The Phoenix Traveler

After my boyfriend finished his 8-mile run this morning, I had a surprise for him. Instead of going to our usual spot for Saturday morning breakfast, I told him I wanted to ride the light rail. It’s the grand opening day celebration, and I thought we could try to find a spot somewhere on the rail line.
At first he resisted–it was pretty cold outside this morning, 50 degrees, probably less, and he was still in his running clothes. But he relented, and we headed off to what used to be called the Christown Mall at Montebello and 19th Avenue. It’s …read more

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If you’ve never heard luminarias before, in Phoenix you’ll see them all over the Valley. It’s a “brilliant” tradition that honors the birth of Christ.
In my former north Phoenix neighborhood, the homeowners’ association distributed to all the homeowners the items you’d need for your Christmas luminarias. I’d step outside one afternoon to find at my front door a plastic bag filled with sand, ten votive candles, and ten paper bags–the kind used for school lunches.
On Christmas Eve, you’d see all the neighbors outside at the end of their driveways filling those paper bags with the sand, setting the candles inside …read more

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Day trips, weekend getaways, best places to visit. That’s what Arizona-based author and freelance writer wrote about in her first book published this year by Countryman Press. Called Great Escapes Arizona, Bitler’s book is available at local bookstores and online.
I wanted to talk to Bitler about her travels during the research of her book, because if there was ever a time to think about escape, it’s now. I met up with Bitler at a recent art fair, where I purchased her book, and she agreed to e-mail me with a few suggestions on where you might want to take …read more

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Who knew tequila, bourbon and rum could ring in the holiday cheer. They will if you mix them with ingredients such as Eggnog, chocolate and hot apple cider, as does the Four Seasons Resort in Scottsdale at Troon North, 10600 E. Crescent Moon Dr. (Map it.)
Between now and January 1, 2009, get your “Seasons” Greetings by the glassful with these three holiday cocktail specials. At $16 each, they’re sure to warm you up as the weather cools down.
For those of you who won’t be in town or get to the resort in time, here are the recipes to try …read more

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In town visiting relatives, or are they visiting with you? Perhaps you’re wondering what you can do with everyone this holiday vacation. If you’ve already seen the lights and finished your shopping, and you still have two more weeks before you can open presents (Or maybe you’re looking for something to do once the unwrapping’s done.), how about a visit south to see a few of Arizona’s ghost towns?
I’m not talking Bisbee or Tombstone. I’m talking about the real ghost towns, the ones where no one, or practically no one, lives anymore. There was once a brochure called “Arizona Ghost …read more

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It’s all lit up in Prescott for the holidays. The Yavapai County Courthouse (pictured above), Whiskey Row behind it, the gift shops, boutiques and restaurants downtown–they all take part in the holiday festivities that have helped turn this former territorial town into Arizona’s official “Christmas City.”
With a heritage dating back to Victorian times and earlier, they know how to do Christmas here. Phoenicians drive the 90 miles north to see what’s been billed as the world’s largest Gingerbread Village. This year, more than 100 gingerbread structures decorate the lobby of the Prescott Resort now through December 28. The resort is …read more

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Mill Avenue in Tempe hustles and bustles with pedestrian traffic year-round. It’s not the place to go if you want peace and quiet. And though I’d say the majority of the people you’ll see milling around are Arizona State University students, urbanites from all over the Valley of the Sun head over on evenings and weekends to shop, dine at the many restaurants, hang out in the taverns, and walk, ride bikes or rollerblade over to Tempe Town Lake.
This coming weekend, however, pedestrians will flock to Mill Avenue–one of America’s “ten great streets” (American Planning Association, 2008)–for one of …read more

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Visit the Desert Botanical Garden from November 22 until May 31, 2009, for the chance to see the works of renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly. The art exhibition–his first in a desert setting–will feature new and unique works of glass sculpture along the garden’s trails.
Chihuly is known for his innovative glass sculptures and use of vibrant colors. Perhaps you’ve seen his work and didn’t know it; one of his more prominent displays is on the ceiling of the Bellagio Resort in Las Vegas. His work is also found in more than 200 museums worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of …read more

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In more ways than one…Watch this video, and you’ll see what I mean. The former Arizonan who filmed it rented a Mustang convertible, drove around the state, and captured what so many of us who live here sometimes fail to appreciate: its beauty, its diversity, its breathtaking ability to make you fall in love on the spot.
Indeed, I am graced to live here.
Watch this video. You’ll see what I mean.
Technorati Tags: Arizona,beauty,Amazing Grace,tourist,former Arizonan,Arizona blogs,Phoenix bloggers

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From Boston, Mass., to Bucksport, Maine. That was the destination of choice last week when I left Phoenix with my boyfriend for a cooler climate back East. With 100 degree temperatures still the norm where we live, it was the perfect time to leave the  desert. With the fall colors moving in, it was the perfect time to visit Coastal New England.
It rained while we were there. It was definitely cooler. I even had to don gloves and a scarf one night. And nothing could be better than the smell of chimney smoke. For me, that’s the first …read more

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