San Felipe travel can be whatever you want it to be – A laid back vacation, a longer stay, a spring break, a retirement haven. At an orientation we attended for potential homebuyers in San Felipe, they said, “You go to Florida to die, Mexico to live.”
Beach at sunrise
Bisbee bowl - quality artistry
Arriving in Bisbee’s historic district, there is an immediate sense of stepping back in time. Colorful names (Bisbee Bicycle Brothel, etc.) and early 1900s architecture create an appeal you won’t see in the homogenized cities of most of the United States. (more…)
As you drive into Bisbee from the north, you enter through a tunnel, as if you are going back in time. To an extent, you are. The town is nestled into a hillside and the feel is of the 1950s – or before. (more…)
Although we promised a trip south of the border this week, we’ll be postponing that for a while – Technical glitches in our photo recovery. Instead, we thought we’d offer some vintage vehicles on view at a car show in the city of Casa Grande, Arizona. (more…)
Prescott has charm. It is absolutely undeniable. When you first see Prescott (pronounced Pres – CUT), you have the feeling that you’d really like to live there. Warm and friendly with quirky shops and a town square around the courthouse, Prescott is a great place to visit. (more…)
So, you’ve arrived in Scottsdale and you’ve got your plastic ready.
Let’s go shopping! (more…)
When I first traveled to Arizona, everyone talked about Scottsdale as some magical place. This week we’ll be featuring Scottsdale. You can decide whether it is magical for yourself! (more…)
Tempe, the hometown for Arizona State University, is a vibrant city with business, social and quality of life issues well-handled. With a population of 175,000-plus residents, Tempe has a business center, new malls, revitalized housing stock and is just a fun place to be. It’s also near to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, so there is easy access in and out.
Housing in downtown Tempe
During the weekend of December 4-6, Tempe hosted the Festival of the Arts, an arts and crafts gathering that last year attracted 250,000. In 2009, over 400 artisans with some stunning work were displaying and selling their works. Pottery, glass, wood, photography, woven items, painting, sculpture and even food showed the individuality and quality of the handmade efforts.
With no two works identical, visitors had the opportunity to see and buy something for their use for as little as $5 or as much as thousands.
Colorful Pottery from Ken Foster Ceramics - and useful, too
(559-760-4549)
(As of early December 2009, his Web site was not populated yet.)
Doug Mader's metal art - Courtyard Art and Design
(No Web site available – 503-537-0720)
I tend to like usable art, so I was on the lookout for a small pottery casserole to replace one that had broken. I couldn’t find what I was seeking. Instead, I saw a gorgeous pottery French butterkeeper made by Liscom Hill Pottery Works that I purchased. (I did not take a photo – the display was crowded and I was intent on my purchase.)
Bands also performed throughout the Festival. On the jazz stage, we heard the Chandler-Gilbert Community College Band perform big band numbers. They had an interesting medley with “Auld Lang Syne” intermingled with Christmas carols, plus a rendition of “On the Street Where You Live” from My Fair Lady.
To host the Festival, Tempe blocked off about fifteen blocks of the downtown area. Since these events occur regularly in Tempe, check out the light rail which travels right through the campus to save you time looking for a parking spot or $10 for event parking. The light rail is relatively new to the Phoenix area, but it is clean, on schedule and reasonable in cost.
http://www.valleymetro.org/metro_light_rail
It may be in the desert, but Tempe has an amazing amount of water. Tempe Town Lake, a manmade body of water, is a centerpiece for many community events. In the area adjacent to the lake, events from ethnic fairs to fireworks are held regularly.
If you’re coming to the Phoenix area for a visit, we recommend that you check out what might be happening in Tempe. There are hotels in Tempe if you care to stay; the aloft hotel is new, a “hip” hotel, and there are other hotels that can put you right in the middle of things or give you some quiet at the end of the day, if you prefer.
aloft hotel in Tempe
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=3102
The Buttes
(Tucked into a hillside and next to a spring training baseball facility.)
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/phxtm-the-buttes-a-marriott-resort/
You can’t miss ASU’s presence in Tempe; it is unmistakable.
Come back tomorrow for info on Arizona State University and other amenities in the area.
This is the day in the United States that families give thanks. But, it has grown far beyond what the original Pilgrims could ever have envisioned. We have a humongous feast that can take days to prepare. We truly do have much for which to be thankful.
Years ago, I traveled to Plymouth Rock where the Pilgrims landed and it had become extremely commercialized. There were little stands with the usual gimcracks and souvenirs.
Buying things seems to be what everyone thinks about when they consider traveling. And, I admit, I have purchased my share of souvenirs, too.
Somehow, the anticipation of seeing a new place and the sense of wonder and discovery has now been dulled by security checks and the many rules and regulations that now govern our travel.
In this blog, we have tried to feature places where we have enjoyed the travel, the people and the indelible scenes that have enriched our lives.
The reason I decided to publish a travel blog was that the newspaper for which I write, a small city’s paper, had asked me to cover travel. They decided they only wanted to feature local places, which left a whole world of great destinations I wasn’t able to share.
So, that led to the beginning of this travel blog.
The blog is now eight months old – almost old enough to have given birth to a real human baby. Have we done a good job? Does anyone want to share his/her experiences?
Would anyone like to offer comments other than the spammers who perpetually leave messages – or in Russian, which I cannot read?
So, I am asking for people to respond and participate. Should we continue the blog? Will you help us by supporting the blog through response and checking out our store?
We’re open to new experiences and new people. We’re always thankful for them.
Please give us some feedback!
And, have a wonderful holiday season to those who celebrate holidays in the next month. To those who don’t have holidays, please accept our understanding that people have different cultures and ways of experiencing the world. We would love to hear from you, as well!
May you have health, love and joy in your life and a chance to travel to the places that enlighten, enliven and excite you!
Warmest regards,
Shelley Gillespie
Publisher and Editor
Traveltipsandadventures.com
PS The new photos at the top of the blog give you some new places to view. Oregon and Las Vegas are featured – two great destinations!
