On a recent trip to Wilmington, North Carolina, we took our time exploring the sites from the boardwalk that looked out over the Intracoastal Waterway.  Putting one foot in front of the other, we received the benefits of an energetic walk as we saw the USS North Carolina, numerous boats, and many shops and restaurants.

One of the many historic homes in Wilmington

Wilmington has a historic charm, which we were able to enjoy as we saw the riverboats that ply the river offering dinner cruises and sightseeing tours.

One of the many small malls in Wilmington

Riverboats ply on the Intracoastal Waterway on Wilmington

So, hiking can be a hike in the wilds, but a stroll on the boardwalk can also meet your requirement for energy use.

Traveling up Scottsdale Road, you see other major retailers like Crate & Barrel, restaurants like Cheesecake Factory, and several shopping plazas.  Although it might seem counterintuitive with Arizona’s months of extreme heat, most of the newer shopping locations are open air centers  where you travel outside from shop to shop.

A street in Kierland Commons

Banana Republic in Kierland Commons

Take Kierland Commons.  It is an extremely upscale shopping area that resembles a small city with multiple blocks of shops and restaurants.  Called a “mixed use” center, it also has some pricey places for people to reside (not just live, note, but “reside”) so they are just above or down the street from the retail locations of their choice.  Kierland Commons has retail establishments not found just anywhere like Restoration Hardware; Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant, Bar and Store;  7 for All Mankind; and other unique brands – plus a few people would know like White House/Black Market, Sur La Table, and Morton’s, the Steakhouse.  In other words, bring plastic and lots of it!

There are some even newer centers recovering from the economic boom that slowed down occupancy like the Scottsdale Quarter that was a sensation when H & M moved in with their trendy and reasonably priced fashion.  There is a large Apple Store and a unique Williams Sonoma Home.  We were surprised to walk in and find furnishings – couches and other furniture galore in room arrangements – instead of the kitchen gadgets and cookbooks we had expected.   The staff were obviously used to that reaction as they explained that their more traditional store was at Scottsdale Fashion Square.  Scottsdale Quarter bills itself as an “open air urban lifestyle center.”

H & M's trendy store in Scottsdale Quarter

Even the grocery store is not the ordinary convenience store married with catering.  The Oakville Grocery has high-end nibbles, a bakery, wine selections and a small deli with a few tables for someone who might like to grab something with friends.  A “coming soon” eatery is “True Food Kitchen” which is in the Phoenix Biltmore area and features regional sourced food and elegant presentations in a trendy, ultramodern eatery.

With all this talk of food, I’m getting hungry, so I’m off to make dinner.  Needless to say, I’ve barely touched on all of the shopping locations in Scottsdale Arizona.  However, next week I’ll be back to shamelessly promote my new book —–

Come back next week and I’ll share more as I’m just days away from launching – Hiking for the Couch Potato: A Guide for the Exercise Challenged. It is a humorous book suitable for gift-giving!  Get ready to join the community!

But, I’m ready to share a new project I’m about to launch-

Drum roll, please.

Da- da- da- dum- da- dah!

Very soon you’ll be able to see my book: Hiking for the Couch Potato: A Guide for the Exercise-Challenged

In about three weeks, the book will be available as both as an e-book and a printed book.

A light-hearted guide that encourages people to get off the couch and go hiking, Hiking for the Couch Potato has everything from advice on hiking gear to recipes to an “Ode to Frozen Green Peas.”

It even talks about how to meet that significant other!

So, be on the lookout for the book – soon to be available at an e-store and on my new (not available yet) web site.

Suitable for gift giving! (And the web site will be a community where people can share their hiking experiences, recipes, and encourage each other!)

Looking forward to sharing Hiking for the Couch Potato with you!  Everyone likes potatoes!

PS Please let me know your reactions to my book!  I’ll autograph any book personally for someone who orders it through this travel blog.

Trendy Kazimierz World Wine Bar calls itself a speakeasy and has its entrance around the back!

On a recent visit, we saw the epitomy of Scottsdale: an obviously well-to-do 30s-ish shopper in a trendy grocery on her cell phone the entire time we were there, discussing a friend’s dating woes while she put things in her cart.  The items in that grocery weren’t the typical things you’d find in a Safeway or more “ordinary” grocery store and price was obviously no object.

For Divas & Dogs - Trendy shop in Scottsdale 5th Avenue Shop area

Another Scottsdale scene involved about five young women, outside a bridal shop.  They were very energetically discussing how the bride-to-be looked in the dress she had chosen.

Courtyard at Borghata shopping Center

If these two encounters are any indication, the recession is definitely over – at least in Scottsdale.

Scottsdale's Fashion Center at night

In the next few weeks, we’ll visit a new, world-class musical instrument museum, “MIM,” the Musical Instrument Museum in northern Scottsdale.  We also visit two restaurants, and show you some other shopping areas in trendy, upscale Scottsdale.

A Bat Khine - gong chime from Thailand in the Musical Instrument Museum

Next week:  Everything from Eric Clapton’s guitar to how to build a piano to the wildest instruments you’ve ever seen!

With a population (at last count) of over 13,000, they are a giant metropolis in comparison to Strawberry and Pine, the neighbor burgs we visited the same day.  There is more of everything, but the scenic backdrop of the mountains gives everything the “aah” factor.  You can relax in Payson.  It’s that kind of place.

There is shopping along the main street, including the Swiss Village shops which a resident we met at the Natural Bridge told us not to miss. We missed it, because we weren’t there for shopping. We just wanted to see what it was like for someone visiting and looking for scenery.

Things to do – besides shopping

Green Valley Park is a central recreational place where we saw people fishing, picnicking and just relaxing.

Fishermen do their thing at the scenic Green Valley Park

Green Valley Park - another view

Nearby, we saw a statue honoring firemen in front of the Rim Country Museum, which also had a reproduction of the Zane Grey Cabin (the Western writer who had lived in Rim Country).

With heavily treed areas in Rim Country, firemen are honored with this statue, acknowledging their part in keeping the citizens safe.

We drove around some more and located three golf courses, the location for their annual rodeo days, and the Mazatzal Casino and Hotel.   The casino, run by the Tonto Apache Indian Community, was a typical Arizona casino with all of the gaming action most people look for – slots, bingo, etc.  The hotel seemed well-kept and attractive, but we didn’t get to see a room.

Mazatzal Casino and Hotel - with another large wing not pictured

Dinner at Macky’s

When we finished driving around, we figured we were due for either an early dinner or a very late lunch. We headed to Macky’s , which had gotten good reviews online.  Although it was only around 4 PM, the staff treated us with great attention, like they always have people showing up at unusual hours.  The menu was voluminous, with everything from burgers to full dinners.  Mostly everything was in the $7.95 to $12.95 range.  I opted for a burger, but I didn’t make it easy for my very friendly waitress. (Sorry, I forgot her name!)  There were so many burgers with very exciting combinations, but what I wanted wasn’t any of those.  So, she gave me my guacamole on my bacon cheeseburger and we were both happy.  And unlike some restaurants, where they act like they’re being put out and doing you a favor, they were very nice about it.  My husband had the Philly cheesesteak and pronounced it “good.”

Macky's Grill

Did I mention that they are a Western-themed restaurant?  They have western music playing, interesting carvings on each booth, and even have the theme in the restrooms.  (No, I did not take a photo in the restroom!)

Carving on the booths is unique

We finished our meal with their “Southwest Cheesecake,” which had a combination of cheesecake in fried tortillas with ice cream, strawberries, and enormous clouds of whipped cream.  The cheesecake, nestled inside of the tortillas was warm and rich, was definitely enough for two.  It was unique and worth having. We were polite about sharing, but we ate every drop!

Southwest Cheesecake - sooo good!

Macky’s also has an outdoor patio and obviously likes to make guests feel welcomed.  We did!

So, we ended our visit to Payson with full bellies and glad we’d stopped.  As a place to vacation, it is really a quiet haven with outdoor activities as the central focus.

Find out more  at  http://www.paysonrimcountry.com/ – there are inns, small hotels, RV parks and other places to stay in if  you plan a visit.

Next up … We visit Scottsdale, AZ

Strawberry

Strawberry, charmingly named, has a much smaller population (in 2007 – only 1,000-plus!) and has a few amenities.  According to http://www.city-data.com/city/Strawberry-Arizona.html, Strawberry residents are older, richer and have more expensive homes than the median Arizona population.

One tourist magnet with some charm is the Strawberry School, the “oldest standing school in Arizona.”  According to a representative of the Pine/Strawberry Archeological and Historical Society, the school was almost razed when a developer bought a large tract in the area.  A local informed the crew that was about to raze the school as they were removing the roof, that the building was the old school house.  The developer decided to spare the school and the roof was rebuilt.

Strawberry School - the "Oldest Standing School in Arizona "

The original building’s walls were constructed in 1885 with logs that surround a one-room area dominated with a wood-burning stove.  The historical society rep commented that the old wooden desks were not the original furnishings.  Instead, tables were used.

Closed in 1916, the school is a reminder of what schools were like a century ago.  However, the furnishings were considered more opulent than was normal with wainscoting, wallpaper, slate on the wall as a blackboard, a world globe, an organ, a dictionary and a clock.  The school was also a meeting location and social center.

Interior of the one-room Strawberry School

For many in the area, the school was part of their heritage, so residents were integral in having it declared a Historical Monument in 1981.

There is no charge to view the school, but a donation is requested.

Pine

Another small town with a lot of activity the weekend we visited is Pine.  Again, as in Strawberry, the median age and income levels are higher than the median for Arizona.  The population tallies just under 2,000. Can we say, “retirement community”?

An arts and crafts fair was sprawled out along the road as well as in a community hall.  The variety seemed to be strongly focused on food.  However, we enjoyed the crafts and most especially our chat with Bob Gleason, a basket weaver, who was weaving as we spoke.

Bob Gleason weaves baskets right in front of your eyes.

Bob is from Phoenix, but enjoys demonstrating his craft, which he finds relaxing and has recently begun more elaborate baskets.  The colors and craftsmanship are top notch.  The materials are rattan and can be extremely light, but sturdy.  Bob’s business, with the URL of bobsbasketcase.intuitwebsites.com, (602-317-0644), shows he has a sense of humor.  He has to with some of the dumb questions that people ask – “Who makes the baskets? –He does – “I’m making one now!” (I’m sure he’d like to tell people to pay attention.)

Another crafter, Ron Lepore with Melted Bottles (928-443-8865), uses recycled bottles to make very attractive serving pieces with knives attached.  Great for serving cheese, crackers, fruit and other edibles, the pieces show the whimsy of the bottles he recovers from peoples’ discards.

Ron Lepore exhibited his recycled "Melted Bottles" - great for serving and gifts

Other items sold included emu meat, quilts, and other attractive art.

When we finished, we stopped at the Gingerbread House for some ice cream.  At the old-fashioned style soda fountain, the flavors were great (I had black cherry cordial and my husband had cookies and cream).

Gingerbread House - ice cream treats and collectibles

After we ate every bite of the ice cream and waffle cone, we headed to Payson.

Next week… We’ll give you a short tour of Payson, home of rodeos and other pastimes.

Coming soon!   We will be launching a new site for all of  you Couch Potatoes out there – who want to get up and get going!  More soon…

Grand Canyon - just a very small part of the vast view

A trip to the Grand Canyon is a “must see” when you travel out West in the USA.  Arizona recognizes it as one of its finest attractions by designating itself the “Grand Canyon State” on license plates.Most people drive or come by bus to see nature’s show.  It is a drive from Flagstaff (80 miles) or Williams (59 miles), but can also be reached by the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams, a fun trip.

Upon arrival during the main summer tourist season, expect to park in the lot at the South Rim and use shuttle buses to get you to the viewing areas.

Mather Point is a focal point for viewing, but anywhere along the South Rim Trail is a great place to settle in for views.  (I found Mather Point to be overwhelming with tourists who were all jockeying for position to get “the” photo shot of all time.)

Grand Canyon view

Calming walking along the paved path the skirts the rim, I found spectacular views, including some views of the Colorado River ‘way down below. Close to dusk, we were edging down the South Rim trailhead, just trying to get photos from different vantage points when we were stopped by a Parks Ranger who told us we could not go any further at that time of day.  They are protective of people, since the path can be treacherous.  People do take mule rides down the trails, but late in the day, they keep people in “civilization.”

Grand Canyon with Colorado River way below

Grand Canyon at dusk

Food and Lodging

There are restaurants at the Park’s South Rim, but they are of the hewn wood and rustic variety.  There are landmarks like the El Tovar Hotel that have been around for over a century (which was refurbished a dozen years ago), as well as Bright Angel Lodge, Kachina and Thunderbird Lodges, Maswik Lodge, and Yavapai Lodge.  All of the previous have some form of dining facility.

If you are the intrepid sort and plan the strenuous hike to the Grand Canyon’s floor and need a rest stop, Phantom Ranch is the respite for those travelers.  (Reserve meals before you attempt the trip.) We did not attempt this long hike, which we understood could only be accessed by mule, hiking or river rafting.

Grand Canyon at nightfall

We recommend that you allow a day to hike around the various vantage points, take zillions of photos, and visit the various historic hotels for rest stops, food and souvenirs.

While in the Area…

We were impressed with the Grand Canyon, but if you are in the Southwest, we also highly recommend a side trip to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park in Southern Utah.  Canyonlands is also vast and amazing, as well as Arches National Park. (See our other blogs on these national parks.  Just enter the name in the “search” box.)

Our favorite? – I’ve been twice – is Bryce Canyon.

http://www.nps.gov/grca/

We used our time for R ‘n R and a business visit, but we enjoyed the peaceful community and the friendly people we met.

Since we were staying at the Ameritel Inn near the falls, we had an opportunity to see the falls close up.  There is a walking greenbelt on both sides of the falls that gives you a chance to see the falls from many different vantage points.

The falls - at Idaho Falls

Another view of the falls

There is also a small park adjacent to the falls where their ties with a sister city are commemorated in a pagoda-like monument.  We did not have time to visit the museums and other cultural opportunities that Idaho Falls had to offer, but on a return trip, we certainly would see their art museums and center (there are three) and the Museum of Idaho.  They even have a zoo, which we love to visit, but our time was short.

This park commemorates Idaho Falls' sister city of Tokai-Mura, Japan

Along the falls - a bit of history in Idaho Falls

Our dinner at Jakers Restaurant, a regional chain, is worthy of mention.  We found good food and great service in a comfortable setting.  The lobster bisque had terrific flavor, and the London broil and asparagus were both tender.  My husband’s trout was flavorful and all of his accompaniments were equally well-prepared.  We happened in just in time to take advantage of the “early bird” specials, but the same items on the regular menu were not that much more expensive.  Our portions were generous, so we enjoyed our dinners without feeling that we should have gotten the full menu choices. They don’t stint on quality, as the strawberry lemonade actually included some slices of lemon.

Ameritel Inn: Nice amenities with a large indoor pool and fitness room.  The rooms included a refrigerator and had attractive furnishings.  A free hot breakfast was also included.

Let the pictures show you how amazing the falls are.  Idaho is a great place and we recommend a stopover if you’re in the vicinity.

Another crossing at Snake River - Idaho Falls

Join us next week for more on Boise…

Hyatt Place

We checked into the Hyatt Place Boise on North Milwaukee Street not too far from the highway, our first experience at a Hyatt Place.  We were impressed!

The friendly staff was smiling and efficient.  If we hadn’t had so many questions as first-timers, we could actually have used the automated check in.  However, our host was eager to show us around in the lobby.  Everything is easy to access.

The décor is sleek and inviting.  We really liked the room, too.  Technology is very much accounted for- you can use the free wireless Internet connections or dock your iPod. The bed is in an alcove-like arrangement so there is a feeling of a suite.  The “living room” has a fabulous couch that wraps around with an ottoman.  In the “office area” a desk with connections faces away from a small fridge with a wet sink and a coffee maker. http://boisetownesquaremall.place.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/place/index.jsp

Great space!

Boise Farmers Market

If you’ve been reading the blogs, you know that we wouldn’t miss a Farmers’ Market.  Boise’s Farmers Market is certainly worth seeing!  Such fun – and four blocks worth of scrumptious fresh produce, hand made items and entertainment in downtown Boise every Saturday, from 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM.

Boise Farmers Market

A fun way to spend a Saturday

The atmosphere is entertaining and everyone seems to be in a festive mood.

Entertainers at Boise Downtown Farmers Market

Fresh cheese, delicious brittle pine nut candy, and some hand-carved wooden items were some of the great items we purchased.  If we had lived there, we would have chosen fresh eggs, meats, flowers and – well, it would be hard to hold us back!

Boise Farmers Market has almost everything everyone would ever want to eat - cheese, eggs, meats, fresh produce, candy - and crafts

Then, we decided on a fun café/pub-like restaurant, the Brick Oven Bistro, at 801 Main Street.  After review of an enormous menu of soups, salads, main dishes with so many choices I had trouble choosing, I had some terrific food.  The portions were enormous and the staff was competent, efficient and friendly.  I spilled my soup as I sat down and a staffer was so nice about cleaning up my messy spot at the table. Reasonable prices, great food, fun atmosphere – we recommend Brick Oven Bistro! http://www.brickovenbistro.com/

Come back next week when we take a jaunt to a penitentiary where they cultivate flowers!

Even in 1924 when Ben Warner opened his new Hotel and General Store, pies weren’t the attraction.

It must have been something, though, as Hollywood notables such as Tom Mix and Jean Harlow stayed there along with miners who worked the gold and silver mines in the nearby Bradshaw Mountains.

Place for pies - Rock Springs Cafe

But it wasn’t until just a little over 30 years ago that the Rock Springs Café started selling pies.   Baked fresh daily, they reported to have sold over 50,000 in 2007.  You don’t even have to be in Arizona, as their online store is available for placing your order for delivery (except cream pies).

Although we had seen the café on numerous trips to and from northern Arizona from the Phoenix area, we finally decided to stop by on our way back from Cottonwood.  Just off of I-17 a few miles south of Black Canyon City, it doesn’t necessarily look like a place you would search out.  But once inside, it’s a cross between a large tourist gift shop and a Cracker Barrel restaurant, but with a lot more history.

Rock Springs Cafe dining area

Antique pie case - new pies

With over 20 pies by the slice or available whole, you have a selection of the usual suspects in the cream and fruit department along with some specialty selections.  The latter includes a Jack Daniels Pecan (and it’s not named for the chef …).  The Jack Daniels is their specialty and most in demand.

Gifts and doodads in the central area

Once you enter the main doors, a central area separates the café from the large saloon. The café menu features steaks, chicken, Mexican, chili and even breakfast entrees.  At the back of the central area is where you can buy whole pies.  Large glass door refrigerated cases show off the boxed fruit pies and the huge cream pies.

We tried a slice of pie each as we had eaten lunch not too long before.  Personally, I wasn’t overly impressed, but that doesn’t make it a bad piece of pie.  There was something impressive about sitting in this historical, one of a kind location that just doesn’t  happen at those national chain “famous pie” places.

Location: 35769 S. Old Black Canyon Highway, Rock Springs, AZ

Interstate 17 Exit 242

Hours:Sun-Thu 7am-9pm, Fri-Sat 7am-10pm 

http://www.rockspringscafe.com/