Phoenix & Back

I took a quick trip to Phoneix this week...flew out on Monday morning and back on Tuesday night. It was so nice to go someplace warm and sunny! After all, it was snowing here when I left!

This was a working trip, but we managed to squeeze in a little fun between work sessions. We had a really nice dinner at T. Cooks at the Royal Palms. I have never before heard a waiter describe menu items with such enthusiasm and a great use of adjectives! He was also very knowledgable about which wine to drink with different dishes. The Royal Palms is a beautiful resort and spa, with lots of outdoor fireplaces burning mesquite wood and fountains, and outdoor seating areas. There are some regular hotel rooms, but there are also a lot of casitas, which are like small guest houses, with fireplaces and a small kitchen area. There are also a couple of places where they have allowed palm trees to grow through the ceiling!

We also took a quick trip to Cave Creek and Carefree, just north of Phoenix. This is a charming upscale touristy area with lots of galleries and coffee shops and upscale boutique type shopping. I took this picture at the Buffalo Chip Tavern.



This is the buffalo on the roof of the building! There is also a "corral" out back with lots of western stuff like wagons and a mini western town that I imagine is used for dancing or cook out events -- very charming. I really enjoyed seeing a little bit of the area...I even managed to find a yarn shop!