Hubby and I decided to make a get-away from the stifling heat of Phoenix in late August to the cooler temps of Sedona. It was definitely more pleasant, with less humidity but still in the 90's during the middle of the day. The cloud cover was nice and the afternoon rain was quite welcome. We hadn't been here in almost 15 years and what a shame! The Red Rock Country is absolutely breath-taking. As you round the highway and get a first glimpse of the cliffs - my oh my.
We wandered the main shopping area of Sedona and found some truly beautiful pottery, and some kitschy stuff too. There is a nice place to sample olive oil and balsamic vinegar and we walked away with a tasty bottle of each. It's almost like wine tasting, only savory and you don't get tipsy. Further up the highway is the winding road of Oak Creek Canyon. What a beautiful drive. Stop off at the Dairy Queen where you'll find some local Navajo selling jewelry, pottery, and knives. I couldn't pass up a beautiful piece of orange jewelry made from Bajaian spiny oyster. There's a small grocery store called Indian Gardens Market that sells some snacks and darn-good sammies too. Grab yourself a bite and take it on your hike or drive through the canyon.
There are plenty of places to hike, but it was so hot that we only ventured out early in the morning. This time of year there were lots of teeny-tiny-itty-bitty bugs just waiting to gnaw me to pieces. I forgot my bug wipes so we opted to avoid them and did some city wandering instead. No worries folks if you need your caffeine fix - there are lots of places throughout town including a Starbucks in the Hyatt. I gotta have my hot cocoa!
I enjoyed the shopping and dining in Tlaquepaque more so than the downtown area. Really beautiful pottery, jewelry, shoes, clothing, etc.... though pricy as you might expect up here. We enjoyed our dinner at El Rincon Restaurant (www.elrinconrestaurant.com) with their amazing Prickly Pear Margarita and Jalapeno Margarita - woohoo! What a treat. Also delicious were the chimichangas that were made of masa-style fry bread covered with machaca and all the goodies. Yumm. If you are hungry for Mexican food while you are here, skip on over. The wait staff loved our Aussie - the patio was very welcoming. As a matter of fact, the whole town of Sedona was absolutely dog-friendly.
Our Aussie, Wyatt, joined us on this trip and we selected an idyllic dog-friendly place called El Portal to rest our weary selves. It's in the heart of Sedona, near Tlaquepaque and I can't say enough nice things about it. It's secluded with 12 little rooms and a very knowledgeable owner, Steve. We stayed in the Grand Canyon Room with cool-to-the-touch flagstone flooring, enormous exposed wood beamed ceilings, gorgeous tiled bath with walk-in shower and jacuzzi tub, and copper sinks. There was free wi-fi in the room, a small TV, a giant comfy bed, couch, and fireplace to boot! This place has a delish breakfast, and happy hour every afternoon. Try the olive mix and homemade salsa and chips. Wine and beer on the honor system here. Go to www.elportalsedona.com and make your reservations right away!
Next up... Carlsbad, California!
Take Care,
Deb :)
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