommend this facility for a wedding or family reunion or even your next getaway.

The day was getting warmer and the sky was clearing of any threatening clouds.  We climbed back into our Jeep for our next adventure.  I’d seen something on the map that had caught my attention, “Schnebly Road Requires High Clearance Vehicles.”  Our guided 4-wheel expedition may have been cancelled, but we were going to see if we couldn’t find our own adventure. 

Please join us next week for some fun and sun! 

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

Going to the Chapel

Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: CHAPEL OF THE HOLY CROSS

Hopping from trail head to trail head, we soon found ourselves at a favorite attraction in the area – The Chapel of the Cross.  Come along for a visit.

A Little Savoring Side Trip

Confession, while I may not need to hone my skills at savoring a Mickey D’s breakfast, Bill is right that I do not savor enough.  I want to see everything right now and I want to see all of it fast. 

As soon as we caught sight of the chapel, I was ready to zip right up there and take it all in.  Mr. Bill was busy savoring things.  First, he savored a few more trail heads.  Then he drove around a residential neighborhood just below the chapel.  Though I was antsy at the beginning of the process, I did manage to slow down and begin dancing to the beat of his drummer. 

Visiting the Chapel

When you have a favorite place, you keep it pasted on the walls of your brain to retreat there whenever the desire arises.  When you go back to visit in reality, sometimes they have dared to change things.  Sometimes that’s good and sometimes that’s bad.  At the chapel it was a little bit of both.

The experience of arrival was pretty similar.  I think they may have moved the angel statue I was so fond of, but the elevated walkway was much the same and the exterior of the chapel was as it had always been.

However, when you actually entered the chapel things had changed drastically.  A huge life-sized crucifix has been placed inside, dominating the view of the valley from the interior.  I had fond memories of standing inside the chapel, close to the huge windows, looking down on the valley.  Am I allowed to say that I loved the sculpture of Christ on the Cross, but I didn’t like what it did to the chapel?

Instead of being allowed to appreciate the incredible view spread out below the chapel, you are now separated from it.  First, by tables of candles and then by the statue itself.  For some, this might make the chapel a more holy place, but for me, surveying the creation of a man, over God’s creation was a disappointment.  I don’t know how to tell them to fix it.  The copper sculpture needs to be inside to keep the beautiful finish, but the space is really to small for it.  I couldn’t get far enough away from it to really appreciate it and the barricade of candles before it ruined the truly awesome view of the valley.

On other visits I’d had a difficult time dragging myself away from the chapel.  This time, I was in and out in moments.  Once outside you became aware of something else that had changed – the view outside the chapel.  See that enormous house just to the left of center.  They should be ashamed of themselves.  Overly ostentatious and very distracting!

So, I’ve decided to retain my memories of the chapel before these latest additions.  The sculpture and the house will stay and other distractions may be added, but I’m just going to keep my old memories intact and go to the old chapel in my brain.   

After we finished with the chapel we decided to check into our Bed and Breakfast Inn, The Adobe Village Inn.  Join us next week and discover this delightful place to stay.

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

On to Sedona

Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: REVISITING A FAVORITE SPOT

Sedona, AZ is famous as a uniquely beautiful place.  It also has a reputation as the location of energy vortices and some say it is a hotbed of alien activity.  I don’t know about all that.  I don’t see vortices and aliens.  I see something beautiful that God made and just being there brings me a sort of surreal peacefulness.  I believe there are just some places on earth where God showed off a little bit and I think Sedona is one of them.

Getting On the Road

As usual, I woke up very early and entertained myself with reading and crossword puzzles.  I was ready to get on down the road, but Bill was all about lingering.  Lingering aside, I needed to get me ready to go and all our stuff packed up by checkout time, which was 10 AM.  Finally at 8, I started the process and eventually Bill decided it was OK for me to start packing.  Bill waited until the very last minute to leave and that’s just about the time he got an inquiry concerning a possible photography shoot from a new client.  We missed checkout time by 5 minutes.  not that big of a deal, but par for the course.

Bill had a new mantra, “SAVOR.”  That’s a good mantra, but I can’t get very excited about savoring McDonald’s.  In fact, we’d already had a whole lot more McDonald’s that I’m used to on this trip, but here we were again to start our drive to Sedona.  I tried to modify my anxiety to get down the road while Bill savored whatever Mickey D’s breakfast he’d chosen.

Pedal to the Metal

It was decided I’d drive to Sedona and that was fine with me.  I jumped in and drove as fast as I thought I could get away with.  It’s a gorgeous drive from the Sonoran Desert of Scottsdale to the Red Rocks of Sedona.  The weather had not been promising before we left Dallas and we had cancelled the four-wheeling adventure, because it sounded like we’d be facing a chilly damp day.  It turned out to be one of those days that has a little of everything in it, but as you can see from the picture above, as we neared Sedona, the sky was incredible.

If you’re taking this little trip, let me make a suggestion.  Do not turn off at the first exit for Sedona.  I completely forgot this advice myself, since I was driving rather than navigating and we entered the town from the south.  The benefit to the south entrance is that you arrive at some of the most spectacular Red Rock formations right away. The down side is you don’t start with Oak Creek Vista and for me, a few moments there, before entering the fabulous Oak Creek Canyon, is the best way to start a visit to Sedona.

Photography Heaven

The spectacular landscape just south of Sedona demanded we get out of the car and start taking pictures.  We drove from one trailhead to the next, using their parking lots to take jaw dropping pictures.  It was still a bit nippy at this point with some drizzle, so we were right to cancel the four wheeling expedition, but it didn’t stop us from enjoying the scenery.  Let me share some of the beauty with you and then come back next week to find out more about our visit to Sedona.

 

 

ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Photography, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: SCOTTSDALE’S GORGEOUS DESERT GARDEN

Just warning you!  I’m going to rave about the beauties of the desert again. Here’s another warning.  After looking at the map, I’m guess we lucked into arriving at the “Gateway to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve”, because the trail head had parking, potable water, restrooms and other facilities, while the map warns most of the other entrances have nothing.  Sometimes the travel gods just love you!

Sightseers Not Hikers 

Trying to locate the Desert Preserve, Bill found an open house he wanted to visit.  We’d visited another open house earlier in the day, one that would be in our price range and confirmed Scottsdale was not an option for us.  The open house close to the preserve as a million dollar beauty you’d get for closer to six hundred thousand here in the Dallas area.  We were definitely just looking.

Arriving at the Preserve, it was immediately apparent we weren’t counted among the usual visitors.  These folks took their hiking seriously.  They had on hiking gear that made us look like the amateurs we were.  They passed us without so much as a nod of the head or any offers to help people who obviously didn’t know where we were going or what we were doing.  We took advantage of the facilities and then headed out on a stroll of our own.

We definitely didn’t have on the right shoes.  There was a trail, but it wasn’t a nice smooth flat space.  It was laced with deep cuts, from rain water (I suppose) and strewn with pebbles and good sized rocks.   After we had gone maybe 50 yards we reevaluated our desire to hike.  It was just about dusk and since we had no idea what we were doing, we decided to just take photos in the picturesque area we’d happened upon.

Of course, the first thing Bill wanted to do was get off the trail and get up close and personal with some of the unusual flora.  Finally, a passing hiker took notice of us and let us know stepping off the trail was a not only a conservationist’s no-no, there was also a pretty strong chance we’d end up snakebit.  I’m not sure why the hiker thought the snakes knew the difference between the trail and non-trail areas, but the vehemence of her warning about the fauna convinced Bill to get back on the not-quite straight, but certainly narrow trail.

Not a lot else went on.  We took a lot of pictures, which I am happy to share with you and then we went back to our car.  Considering our choices for dinner, we decided we wanted to take it easy and use the kitchenette in our casita.  We found a grocery store and went for comfort food – pot pies.  Back at the resort, we put on our comfy clothes and just vegged. 

Now, while we take some down time, you enjoy the photos.  I’ll see you next week for our road trip to Sedona.

ART, Attractions, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Music, Performing Arts, Road Trips, Shopping, TRAVEL, United States

Waterfront Wine & Art Festival

Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: WHO KNEW SCOTTSDALE HAD A WATERFRONT?

Across the street from Fashion Square was a mixed use complex project.  My husband the real estate photographer wanted to go take a look.  Once across the street we saw signs pointing the way to the Waterfront Wine and Art Festival.  I was thrilled.  It had been on my wish list, but I didn’t have a clue where there was a waterfront was in Scottsdale or Phoenix.  Having happened upon it without a commitment to be anywhere at any particular time, we decided to check our the art festival.

Admission With and Without Wine  

Bell made from copper fire extinguisher

Following the signs we wandered around until we found the Waterfront.  It cost only $3 a person to get in, if you didn’t want wine.  Bill didn’t want wine.  Had this been a girl’s trip, Deb and I would have ponied up the extra $10 for wine tasting, but I was happy enough to enjoy the art sans the tasting.  What an entertainment bargain it proved to be!

This was a completely different show than the Celebration of Fine Art we attended a few days before.  Like the Celebration, this was a juried show, but the jury for the Celebration was a lot tougher.  Instead of a studio setting, this was more of a retail opportunity with lots of hopeful artisans lurking at the edge of their awning.  In spite of the lurking artists, we enjoyed the visit. 

Worth the Time

Most of the wine was on one side of the canal and most of the art was on the other.  Shortly after we arrived we made our way to the artsy side.  I will confess, while most of the pieces on display were interesting, they didn’t pass the I’d-hang-it-on-my-wall test.  We don’t collect art.  We can’t afford to.  But often we stand in a gallery or at a festival longing to take something off the wall and carry it home with us.  That happened a lot at the Celebration of Fine Art.  Not so much at the Waterfront Wine and Art Festival.

Periodically, there would be musical acts or various things to eat or drink.  We were still very full from our late morning breakfast buffet, so we weren’t interested in the comestibles, but the entertainment was appreciated.  This violinist was among our favorites.  Bill took many pictures trying to capture her pure enjoyment of her own music.  This is as close as he got.

Up Next?

After a sojourn at the festival, it was time to satisfy another of Bill’s requests.  Yes, we made a potty stop at McDonald’s and enjoyed a little hydration break, but that doesn’t count.

Bill wanted to see some desert scenery.  There had been plenty at the golf course the day before, but he’d been otherwise occupied.  I’d hoped to go to the Desert Botanical Garden, but by the time we were ready to see it, there wasn’t much of the day left, so we doubted we’d get our $15.00 worth.  We opted for the McDowell Sonoran Desert Preserve.  Come back next week and enjoy it with us!

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Dove Valley Ranch

Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: GOLF IN ARIZONA

Bill loves to play golf – especially when the weather is nice and Scottsdale in February is very nice! However, rates at Scottsdale Golf Courses caused a severe case of sticker shock.  He wanted to play, but there was a limit to what he was willing to pay.  He did a little research and found exactly what he was looking for.

Just a Little Way Up the Road

Though I provided him with brochures, websites and other tools, I left it up to Bill to find where he wanted to play golf.  Left on my own, I would have either booked him something at our resort or over at the Phoenician.  He looked a little further afield and what he found made for a delightful day.

I love to ride along when Bill plays – not every time, but when I do it, I love it.  Bill chose a golf course about 45 minutes north of the resort.  The drive took us through some lovely desert landscape so we thoroughly enjoyed the commute.

Dove Valley Ranch Golf Club is a public golf course in Cave Creek AZ.  For a public course, it was very accommodating.  Everyone was very nice and eager to be sure you were going to enjoy your game – and the course itself is gorgeous. 

We were assigned to a threesome that seemed to play together often, but they didn’t resent being stuck with this Texan and his ride along wife.  There was a lot of friendly chatter and no one seemed to be much worse or better than their companions.

The New Camera 

My 2019 Christmas present was my own Canon Rebel camera.  Phone cameras just don’t cut if for me, primarily because I enjoy using an old-fashioned viewfinder, rather than trying to see an LED screen.  Bill, of course, has some fancy, expensive, heavy camera for his professional pursuits, but I wanted a camera of my very own.  I’d taken it for a test drive or two since I’d gotten it, but this Arizona Adventure had been its first bit of travel.

Bill and his golf buddies did their golfing thing, while I drove the cart and took pictures – both of which I enjoyed immensely.  The course, as I have said, was lovely.  Bill was having a good day of golf.  I was thrilled with the beautiful blue sky and all the amazing flora and fauna.

I’ve said it before, I love the desert.  It has a calming and soothing effect on me, but at the same time it just makes me happy.  To me, cactus is both regal and funny.  I think about how long it takes it to grow and wonder at how little water it takes to keep it healthy.  Then I look at the odd shapes it chooses to grow in and I just want to laugh.

As far as fauna is concerned, there was plenty – rabbits, chaparrals, quail and ground squirrels, just to name a few of the animals we saw.  Instead of raving about it all, I’m just going to show you some of the gorgeous pictures I took.

After the golf game, we made a visit to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.  More gorgeous desert scenery, so be sure to come back next week.  In the meantime, enjoy this gallery.

 

 

Accommodations, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, Shopping, TRAVEL, Travel Planning, United States

Vacation Club Intro

Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: SAYING NO AND MEANING IT

Our extraordinary bargain came with a caveat.  We had to give them a couple of hours for a vacation club introduction.  It was the first time for a “vacation club.”  Other similar experiences were offered as a time share.  We’ve been through some elbow twisting in our travel adventures and we hoped we weren’t in for another.

Starting at Mickey D’s

To fuel up before the sales pitch ordeal, we opted for McDonald’s.  It was just around the corner and we grabbed several meals/snacks from there.

On this particular morning I had the obstacle of 10K runners and the policemen directing traffic had no sympathy for an out-of-towner.  While I’m trying to negotiate the runners, police, roads and parking lots, I had Bill frantically texting me to be sure I got pepper to go with his order.   I may have cussed a couple of times.  

Checking Things Out

After breakfast we had a little time before our vacation club appointment.  We headed over to the pool and entertainment areas to see what they offered.  We’re not really resort people.  Flying across the world to hang out by a pool, play golf and enjoy the spa is really not our kind of vacation.  We understand why people with kids would do it, because Lord knows they need a break, but we go to an area to see it and one resort looks pretty much like another.  Besides, while a lot is included, it’s not all-inclusive.  A golf game here, a spa appointment there and a few drinks by the pool and you can be spending some serious dough.

As resorts go, the Westin is a nice one.  We checked out all the pools, the golf course and various entertainment venues where games and classes are offered.  When we reported for our appointment, we were anxious to get it behind us.  In fact, we were early.  They sent us to some lounge area with a fireplace to wait our turn.  Anxiety was building.

The Dreaded Appointment

All in all, it wasn’t so bad.  They introduced us to our guy and took us to his office.  He chatted us up a bit to get our measure and then took us to view the available floor plans.  They have something they call the Two-Bedroom Lockoff Villa, which is really two One-Bedroom Villas, which can be used separately or in tandem.  Our room for the stay was a One-Bedroom Villa with a kitchenette, about 530 square feet.  Were we to actually invest in the property, we would want the One-Bedroom Premium Villa with a full kitchen and about 870 square feet. 

Then there was the pitch, which we softly but firmly tossed back.  We explained I was a devoted cruiser and that the timing wasn’t right for us to invest (not that it would ever be the right time), even if we were interested.  Our guy happily turned us over to the closer.  She was ready to wheel and deal, but Bill said if we were to buy-in, it would be with cash, not financing.  That took the wind out of her sails and her sales.  They wanted to sell it to us like a car – so many dollars a month for the rest of our lives.

Then we were released.  We’d lived through yet another timeshare vacation club sales pitch without signing on the dotted line.  I must say this.  Were we actually good candidates for this product, a two career family with four kids, three dogs, two cats and some extended family, I would think this was a deal.  They showed us some magic we could pull off with my Marriott credit cards points, but we don’t do points, we go for the 2% rebate on another card.  They knew as well as we did that we weren’t going to buy, so they saved us and them a lot of effort.

Oh look!  It’s time to go golf.  We ran to a Chipotle for lunch and then drove to the golf course. Come back next week for a round of golf at Dave Valley Ranch.

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

Dinner at Positano

Jane Sadek
Image from the Positano Website

TRAVEL THERE: IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A WINE BAR

In my humble opinion, if an establishment advertises itself as a wine bar, then wine should be the main attraction.  In fact, I sort of expect to be able to get a wine flight.  That not the kind of wine bar Positano is.  Our food was quite good and the service was great, but wine bar? Nah!

Keirland Commons is Hopping

Remember a few days ago when we went to the Anticus Grand Re-Opening and had dinner at NORTH. Well, that’s when we figured out that Keirland Commons was the center of nightlife in Scottsdale.  After our golf game we checked out a few of the other entertainment areas in the same vicinity, but while they had lots of places to eat and lots of cars in the parking lot, they didn’t have the energy of Keirland Commons.

So, we decided to return.  We contemplated going back to NORTH – it was that good – but opted instead for its next door neighbor, Positano.  Let me tell you, we were not alone.  It was hopping!

However, they could seat us if we were willing to go upstairs.  We were hungry, so we were willing.  To get upstairs we had to negotiate a winding metal staircase – not for the faint of heart.  Then they showed us to our table – a high two-top with tall bar stools.  That part was OK.  What got me was the view.  Over the rod iron railing, was a significant drop to the ground floor.  Have I ever mentioned the fact that I am a little acrophobic?

Bill could tell immediately I wasn’t thrilled with the prospect of our seating option.  He quickly offered to sit next to the railing, but that would have meant I was looking over the railing for the whole meal.  I opted to sit next to the railing with my back to it.  That way I could look at my handsome husband and avoid contemplating what the splat would sound like if I fell.

Service, a Smile and Some Bruschetta

Things got better from that point.  Our waiter was very nice and chummy.  He identified us as neophytes and explained our menu options to us – they were (and I quote) “Snacky Things, The Boards, Bruchetta, Soup & Salad or Panini.”  I’ll be honest with you, to me that meant the whole menu was snacky things, but I like snacky things, so that’s OK.

The Boards were tempting.  I love your basic meat and cheese platter and they had several nice renditions, including one featuring “soft pretzel, schreiner’s chorizo, cornichon, aged cheddar and peruvian corn nuts.”  However, the waiter informed us it was all about the Bruschetta.  Now I’ll be honest with you, when I think bruschetta, my mind goes to a small over-toasted piece of baguette with a tomato, a basil leaf and some mozzarella.  

However, the waiter was so insistent we should have bruschetta we decided to give it a shot.  There were no pictures on the menu, so we thought we were getting some appetizers and we thought they sounded very expensive (4 for $15.75.)  In fact, we each got a bruschetta plate and thought we would be ordering a panini to share afterwards.

Instead of a baguetta slice, each bruschetta comes on a generous slice of French bread and we ended up with more than we could eat.  The descriptions read like this ” PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA, FIG & MASCARPONE”, “SWEET N’ SPICY PEPPER JAM & GOAT CHEESE” or “BRIE, APPLE & FIG SPREAD.”  I failed to note exactly which we chose, but it didn’t matter, everything was delish.

Coming Soon to Dallas

It got better.  We really did have a friendly waiter and it was like he had adopted us.  He chatted us up on-and-off throughout the evening.  A lot of the things he told us had to do with his personal life, but he did reveal (ta dah!) that Positano is coming to Dallas.  I checked the internet and they are supposed to come to Deep Ellum.  So keep your eyes peeled.  The bruschetta is great, but don’t expect a wine flight.

After dinner at Positano we went back to the resort and chilled.  The next day would be Bill’s choice, so come back and see what we got up to.

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

Phoenix Art Museum

Jane Sadek
Museum guide with our Entry Stickers

TRAVEL THERE: AN AIMLESS ART ADVENTURE

In my research for this trip, must-see items in the Phoenix Art Museum did not make themselves apparent.  Going was more of a you’re-here-and-it’s-free kind of thing.  So we stood in the short line and made it into the museum with perhaps an hour to kill.  Here’s what we did in that hour.

No Need for Speed

Front and center in the entry way was an exhibition called Legends of Speed.  It was 20 race cars posing as art.  What we could see from outside the exhibition was lovely, but it cost extra to see it and we didn’t even have enough time to see what was free.  So, we sort of followed our nose up into the European and Western Art areas. 

The Phoenix Art Museum is quite modern.  I don’t mean that all it has is modern art.  I mean the building and its architecture are very modern.  Nothing grand and stately.  More like plywood walls painted white with concrete floors.  Lingering is not encouraged or accommodated.   No conveniently placed benches available to relax as you practice art appreciation.

https://phxart.org/arts/art-deco-hall-c-1925-salon-art-deco-c-1925/

A Showstopper

Almost by accident we wandered into the Thorne Rooms Exhibit.  I say almost by accident, because we did not purposely go to find them, but decorative arts being my favorite art form, we went to the part of the museum where we would be most likely to find something like Narcissa Niblick Thorne’s Miniature Rooms. 

The art deco room you see here is about the size of a shoe box, but their’s nothing small about the craftsmanship.  The brass fireplace tools are exquisite, the murals are tiny hand-loomed tapestries.  The wall sconces are real silver with actual crystal teardrops.

What’s more, this room is just one of many.  Pick a style, any style.  You’re likely to find a room with that style in the exhibit.  For me, it was worth all the craziness of Art Walk to get to spend some time admiring these gems.  I highly recommend them.

The Rest of It

We did not do the museum justice, but time was ticking away.  I’d say we saw most of the second floor.  We found the Western Art and saw everything European, which included their very nice Monet.  We purposely avoided the Modern and Contemporary Art, but that also caused us to miss the Ansel Adams show in the Photography Section.  The Fashion Section was closed, because they were getting ready for a new exhibition in there.  We breezed through the Art of Asia and found the Gift Shop, where I picked up some postcards of the Thorne Rooms Exhibit to put in my scrapbook.

Would I go back to the Phoenix Art Museum?  Of course, if for no other reason than to gaze at the Thorne Rooms again.  They are amazing.  I can imagine if I lived in the area, I would be a member and visit often.  However, I do have to say that it didn’t work very hard to win me over.  The whole thing sort of felt like a temporary exhibit space.  I like my museums to have a certain amount of permanence and gravitas.  PAM seems as if it might perpetually be under construction.  The first “art” you see is a huge red plastic dinosaur and next we encountered race cars.  It was a little like arriving at an amusement part, rather than a museum.

I think art should be approachable and create interest for the masses, but that doesn’t mean it should quit taking itself seriously.  The entry area should WOW you a bit, not remind you of a road side attraction.  So, I’ll not add PAM to my list of favorite museums, but I also won’t kick it to the curb.  We are falling a little more in love with Arizona every time we go through, so I anticipate many more visits.

We grabbed some fast food on the way back to the resort.  It had been another long day of sightseeing.  We were tired, but not exhausted in the same way we had been after 10.5 hour shore excursions in Italy.  The next morning we had to pay the piper.  Come back next week and I’ll explain what I mean. 

 

 

ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Fashion, Museums, Music, Performing Arts, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, Shopping, TRAVEL, United States

Phoenix Friday Art Walk

Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: WILD & CRAZY ART EVENT

Still going with the flow, I was ready to sacrifice the Phoenix Friday Art Walk (#phxfridays) for the sake of harmony, but Bill proved he was up for it.  We changed into something more casual and headed for downtown Phoenix.  By the time we arrived, things were going strong.  The Phoenix Museum of Art seemed to be the epicenter of activity, but parking there was an impossibility, so we began to look for something else.  We did find an office building that allowed us to park and it really wasn’t far from the museum, but we were like the only people parking there.  Worse case scenario, it was a rent car and none of our belongings were in it, so if they stole it, fine!

Joining the Hordes

We discovered we were about a block from the museum, which meant we were soon part of the insanity of Art Walk.  We noted most of the participants were decades younger than us, but we did not let that deter us from our opportunity for adventure.  The museum, which has free admission on Fridays and was the focus of my attention, had ridiculous lines, so with little in the way of info, we hopped aboard one of the very full free trolleys and we were off into another world.

Both sides of the street were filled with revelers and the noise level was wild.  Bill pulled me off the trolley and we tried to get our bearings, but it was sort of what I think an acid trip might be similar to.  We were sharing the crowded sidewalk with people who didn’t look like us.  Hair was in every shape and color, except what we might consider normal.  Everyone was tattooed and pierced.  They wore clothes I’d probably throw away if I found them in my closet.  There was pushing and shoving in every direction, but there was no clear indication of which way one should head.

I did mention the noise, right?  It was Bill who pointed out, that in the immediate area where we were standing, five different bands were vying for the crowd’s attention.  While we were standing next to five bands, if we looked in any directions, we could see, not far down the sidewalk, crowds flowed around even more bands.  The result, cacophony. 

Just about that time, we both needed to visit restroom facilities and by some odd piece of luck we got into a nearby restaurant with minimal hassle.  I think the doorman took pity on the senior citizens lost among the millennials.  We took care of business and made our way out to the street, heading away from the five bands.  We found a sort of alley with various booths set up along the way.  The mob seemed less frenetic here and the noise of the various bands was tolerable.  We began to stroll along.

Abandoning the Hordes   

Though spread more thinly, the denizens of this art vendor alley were of the dread-locked, tattooed and pierced variety of the five band locale.  While they looked scary to us, they did seem to be minding their own business, so we entertained ourselves by looking in on the booths.  There were some artists selling their wares – nothing we’d hang on our walls, but interesting.  The most readily available merchandise seemed to be CBD oil, plus everything and anything made out of hemp.  Bill was sure he could smell “hemp”smoke wafting above the crowd.

After about a block, we ran out of booths and it began to look like an area senior citizens would not be welcome or safe, so we made a U-turn and visited the booths on the other side of the alley.  When we returned to the sidewalk, a band made of pre-teenagers and their parents, had begun to play headbanger/punk rock (?) at a remarkable volume.  Bill wondered what the best way back to the car was.  I pointed to a landmark on the skyline and we decided to walk back, instead of trying to find another trolley.

We crossed the street and discovered,what had been an alley on the other side, turned into more of a street.  On the street, vendors only took up one side, but they seemed to have pretty much the same merchandise as the previous guys.  On the other side of the street was a series of restaurants with outdoor seating – only all patrons looked as if they belonged to biker gangs, so we weren’t at all tempted to sit down for a respite, even though sitting down for a drink sounded like the perfect thing to do.

We kept our eye on the red neon sign we’d recognized earlier and when the street made an abrupt left, we headed right through what seemed to be a park.  The art you see on this page was displayed throughout the area and it is huge.  After the park was the library.  We could no longer see our landmark, but I had my bearings and continued that way.

Suddenly, we were back at the art museum and the lines had disappeared.  Our visit was delayed, but I was going to get to take advantage of the free admission.  Come back next week and enjoy the museum with us.