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!

Run by the Mabery family, Blazin’ M offers an old western town, plus a petting zoo, an all-you can-eat dinner and a rollicking cowboy show.  They have a sense of humor, too!

Just punishment? Think about it!

So, it’s a family attraction, now in its 16th year, and one that appears to have a lot of repeat visitors, plus people who come from far away.  The prize for the furthest distance traveled at our dinner show was a South American visitor!

We finally got his "good side"

The petting zoo had a llama, some turkeys, goats, chickens, donkeys, and horses.  None of them wanted to pose.  I guess we finally got their ”good” side, but they didn’t make it easy.

Petting zoo turkey didn't want to pose

We wandered by the roping practice area where a guest was learning how to rope a horse – and doing a good job, at that.

Roping practice at the Blazin' M

Several shops offered some typical tourist memorabilia, plus you could have your photo taken.  There was also cowboy attire like clothing, hats and boots in the shops.  Crafts, food items and especially women’s clothing were available.

Cowboy boots lined the wall of this shop

The Dinner part of the Dinner Theater

Magically, when the dinner bell rang, staffers who had been helping in the shops suddenly appeared in the dinner hall.

Dinner service was accomplished efficiently by taking guests table by table (everyone is seated family-style at long tables) through the food line.  And, magically, the staffers also doubled as food servers.  Those family members and staff really work hard!  It was funny seeing the rough-and-tumble looking “cowboys” wearing plastic gloves for the food service.

Dinner was much like cowboys might experience on the trail.  Lining up to receive your tin plate, you joined the line. There is a choice of chicken or beef brisket in barbecue sauce. (On the first round, then you could have whatever you wanted.) With that came cowboy beans (vegetarian), coleslaw, baked potatoes, rolls, applesauce, spice cake and basic drinks in tin cups. (Specialty sodas extra.)

A vegetarian could have most of the meal, an unusual concession, since in the Old West you ate what was available.  While not fancy, the food was filling and good.  I didn’t find the barbecue sauce cloyingly sweet like some places serve and I ate the whole slice.  The cole slaw and applesauce were very good.  Everything, except the applesauce, is made on the premises.

During dinner, a master of ceremonies works at getting people in a convivial mood.  Then, they start the dinner show.  That’s the fun part that we’ll share with you later this week.

http://www.blazinm.com

Come back later this week for the Blazin’ M dinner theatre – a rollicking, tuneful, fun time!

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.