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!

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…

A few miles and up the hillside – a very steep hillside/mountain – from Clarkdale and Cottonwood, Arizona is the historic town of Jerome, Arizona.  The fact that residents pride themselves on their probable insanity is based on the location of the former mental asylum and the fact that the town is perched precariously on hillsides.  Ironically, you drive through “Deception Gulch” to reach Jerome.

Sign in shop window - the mental state of Jerome

Is this insane?  Well, in any case, it’s fun to explore and find out!

On the day we visited, Jerome was a vision in the mist like the fictional Brigadoon of musical comedy fame.  We landed in the main section of town, elevation 5,246 feet, as the rain came gently down.  From one direction, we could see the red rocks of Sedona in the distance as the weather varied from sunny to rainy to hail with snow threatening, or all of the above at the same time!

Heading first to the Jerome Grand Hotel, a former mental hospital, with its The Asylum, an award-winning restaurant, we began our exploration of the town. Perched way up high with a great view of the valley, the Jerome Grand Hotel is up a one lane road that passes some B & B’s on its way and relies on driver courtesy to prevent accidents.

Jerome Grand Hotel - a former mental institution - thus The Asylum Restaurant

Jerome Grand Hotel lobby

It was mid-morning and no one was dining in The Asylum, but we’ve heard and read repeatedly that the restaurant is terrific, but a bit pricey, and worth every penny.

We looked around and talked with hotel guests who told us how much they loved the hotel and the view.  One guest was in town to hear a group performing in a pub in the town below. www.jeromegrandhotel.com

View from Jerome

Jerome bills itself – “From a roaring copper mining boom town of 15,000 people…To Arizona’s largest ghost town…And now, Arizona’s coolest art colony.”  The remnants of its past are everywhere with some very colorful reminders, like the bordello that is now a very artsy shop.

The buildings are mostly a century or more old with every building precariously perched on the hillsides.  (Yes, it is a trend.)  We really wonder how they have managed to keep from sliding into the valley!  And, of course, many of the houses and locations are reputed to have ghosts.  We didn’t stop to find out!

At the edge of town is the Gold King Mine and Ghost Town, a tourist location that we drove through and left quickly.  To reach this replica of the old town, you pass through a dump of old vehicles and other refuse that my husband said would have fascinated his dad, a fan of old machinery.

What we found of major interest were the many craft shops, especially the Jerome Artists’ Cooperative that seemed to have every imaginable craft represented.  You name it – fabric art, photography, pottery, wood, paintings, glass, jewelry, knitted items, glass, copper… All of the items were of superior craftsmanship and some were particularly clever. www.jeromeartistscoop.com

One of the great shops on Main Street in Jerome - Skyfire

We also spent some time wandering about other shops like Nellie Bly II where they had more kaleidoscopes than I have ever seen in one place, made from varying components like wood, glass and ceramic.  Madame Belgian Jennie Bauters was the original founder of the site, which went through two incarnation as a brothel, but finally became a hotel and then the shops it now houses.

Some of the fabulous work in the Jerome Artists' Coop - Glass by Fred Reinhardt, Wooden works by Blake O'Neil

The artists and craftspeople of Jerome do offer some of the best -crafted items in such a concentrated place I have seen.  We chatted with David Hall, a potter who has been in Jerome since 1972, who has a shop at the very edge of a row of stores.  His work is finely crafted and he also features other artists, as well. www.madeinjerome.com

David Hall, long-time resident Jerome potter

A day in Jerome exploring the shops goes by quickly.  Bring your plastic, because you’ll want to purchase keepsakes and gifts!

Note: parking is in demand and hard to find.  Jerome can be a bit challenging to navigate if you are physically challenged.

Come back later this week for the Jerome restaurant we chose for lunch.

Good food at Main Street Cafe and Pizzeria

Main Street Café and Pizzeria

Since we wanted to be done with lunch and to the railroad station prior to 1:00 PM, we arrived at Main Street Café and Pizzeria shortly after they opened at 11:00 AM.  We were the first, but, eventually, not the only customers.

And, wow, what great food!  I don’t usually eat pizzas, but the Chicken Florentine pizza – personal sized – kept enticing me, so I ordered it.  It was a real bargain, too, with many toppings for only $8.  It was terrific and I was so glad I tried it! Hot, fresh ingredients, crispy thin crust, alfredo sauce with just the right flavor, big meaty chunks of chicken, fresh spinach and tomato. I was going to take some with me, but I ate the whole thing – so good!

My husband had the 1/3 lb. Angus burger with mushrooms and mozzarella, cooked medium rare as ordered.  Served on a giant, round, baguette-like fresh roll, it was quite a mouthful and he cleaned his plate.

While we ate, we looked around at the art gallery on the walls.  Our room had some quite interesting elementary school art, but the larger room had what looked like professional artists, who turned out to be high school students.  Impressive work!

Our wait staffer, Linda, is a retiree who works two days a week for some variety in life.  The chef/owner Scott does all of the cooking and is turning out some very fresh and flavorful food in the little burg.

http://clarkdalemainstcafe.com/

Owner, Scott Buckley, of Main Street Cafe and Pizzeria - great food at reasonable prices

Looking around Clarkdale

Before we hopped the train, we drove around Clarkdale, which didn’t take long.  It truly looked like America of years gone by.  The town square with its gazebo could be a set for “The Music Man.”

Clarkdale Town Square

Most of the tidy homes are built with brick, unusual for Arizona.

The Clark Memorial Clubhouse, which is on the National Historic Register, had unusual features like a bowling alley in the basement.  There is a museum in the complex, plus a library. William Clark, the founder of the town was also the owner of the United Verde Copper Company, which was the reason for the town, since he needed a place to locate the smelter to extract copper and Jerome wasn’t working well for that. (More on Jerome next week.)

In the distance, snow-covered mountain peaks that give a view of Jerome make you feel like you might be in the Alps.

Our short visit in Clarkdale ended with our trip on the Verde Canyon Railroad and, if you can imagine a location even tinier than how we’ve described Clarkdale, Perkinsville tops that.  Perkinsville is only a few buildings, one family and some cattle.  Pretty lonely except for the visits of the Verde Canyon Railroad.

Join us Wednesday for our short travel from Clarkdale to the Blazin’ M Ranch.

Yavapai's courthouse in Prescott come alight

In my efforts to photograph the giant, lighted tree, I had a real challenge.  The lights on the tree alternated in different sections and radiated from the middle as well. Finally, I took a passable photo to show you.

Christmas tree lights up the square

Gingerbread Village

Billed as the “World’s Largest Gingerbread Village,” a spectacular gingerbread display is located annually at the Prescott Resort and Conference Center (up on the hill overlooking the Prescott area).  Entrants come from various groups, including schools, organizations and even a chef or two.  Sponsored by the Yavapai Boys and Girls Club, entrants pay to place their edible creation in the “Village.”

Amazing artistry using sugar, nuts, and gingerbread

All charm, even the biggest Scrooge can’t help but smile as the train comes chugging around the creative, inventive buildings.  Items used to build the gingerbread houses range from gumdrops to pretzel sticks to peppermint candies and even sugar panels as windows.

Creativity with gingerbread

One of the best parts of your visit is that it’s free! Visit next year from late November until a few days after Christmas.

Santa's Workshop - with miniature - edible bears, toys and even a circular staircase!

So, enjoy your visit to one of the brightest cities – called “Arizona’s Christmas City,” Prescott, Arizona  (Even nearby Prescott Valley has a light display in Fain Park.)

Tomorrow…We visit Bucky’s Casino at the Prescott Resort.

And, visit our SHOP (see the top on the tabs) and find yourself an image from our gallery to keep for yourself.  If you see something you’d like on a mouse pad, or other item, please let us know and we’ll get it made for you!

Today, we share some of what we’ve learned about Prescott, a really interesting city.

Infamous and picturesque

In downtown Prescott, commerce is centered around the courthouse, as well as newer developments along the main highway, Route 69 (which comes west from Interstate 17). 

Yavapai County Courthouse - Prescott

On Montezuma Street in downtown, which runs on the west side of the block with the courthouse, you will see the famous and infamous Whiskey Row.   A century ago, it was the hotbed for activity and housed as many as 50 saloons and bars on the one block!

Whiskey Row

In the early 1900s, the street burned, but was quickly rebuilt.  The street and the Hotel St. Michael at the corner hosted famous people like the old movie star Tom Mix, and politicians like Barry Goldwater and Teddy Roosevelt during the 20th century.

Nowadays, there are art and antique shops, pubs, restaurants, a hotel and other shops to explore.  You could take hours just to travel to all of the shops and establishments in the one block!

Just a couple of blocks west of Whiskey Row, another part of Prescott’s history comes alive …

Important to Arizona

Prescott figured in Arizona’s history and, at one time, was even the capital of territorial Arizona.  If you visit the Sharlot Hall Museum (named after a real person named  - you guessed it – Sharlot Hall), you will see a home that was once the Arizona territorial governor’s as well as some historical exhibits begun by Ms Hall.

(Former) Governor's Mansion at Sharlot Hall Museum

The grounds of the museum contain a number of buildings, plantings, research libraries and, often, some fairs and festivals that highlight native and local crafts as well as music.

Gift Shop at Sharlot Hall Museum

Even children will find the exhibits interesting as they show how people lived years ago.

For a city of only about 43,000 population, there is a lot going on in Prescott most of the year.  They feature events around the courthouse, like fantastic art fairs and many gatherings, like their lighting ceremony for the holidays.

Also of interest, Prescott is famous for being  the location for the world’s oldest rodeo!  Quite a history for a town that now serves as the most charming place to visit and is rampant with quaint shops, places to eat and hotels.

Come back tomorrow and we’ll show you some of the special holiday decorations in Prescott.

Let’s go shopping!Starting in Old Town Scottsdale, you get a feel for Scottsdale of the old west.  There are stores where you can buy boots, especially cowboy boots.  Even the street signs reflect the old city.

In Old Town Scottsdale, even the street signs have cowboy boots!

Hop on the trolley (it’s a modern bus) any day of the week except for major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Day, Memorial Day, July 4^th, Labor Day) and ride for free between several major Scottsdale shopping areas.

Yes, I did say free! 

If you’re into art, Scottsdale has an entire district that has art.  You’ll see large statues – especially lots of horses looking fierce – outside the shops.  Jewelry, original art and the artistic sensibility are everywhere.

Next, you can pop over to the “5th Avenue Shops” and browse in a Spanish modern style.  Fountains and adobe greet you with boutique shops.  (Later this week, we’ll tell you about a fantastic, unique restaurant in that area.)

Scottsdale Fifth Avenue area

For more Boca-style shopping, hop back on the trolley and head to the Scottsdale Fashion Square.  Imposing and high fashion, you’ll find big names from A (Abercrombie & Fitch and many others) to Z (Z Tejas Grill– a Southwest fusion restaurant).  If you’re looking for the names, this is where you’ll find them.

Scottsdale Fashion Square - archway

Near Scottsdale Fashion Square is the even newer Waterfront area.  New shops, eclectic dining and high rise homes form a very modern contrast to the older area of Scottsdale.  Talk about a juxtaposition of old with new, there is a statue in tribute to the Hashknife Pony Express, that took a route right in the waterfront’s vicinity. 

Scottsdale Waterfront

Every year, the Pony Express still rides!  It’s an exhausting experience, but some intrepid riders and horses still make the handoff of mail for the US Postal Service, the only group commissioned by the USPS to deliver the mail by horse.  I’ve been at the Scottsdale Post Office when the riders arrived.  It is a punishing marathon that tests riders and horses in very difficult weather and conditions.

Statue commemorating Hashknife Pony Express riders

If you haven’t shopped yourself and your plastic to exhaustion, you can head up Scottsdale Road for even more shopping.  There’s Kierland Commons (H & M across the street) with upscale shops (Coach, Anthropologie, Restoration Hardware and more) spread out over a number of blocks like a small, modern neighborhood. 

You’ll find almost everything you’ve ever wanted in shopping during your stay in Scottsdale. If you “moseyed” up the road – Scottsdale Road – for a few miles and did not find what you were seeking in shopping, well, obviously, you were not really into shopping.

So, naturally, if you still have any resources, you’ll want to take a break. 

Tomorrow, we’ll detour south to a casino in Maricopa, Arizona – where?  Well, last week we already featured the Casino Arizona in Scottsdale’s vicinity, so we’re going to head south to Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino.  It’s south of Phoenix near Interstate 10.  You can hop a bus there, too, if you like.

Housing in downtown Tempe

Festival of the Arts

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

www.kenfosterceramics.com

(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.) 

www.liscomhillpottery.com

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

Other Tempe notables

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/

ASU and Tempe

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.

Portland Saturday Market - or part of it

And, this is one of those places that is a must-see if you’re coming to Portland. The array of hand-crafted items to see and purchase is dizzying. Creativity abounds!Also, there are enough food vendors to start a mini-United Nations of food. Starting with burgers, ice cream, coffee and pizzas, the food then heads into Asian, Creole, Greek, Lebanese, Mexican, Polish and Thai choices. There are also ATM machines in the vicinity, so if you have money in your account, you won’t go hungry!

On to the crafts…

The glass work of Richart Glass was especially colorful and appealing, but there was also pottery, twirling metal mobiles, and other original items to catch your eye.

Richart Glass is one of the Saturday Market artisans who creates attractive original artwork

Candles and other crafts

 Children were playing in the water at the street fountain, drummers were playing plastic buckets – quite the viruosos! – and there was a sense of festivity even though it was drizzly. The street musicians can be very talented as well as the scheduled musicians who span genres including blues, jazz, hillbilly, funk, ragtime and more.

The dancing fountains

About the Portland Market

In operation since 1974, Portland Saturday Market is a fun way to spend part or all of a day. Getting there is easy since a light rail stops right in the midst of the area at the Skidmore Fountain Max Station. If you’re trying to find the Portland Saturday Market, it’s near the west side of the Burnside Bridge. (It used to be under the bridge, but it was recently relocated just a little bit south.

 
After you shop, a stroll along the Willamette River on the Westside Riverwalk is a great place to see the scenery and stop for a few minutes to nibble your food or review your purchases.

View from Riverwalk of Willamette River

Hours: Saturday 10-5; Sunday 11-4:30. This year, it has been open from February 28-December 24.

 
The Portland Saturday Market is a great outing for a family!  And, it’s a good feeling to buy something directly from the craftsperson who made the item.

http://www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com/

You, too, can be on Easy Street - in Carefree, Arizona

“Ho Hum Road,” “Slumber Street,” ”Tranquil Trail,” “Carefree Drive”- of course!, and my favorite, “Easy Street.” Wouldn’t everyone just love to be on Easy Street? It turns out that being on Easy Street in Carefree is actually a pretty cool place to be.

Relax in Carefree

There are a group of charming shops like Tommy Bahama, a Watch and Shoe Repair (“We buy and sell used cowboy boots and shoes”), several shops selling Native American Crafts, and the English Rose Tea Room, among others. Most of the shops are one of a kind, so the shopping experience is unique.

 
According to a local expert, the City of Carefree was also the inspiration for the “Cartwright” Ranch of Bonanza fame. (Classic TV buffs, you’ll know this, otherwise, you’ll have to look this up.) Only recently were the last 20 acres of the Cartwright prototype sold, so the legend lives on!

Third largest working sundial in world

 In the center of town is a small City Park with some unusual attributes. A giant sundial – accurate, we checked it, a very strange children’s slide that looks like a Gila monster and a number of sculptures give visitors some sights to ponder. The sundial is touted as the third largest in the world at 35 feet tall and 72 feet long.

Is it a giant Gila monster? - No, it's a children's slide

Princess Leia? No, a sculpture in downtown Carefree

Spanish Village with restaurants and shops surrounding a courtyard and Carefree Marketplace also give shoppers places to wile away the time and spend their money.

Spanish Village

We found Carefree a fun place to wander about.

www.carefree.org

Come back tomorrow for a proper British tea at the English Rose Tea Room in Carefree!