Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Getting Out of the Heat!


Okay... 

We just HAD to get out of this heat. Phoenix has been averaging 110* temps for weeks now. We've knocked down every single record for heat - weeks of temps over 110*, days in a row over 110*, and more. It's just too damn hot. 

So we up and decided to go where every Arizonan heads when it gets too hot.

San Diego!!

We stopped in Yuma on the way over. Let me say that it's been a bit since we've driving through Yuma. There isn't a lot there, but there is an In'n'Out for yummy burgers (as per our needs.) But in the midst of summer, there are not a lot of green spaces to walk your pup for a pee & a poo. You are forewarned. 

Here are the highlights from our quick getaway. It was everything we needed, and more. 




Jeff surprised me finding this Swiss Chocolate Shop and let me tell you - the Chocolates are absolutely Scrumptious!!! 




Our little Desi loved playing in the hotel. We stayed at the Town Place Suites in the Airport Area of 
San Diego, Point Loma actually. It was reasonably priced, clean, comfortable, and best of all - 
Pet Friendly!




Sunrise off of Shelter Island




One of the BEST Acai Bowls Ever!
Northside Shack in Point Loma.
The honey drizzle on top of the fresh fruit cut right before my eyes ...
Unforgettable. 



I love a good labyrinth and Jeff found this one at a local church in Point Loma.
Perfect for a nice meditative walk.




We drove out to the National Cemetery and caught this Navy Ship passing by.
I thought it was wonderful.




Never have I ever seen a headstone from the Spanish American War!




We had a terrific short hike out with Desi. The ocean is as glorious as ever! 




This little VW Van was parked outdoors in Ocean Beach. 
Covered with stickers, it is absolutely darling. 




I think this is just a wonderfully curvy and beautiful tree, doing what trees do! 




We loved sitting outside, enjoying the refreshingly cool air in San Diego.
Eppig Brewing Co was a highlight for us.
The patio was shady and comfortable. It's Dog-Friendly, and you can bring your own food! 




Here's what we don't have a picture of and I'm ashamed that I don't. There is a place in San Juan Capistrano called JD Flannel Donuts. Their donuts are monumentally delicious. We got four, yes four. Please don't judge. And we shared them all the way home. Every flavor is better than the one before, but don't miss out on their Brown Butter Donut. It's perfection indeed. 




Until Next Time!
Me & Desi




Thursday, May 25, 2023

To MN & Back!

We've been planning this cross-country trip to Minnesota (and back) for awhile now. Our daughter and her husband live in Minneapolis and we have been wanting to not only visit them, but also see much of the country that we've never seen before. 

We packed our suitcases, loaded up the truck, and we were off. 

Flagstaff, Arizona 

First Stop in Town - The Flagstaff Community Labyrinth 

We stayed at the Residence Inn in downtown Flagstaff (www.marriott.com) It was clean and comfortable, and centrally located to everything we needed in an overnight stay. Lunch was accidentally found at a little sandwich shop walking distance away in the downtown area where they served up the freshest sammies around. Hit up The Aspen Deli (www.aspendeliflagstaff.com) for lunch! We shopped and wandered and visited a few breweries; our favorite was Dark Sky Brewing (www.darkskybrewing.com) Their beers are diverse and interesting with a really wonderful vibe. Their pizzas though ~ yum! I am always looking for good pizza that is dairy free, which is a huge challenge. But the pizzas served up here are absolutely delicious. Check out Pizzicletta@DSBMenu for their utterly flavorful food and their dairy-free (cashew crema) pizza as well. So good. 

Dark Sky Brewing Co & Pizzicletta 

Monument Valley, Arizona

We have never driven through the Navajo Nation or into Monument Valley, and this was the perfect opportunity for us to do so. The photos included herein do not do justice to this gorgeous landscape. 







If you're a movie fan, and have seen the movie, "Forrest Gump" you'll recognize this highway pic. 



Durango and Denver, Colorado 

Heading into Durango we began the awe-inspiring journey across this beautiful country. 


We stayed at the Durango Doubletree Inn by Hilton (www.hilton.com). This hotel could definitely use an update, but it's location sitting alongside the Animas River in downtown Durango is a treat that I have looked forward to for over twenty years. 
There are cute shops, yummy eateries, and the Durango-Silverton Train is a special treat. 

Don't miss the little downtown eatery known as Michel's for their unbelievably delicious crepes. 


And the flagship location of the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is located right in the heart of downtown Durango.  



Did someone say chocolate? Hot cocoa? We loved stopping into the Animas Chocolate Company on Main Avenue. Pop in for wonderful service and fabulous chocolate treats. 

Our drive through the Rockies was spectacular. Still quite a bit of snow in May, and the 
 roadside waterfalls were lovely. 


The tippy top of our ride landed us at Elevation Beer Company, a spot that was a high priority visit for us. There were some really lovely beers served up in a flight, and the food truck next door served up a green chile burger that was dynamite. Read more at www.elevationbeerco.com. 



Denver, Colorado

Denver is a big city with a small town feel. I had probably the hottest Thai Food I have ever been served at a little Thai restaurant in west Denver. I'm not kidding - mild, it was not. This yellow curry was full of so much flavor, but every other bite was coupled with a sip of Sprite! 


Yellow Thai Curry from La Mai Thai 

We went antiquing at the Brass Armadillo, wandered around Sloan Lake Park, and visited a few local breweries, along with a pit stop to an old Winchell's Donut House for a chocolate devils food donut. 


Headed out of  Denver we visited Fort Morgan, Colorado. We based this on our TV viewing of Hometown Take-Over on HGTV. They have been renovating this small farming town and we loved seeing their sweet little downtown in person. 




Omaha, Nebraska



The Bob Kerry Bridge 

We stayed in downtown Omaha in a lovely Residence Inn by Marriott.
Our dinner was forgettable, and it was raining, but the hotel was cozy and warm.

We made a pitstop in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on our way north. 





The Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls


The Falls 

Fargo, North Dakota

North Dakota was an important stop for several reasons, one of which was the completion of my husband's visit to his 50th state ... and to visit Drekker Brewing (www.drekkerbrewing.com). 
We had a special dinner visit in Fargo at the Wurst Bier Hall (www.wurstfargo.com) as well. 




Drekker is one of those breweries, like Elevation in Colorado, and Boulevard in Kansas City, that was at the top of our list for a visit. My husband has a list going and we aim to hit them all! 


Minneapolis, Minnesota

We have visited Minneapolis previously, as our daughter and her husband moved here a few years ago. It is a really wonderful city - loads of culture, acceptance, and wild weather. We love it. We stayed at the Residence Inn in downtown Minneapolis, walking distance to the Mississippi River. This is probably our new favorite hotel when visiting Minneapolis for proximity and comfort. 

Great food...


A wonderful dog... 


The Mississippi River...  



Mill City Museum...


Gorgeous Street Art... 


Tulip Season... 


A brewery afternoon with our daughter... 


And a few afternoons with kitty cats! 

One highlight of this visit was a canoe trip with our son-in-law and while I have no pictures to document it, it was heavenly. The lakes in Minnesota are no joke, this state is gorgeous. 

Leaving Minnesota is always sad for me, and this visit was no exception, especially in the pouring rain! We drove through field after field of tilled land in southern Minnesota and all across Iowa. My Mother's Day Brunch was a delightful stop in Decorah, Iowa at the Toppling Goliath Brewery where we enjoyed good food and good beer both! (www.tgbrews.com) 


Cedar Rapids, Iowa

There is not a lot to say about Cedar Rapids, but it was a good stop after a long day of driving. We stayed at a Residence Inn and it was warm and comfortable. We had a Mexican dinner at a little place called El Bahio where we shared goat posole and a very spicy plate of enchiladas. Who knew??

Leaving Cedar Rapids, we visited the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library. Visiting all of the Presidential Libraries in the System is a travel goal for us. This library was filled with inspiring information about a president we knew very little about. We loved it. 

We also visited the Iowa State Capitol Building and it is simply gorgeous. Not only was it a beautiful building, but it was also on verdantly green and perfectly landscaped grounds. 



It's okay to "Say Gay" in Iowa!  



We couldn't wait to get back to Kansas City for beer and barbecue. 


These road snacks had to hold us over until we arrived at Joe's Kansas City BBQ!


Oh... the ribs, the smoked chicken and turkey, the potato salad, and the pickles!! It's all so good. 
If you're ever in Kansas City, it's a must-stop (www.joeskc.com) for the best barbecue around. 

Kansas City, Missouri

We have stayed here before and we stayed again at the Westin Kansas City. It is right in the heart of the downtown area and accessible to museums, sporting venues, restaurants, and shopping. 

We drove out to the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, MO first thing and this library was everything we hoped for. It was filled with historical information, and artifacts galore. This library has recently undergone an expensive renovation and it shows. It was fabulous. 

I will say it again and again - history is a fascinating way to pass the time and learn exactly who we are, where we have gone wrong, and how we can all move forward together. 



We stopped into the Lunch Box for lunch. It is a highly recommended liquor/deli store that also serves up lunch. Think ~ fried bologna sandwiches, chili dogs, and a pork tenderloin sandwich bigger than your own damn head and twice as delicious. 



Next stop - Boulevard Brewing, which is another favorite of ours. (www.boulevard.com)


Lest you think that we didn't visit any cemeteries on this trip, fear not. 
We drove through the Forest Hill/Calvary Cemetery in search of a few famous gravesites. 




Satchel Paige, RIP.

We had a nice bbq dinner at Jack Stack BBQ in Kansas City. It was quite good. 
It wasn't Joe's Kansas City BBQ, but it was still delicious. 

And onward...

We headed out to the Eisenhower to complete the trifecta of presidential libraries visited this trip.
Talk about small towns, oh my goodness. 
The Eisenhower library is located in Abilene, Kansas and was chock-full of all sorts of both military and presidential history for this beloved president. 




Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

What a huge surprise Oklahoma City was for us. When people have asked what we enjoyed the most on this vacation, I say, "Oklahoma City was the biggest surprise for me." I loved it. 
We stayed in the Autograph Collection National Hotel right in the middle of downtown Oklahoma City. This area is architecturally beautiful with art-deco brick buildings that are historically charming. 
We visited the highly emotional Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial, and cried. 


We visited the Oklahoma City Art Museum and marveled at the Chihuly Glass. 



We visited the Oklahoma City Botanical Garden with an indoor greenhouse laden with orchids. 


And we visited Prairie Artisan Ales - Prairie OKC (www.prairieales.com)
Prairie was probably my favorite new brewery along the way, completing a list of all of the wonderful beer adventures for us on this journey. 
Oklahoma was also my 50th state visited in this lifetime!! 
#TravelGoals


Amarillo, Texas

I've said this a hundred times in the last month, but ...
I have NEVER seen so many cows in my life! Cows and Cows and Cows everywhere we went.
Weirdly, I have no pictures of any of them. Hmmmm.

But I do have a few pics of the Amarillo Zoo. This tiny little space had some of the cutest animals, but is in desperate need of financial assistance. I do not believe the Amarillo Zoo is affiliated with 
NAZA - the National Association of Zoos and Aquariums, but it is in need of something.




Cute animals though, and their big cat collection was awesome. 


The downtown Amarillo area was historic for sure and we shopped in a few antique stores after having a delicious barbecue lunch at Tyler's Barbecue. (www.tylersbarbeque.com) 

We again stayed at a Residence Inn in Amarillo, and it suited our needs perfectly. 

Next stop...

Santa Fe, New Mexico


We truly love visiting Santa Fe, for the food, the shopping, the culture, and the historic vibe.
We stayed at the Hotel Chimayo (www.hotelchimayo.com) where we rested comfortably in a cozy room with bed, bath, and sitting area. We would stay here again for its location, comfort, and value. 

There are oodles of food choices in Santa Fe, and you will certainly find your own everywhere you go. This is a wonderful dog-friendly city if you're traveling with your furry friends. 


How'd We Do?

Well, after three weeks on the road and living out of one suitcase apiece,
We are still happily married! 
This was a wonderful trip covering over 4,000 driving miles and visiting states and landscapes we had never ever seen before. We saw agricultural fields and flowers, cows (did I mention cows?), 
Amish buggies, and more 18-wheeler trucks than you can imagine. 
We drove alongside Historic Route 66 for much of the second half of our vacation, and fulfilled a bunch of our travel goals. We ate Mexican food and Barbecue galore, and had chocolate treats or cocoa in almost every city we visited. 
And now we're home again, and ready for our next adventure. 


Until Next Time,
Deb :)