Great Minds Drink Alike!

Arizona Beer Week is in ninety-four days (February 18-25, 2012). Events are being held all over the state, and a loooong list of restaurants are featuring a variety of specials. Here is just a quick sample:

- The whole thing kicks off on Saturday the 18th at the 12th Annual Arizona Strong Beer Festival, held at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix on February 18th. “Strong Beer” is just what you might think – the festival is all about high-alcohol content craft beers. General admission is $30 in advance, $40 at the gate, and gains you a commemorative tasting “mug” (it’s 4 ounces) and 15 drink tickets which, TRUST ME, is PLENTY.

- The Lumberyard Brewery in Flagstaff is having a beach party on the 18th as well. This amuses me, as Flagstaff in February = SNOW. But imagine hanging out on the patio on a bright winter day, bundled up and chilling (har) around the fire pit, sipping on local brews and batting around a beach ball. My idea of heaven!

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Prickly Pear Cactus

My husband and I are spending the entire weekend celebrating Valentine’s Day. My husband isn’t what I would call overly romantic, but this year a few things caught his eye, and before I knew it he had an entire weekend of activities planned. Far be it for me to not take advantage of his warm and fuzzy mood!

Saturday:

We will partake of breakfast at The Farmhouse Restaurant in Gilbert. I’ve been wanting to check this place out for ages, I hear they’ve got incredible Belgian waffles, and my husband is an aficionado of biscuits and gravy.

In Queen Creek, the Peach Blossom Celebration at Schnepff Farms is open the weekends of February 10th-13th, 17th-20th, and 24th-27th. Admission is free! I’ve seen cherry orchards and apple orchards, but I’ve never seen a peach orchard in full blossom. It seems like it’s been AGES since I’ve had a really great peach – the produce in the grocery stores always seem to be mealy and dry.

We’ll be wrapping up the day with dinner at The Melting Pot in Ahwatukee. Nothing spells romance like raw meat on sticks and boiling oil. I may skip dinner and go straight to dessert, though. You can’t go wrong with chunks of cake dipped in melted chocolate.

Sunday:

After indulging in breakfast in bed, we’re taking a drive up to the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum near Superior. This weekend features their annual flower exhibit. Admission is $7.50 for adults and $3 for ages 5-12.

We’ll partake of dinner at one of our favorite Italian restaurants, Lo Cascio’s in Tempe. They have, hands-down, the best chicken marsala I’ve ever had. And the tiramisu is heavenly.

I’m one lucky, lucky girl.

Photo Credit: “I Heart Prickly Pear Cacti” by Andrew Atzert on Flickr Creative Commons.

A cactus strung with Christmas lights in Arizona.

Hop in the car, take a drive around town, and see businesses and neighborhoods who have gone all-out to bring holiday cheer in the form of elaborate Christmas light displays.

The McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale, Arizona, hosts train rides among more than 100,000 lights and displays. Nightly from 6:30 to 9:00 running from December 11th through January 2nd, excluding December 24th, 25th, and 31st. Train rides are $2.00 and carousel rides are $1.00 each with children under three riding free with a paying adult.

The Red Rock Fantasy in Sedona, Arizona, is entering its nineteenth year. The festival is open each evening (weather permitting) from November 19th through January 2nd, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for children aged 5-12 and free for children 4 and under. Dozens of southwest-themed displays and millions (yes, millions!) of lights make this one of the premier Christmas light festivals in Arizona. The route begins at the Los Abrigados Resort & Spa lobby under the lighted Red Rock Fantasy arch, and is clearly marked with reflective strips. It takes approximately 60 minutes to complete the tour by foot, and assistance is offered by the resort staff for those who are physically challenged.

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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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