Dec 02, 2009 9:09 - By: Laura Charon
The Fairmont Resort in Scottsdale
There’s always stuff going on in Scottsdale, Arizona – which is why it’s such a popular vacation destination. Plus, the winter weather in this area of Arizona just can’t be beat – you can indulge outdoor dining (or any other outdoor activity) in December with just a light jacket or sweater! My husband and I live just a few minutes away in Chandler, and we usually find a reason about once a week or so to head into Scottsdale for some food, culture, and entertainment.
The Grill at the Fairmont Scottsdale is partnering with CleanFish Alliance, an organization that supports sustainable fishing practices, and is offering “Clam Bakes on the Patio” every Friday evening. For $28 per adult ($12 for children ages six through twelve, children under six are free) diners are treated to clams, mussels, and shrimp, as well as a variety of desserts. Homesick for Maine as I am, you can rest assured I’ll be heading on over there this weekend!
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Nov 23, 2009 16:52 - By: Whit Honea
Do you like the links and the deals and the travel stuffs on the internets? Then you’re in luck! Here are some of the latest travel-related news to find its way into our inbox/twitter stream:
The Window Seat breaks down the 8 rudest travelers you’ll meet this holiday season. Are you on it?
Are you flying Black Friday through Cyber Monday? Funjet has some deals for you! (via PR Newswire)
CNN is big on the debunking. The latest record set straight: Holiday travel advice.
Chicago Flame gives us the Top 5 Places Not to Vacation. Thanks, Flame.
Matador Network gives us 6 reasons to drink on flights. We only need two: drink and flight. Read More »
Nov 11, 2009 10:36 - By: Laura Charon
The Sam Adams tent at the Big Pour in 2008.
The Big Pour, a beer festival hosted by Draft Magazine, is this weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona. From the official site:
“The Big Pour is the ultimate beer lover’s adventure with hundreds of craft beers from breweries across the globe, seminars, food pairing tips and some of the world’s most celebrated brewers and beer experts. After a rousing premier in 2008, The Big Pour also returns with live music headlined by Everclear.”
Really, I can’t say it any better than that!
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Nov 02, 2009 13:19 - By: Laura Charon
Stylin' girls at the mall.
There are twenty-five days until Black Friday, my friends! Time to get your gameplan together!
Black Friday, that traditional chaotic Christmas shopping day that qualifies as a quasi-holiday all on its own, is the Friday after Thanksgiving in the U.S. every year. This year, plan your Arizona shopping to visit these fine establishments:
The Scottsdale Fashion Square- 7014-7590 East Camelback Road – Phoenix, Arizona. Swank shops and boutiques mingle with great dining and people watching near the heart of Scottsdale.
The Chandler Fashion Center – 3111 West Chandler Boulevard – Chandler, Arizona. Indoor and outdoor shopping, dining, movies, and much more.
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Sep 16, 2009 12:23 - By: Laura Charon
Wharf St. in the Historic Waterfront District in Portland, Maine
I know, I know, it doesn’t go as well with the tune as leaving my heart in San Francisco. I am telling the absolute truth, though, when I say that my heart lies in Portland, Maine.
I grew up in the teeny, tiny farming community of New Gloucester, Maine (population of people, 5,461; population of cows, at least three times that many), which is about 40 minutes due north of Portland. If you were looking for something “to do”, you went to Portland. If you had a job, it was probably in Portland. Even if you lived three hours away, you went “out Portland way” for a myriad of things – grocery shopping, the mall, the movies, dinner. It may not be the capital of the state (which is Augusta, by the way), but it’s the social, industrial, and economic hub of the state.
A street in the Old Port - Portland, Maine
And it is, in my most humble (but expert) opinion, one of the best towns on the PLANET. I’m not kidding. You need to go. And here’s why.
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Jul 19, 2009 11:02 - By: Keith M.
For years friends and colleagues have suggested that I take the family to Rehoboth Beach. My wife has had the same suggestions from her friends, and the same response: “maybe next year.” Well this year was “next year” and we stopped avoiding the tiny state of Delaware and started embracing it. I’m a selfish traveler so it pains me to write all of the good things I have to say about my trip, because I really don’t want to see you there the next time I go. I like my low-key, quiet retreats to stay that way. I should also give the disclaimer that I am from a beach town so I have a soft spot for them, and love them in all of their kitschy glory.
Shopping for beach toys on the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk.
Initially the trip was planned with only economics and convenience in mind. You can get to Delaware in about five hours from New York City (assuming traffic and a rest stop), and only spend three quarters of a tank of gas on the drive down. It’s also considerably cheaper than Virginia Beach during the high season, which is generally late spring through Labor Day. And Rehoboth Beach not nearly as unpredictable as Myrtle Beach. What’s more is that Rehoboth Beach is much tamer than it’s neighbor Ocean City and has substantial appeal for families looking for an affordable getaway during tight times when every penny counts. Read More »
May 20, 2009 14:45 - By: Laura Charon
It’s May. High school seniors are graduating and looking forward (or maybe not) to college. Parents are looking forward (or maybe not) to their children leaving the nest, and tuition costs. It’s the time of year when parents and prospective students tour the colleges of their choice before making a final decision.
ASU Campus - Normal School building, built in 1884.
Arizona State University’s main campus is in Tempe Arizona, and has one of the largest annual enrollments for a single campus in the nation. ASU also has several satellite campuses in the Phoenix Metro area. It is a member of the PAC-10 conference, and offers a dizzying array of technical and business programs, at the Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate levels.
There’s lots more information and pictures! Click here to Read More »
May 08, 2009 9:51 - By: Laura Charon
Everyone remembers the movie The Goonies, right? As a child of the 80’s, the film is a firm fixture in my pop culture memories. The off-road race along the beach in the opening sequence… the jagged rocks that Mikey aligned the medallion up to… the creepy restaurant with Sloth in the basement…
A lot of the beach and ocean footage for the movie was shot in Cannon Beach in Oregon, a mere jaunt down the coast from The Goonie’s home town of Astoria. Being such a fan of the movie, this was a natural destination for my husband and I to visit, during our vacation in Oregon a couple of years ago.
Haystack Rock is the immediate and dramatic fixture of the area that draws visitors and residents to the beach year after year. Upon reaching the beach (at the base of some very steep dunes), my husband and I couldn’t help but walk toward it, and get as close to it as we could. It was inhabited by terns, puffins, and seagulls vying for territory on its crest. To stand directly across from Haystack Rock is to be nearly deafened by the cries of the birds.
Of course, in my humble opinion, no ocean view is complete without a lighthouse. This is the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, as seen from Cannon Beach:
From the top of the aforementioned dunes (and rather close to those FORTUNATE people who own homes right on the beach), the entire beach can be seen:
Cannon Beach is located on the northern coast of Oregon, and can be accessed via Highway 84 if coming from the East, or Coastal Route 101 if coming from the North or South. Or, well, by boat if coming from the West. The town of Cannon Beach offers excellent shopping and dining, welcome refreshment after an afternoon spent in the sun, wind, and sand of the beach. Seasonal events, such as the annual Sandcastle Contest, offer another draw to the area and a new, fun idea to liven up your weekend.
