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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Oct 12, 2009 13:11 - By: Laura Charon
Feel free to bring your four-legged friends with you on your next vacation to Arizona! The state is very dog-friendly, with lots of hotels that permit animals, and even spas dedicated to pampering your puppy (that will be the subject of an upcoming entry)! Nearly every city in Arizona has one or several “bark parks” which allow your dog to stretch his or her legs, and some freedom from the leash so they can explore every olfactory nuance of their playground. Here is a small selection of those dog-friendly parks:
The PETsMART Dog Park at Washington Park in Phoenix offers a spacious 2.65 acres in which your dog can frolic. The six-foot high perimeter fencing keeps your dog safe, while the watering station and shady trees keep your dog comfortable. There’s even a separate fenced area especially for small dogs.
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Oct 09, 2009 13:46 - By: Laura Charon
Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek, Arizona, is hosting its annual Pumpkin and Chili Party. The party is held every Thursday through Sunday for the entire month of October. Hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, and 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. A $14.00 admission ($12.00 discount tickets are available at local Frys grocery stores, children 2 and under are free) includes hay rides, miniature golf, a Celebrity Corn Maze, carnival rides, a petting barn, a “Pumpkin Launch”, pumpkin carving contests, chili contests, bon fires, marshmallow toasting, lots of food and crafts, live entertainment, and much more. For $2.00 per ticket, a Spooky Train Ride, featuring an animatronic pumpkin king and the antics of the Chandler High School drama students, begins after dark.
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Sep 29, 2009 12:15 - By: Laura Charon
Taliesin West, located in Scottsdale, Arizona, is an estate designed and built by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The property was built as his personal residence, where he lived until his death in 1959 at the age of 92. The property is currently the main campus of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture.
Tours of the property are offered year-round – the most popular of which is the 90-minute “Insights” tour, which features the newly restored living quarters and “Garden Room”. Other tours feature outbuildings and hiking paths throughout the surrounding Sonoran Desert. A three-hour “behind the scenes” tour is offered for architecture enthusiasts. Select dates during the Christmas season feature the 2-Hour “Holiday Night Lights”, during which refreshments are served and carols entertain the visitors as they view the property decked out in holiday splendor.
Taliesin West is located at 12621 North Frank LLoyd Wright Blvd in Scottsdale. The entrance is located at the intersection of Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd and Cactus Road. Parking is free and tour tickets can be purchased in the Gift Shop, which is close to the main parking lots. A variety of pricing packages (from $18 to $55) are available depending on which parts of the property you wish to tour. Reservations are recommended.
Photo credits (in order of appearance):
- “Taliesin West” by Bluecanary Dreams on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Taliesin West Interior” by AndyB on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Taliesin West” by Khamis Hammoudeh on Flickr Creative Commons.
Sep 09, 2009 12:43 - By: Laura Charon
Tenure is a great thing, especially when it equates to four paid weeks of vacation per year. Unfortunately, my husband doesn’t have as much vacation time as I do. Since mine is a “use it or lose it” kind of situation, there are a couple of weeks out of the year that I find myself on vacation while my husband still works.
One such vacation week is coming up in October. I’ve started making tentative plans for how to occupy my time – you know, OTHER than the cleaning and “honey-do” list the vacationing spouse is required to take care of. My ambition is to make myself feel like I’ve been fully entertained for the week for as little money as possible. I want to feel like I’ve actually taken a vacation, not just sit on the couch at home all week trying to avoid spending money.
DAY ONE:
I will dedicate a leisurely hour lounging in the tub, followed by a trip to my local library. I will then take any books I procure to nearby Desert Breeze Park, lay down a blanket (because by that time it’ll be cool enough to stand the sunshine), and read for as long as I want. I might even take a ride on Desert Breeze’s miniature train, if I’m feeling adventurous.
Total Cost of Day One: $2.00 for the mini train ride.
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Sep 04, 2009 12:42 - By: Laura Charon
WestWorld of Scottsdale is an equestrian center and special events facility in North Scottsdale, Arizona. It has an annual schedule packed with a wide variety of events. Don’t know what to do some weekend? Chances are there’s something going on at WestWorld that you’d be interested in.
A horse show at WestWorld
The Scottsdale Classic Futurity and Quarter Horse Show kicks off its seventh annual appearance on October 1st, and runs through the 7th. In addition to the AQHA/NSBA/NRHA western/english/hunter horse classes, this year’s Classic features a dog agility sweepstakes, a costume contest, a silent auction (benefiting America’s Horse Cares therapeutic riding programs), and an ice cream social.
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Jul 13, 2009 20:12 - By: Laura Charon
Scottsdale Sunrise - photo by Dru
It’s full-tilt summertime here in Arizona, and everyone and everything – flora, fauna, and us poor mind-cooked inhabitants – are wilting… wilting. Like, envision the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz, except instead of a house crushing her, she’s crushed under the weight of the relentless summer sun. Melodramatic, perhaps, but oh so accurate.
Accurate as 116 degrees, baby. Which, coincidentally, is what tomorrow’s high is supposed to be.
But we’re coping, we’re coping. And the hotel and resort industry in Scottsdale is helping us to cope, by kindly offering some excellent summertime deals.
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Jun 28, 2009 9:44 - By: Laura Charon
Photo by simax105
If you’re going to be in Arizona during the July 4th weekend, here are some celebrations that are going on around the state. There’s something going on in virtually every town, but here are ten key events that are sure to please:
Phoenix: Enjoy the 24th Annual Fabulous Phoenix 4th, at Steele Indian School Park. Entertainment (on three stages!) begins at 6:00 p.m., with the fireworks show beginning at 9:20. The event features local entertainment, a cooling misting area, inflatable rides, a Classic Car exhibit, food and beverage vendors, and a water spray zone manned by the Phoenix Fire Department.
Tempe: Check out the 58th annual Tempe 4th of July Festival, taking place in Tempe Beach Park alongside the man-made Tempe Town Lake. The extravagant fireworks show, local food vendors, and live entertainment more than make up for the crowds.
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