Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Oh, So Grand!

We are driving through some gorgeous back-country, it is overcast and cloudy, and there is snow on the mountain tops. Uniquely lovely, absolutely lovely. And to top it all off, we are in our own back-yard right here in Arizona! Land of desert and saguaros, and dust storms, and such. But right now in the northern part of our glorious state there is a rare kind of beauty. This Veteran's Day Weekend Jeff and I are headed through Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon. We pass acres of land that is barren and still more land covered with pine trees and green scrub. We decide to stop into Flagstaff for breakfast and because Macy's is packed and it's freezing outside, we head into La Bellavia for a bite to eat. Let me tell you, thank goodness we did! Their location on Beaver Street across from the Beaver Street Brewery is key for locals and tourists alike. The place is tiny, warm, and homey and smells delish. We sit by the window gazing out at the snowy setting and order from our very pleasant waitress. I have the Eggs Benedict, perfectly poached with spinach and swiss cheese. Jeff has the Eggs Belavia, perfectly poached atop an onion bagel (great hollandaise, by the way!) and served with the most delicious buttermilk pancake you have ever tasted. Seriously, and I know pancakes! The pancakes are made-from-scratch fluffy and rich, melting in your mouth with oh-so-tasty maple syrup. Skip the potatoes as a side - they are meh. Service is pleasant and efficient and we planned a return trip on the way home for sure - just for the pancakes!!!

Onward we drive and it is quite pleasant. But, alas there is no sign of the canyon. You may think I'm a ditz. I know it's a giant gorge in the earth but I thought we'd see something of it as we got closer. Nope. Not a peep of anything till you're right on top of it! And oh, is it ever grand. This gorge, this canyon with its wintry colors, setting sun, and snowy sides is awe-inspiring. Thank you God for this huge chunk of gorgeousness right in the middle of our state. The canyon is carved through uplift and the Colorado River over millions of years and you just can't put a word to it. You've got to see it for yourself.






See what I mean??


 We stayed at the El Tovar Lodge in Grand Canyon National Park and we were not disappointed. Upon entering there is a cozy warmth to this historic building. A fire is glowing in the fireplace, and deer are feeding on the front lawn. Wow. Our room was a good sized room and we could see the canyon from our bed. The bed was comfortable, the tub/shower combo was nice, and the whole place radiated hospitality.

Breakfast in the lodge was absolutely delicious. We had the pancake trio (sense a theme here?) with blue corn, buttermilk, and buckwheat pancakes. The prickly pear syrup was differently sweet and we loved the belgian hot cocoa service. They plop the whipped cream in the bottom of your cup and pour the cocoa around, leaving the salver right there to refill as necessary. Yummy.

Our two days here were spent hiking and wandering around the rim of the Grand Canyon. We stopped into the Visitor's Center, the Geology Museum, The Hopi House, Kolb Museum, and Bright Angel Lodge. We spied deer, ravens, coyote, and elk on our jaunts and were reminded of the beauty of nature itself.

We lunched at the deli in the market place center and that little Italian sandwich was very tasty. The market place has everything you could possibly want for souveniers or snacks or whatever! They have everything from sardines and crackers, to wine and chocolate, to Pendleton purses and blankets. One afternoon we had an early dinner at the Bright Angel Lodge Restaurant (NOT the Arizona Room Restaurant) and it was mediocre at best. The trout was okay, but the spaghetti was watery. Service was dismal and perfunctory. I'd skip it if I were you. I heard the Arizona Room was much better. Though, the lodge itself was warm upon entering, it was no match to El Tovar.

We grabbed a quick beer at the El Tovar bar and the service was pleasant and super-friendly. Window seats are at a premium here as they overlook the canyon, just like in the dining room. Dinner followed in the El Tovar Dining Room and like breakfast we were delighted with the food and impeccable service. The blue cornmeal biscuits are heavenly, imaginative, and flavorful. Jeff had the buffalo NY steak with fig jam, and it was charred nicely, though being buffalo - it was a tiny bit chewy. I had the lamb shank and it just fell off the bone tenderly into a puddle of white bean paste that blended so nicely with the lamb. Desert was homemade apple pie like nobody's business and a chocolate-caramel mousse taco that was fantastic. Another lovely meal to end a gorgeous day at the Grand Canyon.

Up early on Sunday morning to head through Flagstaff to the those yummy pancakes and then on through Oak Creek Canyon into Sedona. We were in Sedona just a few weeks ago and wanted to head back and pick up a few trinkets we had seen and thought about. This is another one of God's special places with the beauty of the red rocks all around. I saw a couple of places in Oak Creek Canyon that I may want to come back and stay at next year - really nice looking places along the canyon. We'll see about that.... We picked up our whirligig - LOVE IT! from the gallery at Tlaquepaque and can't wait to put it up in our yard. I've been wanting one ever since I saw the movie, Twister oh so many years ago. Another reason I love the desert is the summer winds that will blow the gig around beautifully.

Trust me, this is one place you've got to see in this lifetime!! So... when you're headed to Grand Canyon National Park, check out their website at www.nps.gov/grca and you'll find a ton of information to help you plan your get-away. For more info on lodging and dining, whether it be El Tovar, Bright Angel, Maswick or something else entirely, check out  www.grandcanyonlodges.com.

Savor the journey,
Deb :)