The Phoenix Traveler

Okay, I admit it. I’m not a big fan of 4th of July parades and crowds, but I love the fireworks. The big challenge for me, then, is finding the perfect place to watch the colorful sky without having to fight the crowds.

Since I live in a city surrounded by mountains–a few with restaurants high up on a hill–it’s my preference to go there. If you can get a reservation, here are a few picks:

My favorite, because I live nearby, is the outdoor patio at a Different Pointe of View. Across the street from North Mountain on 7th Street, the restaurant sits on top of what we call the Tapatio Cliffs. From this vantage point, you can order a glass of wine, a few appetizers, and watch several sets of fireworks, including what’s happening in downtown Phoenix. Since this is a fine dining establishment, it could be an expensive night.

My second pick is less pricey and located on the opposite end of town. Near South Mountain, there’s an Old West-style restaurant called Rustler’s Rooste. It’s a steak house, really, with great BBQ, homemade pie and Country & Western line dancing. The place has been around since 1971, and people still love to bring their families there to sit outside on the patio and watch the stars, or the fireworks, and especially now, during this time of year, the lightening streaks that span the night sky as a thunder storm brews. Fun tip: After the fireworks end, be sure to try the tin slide. From the top floor lounge, it takes you right down into the dining room.

If fireworks isn’t your thing at all, you can still celebrate the 4th by helping out a friend of mine. Kay McDonald is the entreprenuer behind Charity Charms. Since 2005, she’s combined her love of jewelry with her philanthropic heart to create beautiful sterling silver charms and jewelry that charities use to raise funds for their projects.

She now represents 40 different charities, and you can see the list online. For each, she’s helped create a different logo charm that you can order from the Web site. Her work has helped raise around $700,000 so that these non-profits can further their work to help the homeless, protect pets, take care of sick children, and so much more.

She also created a unique gift idea for today’s holiday: the Patriot Pendant Necklace. For each purchase, you can expect 25 percent of the total purchase cost to go to the charity of your choice.

Happy 4th!
Jackie
   

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