Wine Me, Dine Me at the Southwest Bistro at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Jan Ross

SWB, A Southwest Bistro (Hyatt Regency) on Urbanspoon

I popped the tiny appetizer of barbecued beef on a tostado chip into my mouth and nearly swooned with delight. The meat was tender, the chip was fresh and crunchy and please can I have another? Or possibly a dozen more?

We were seated at the bar overlooking the busy demonstration kitchen area for Wine Me, Dine Me at the Southwest Bistro, located in the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa. We had immediately learned that the head chef, Jason Ljunggren, was personable, friendly and really knew how to transform food into works of art that were absolutely scrumptious. And that the waitstaff and everyone who worked in the kitchen really, really loved what they did and were thrilled to share it with us.

When I first heard about Wine Me Dine Me, I wasn’t sure what was involved but I knew it involved wine, tequila and fabulous food. And, as you know, when it comes to fabulous food?

I am there.

And, once we experienced the atmosphere, enjoyed the food and relished the interaction with the culinary team, I was so glad I was there. The goal of Wine Me, Dine Me is to experience the unique flavors of the southwest, which comes complete with tequila and wine pairings of the area.

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Pink Jeep Tours, Sedona, Arizona

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Jan Ross

I gripped the armrest of my seat in the open jeep from Pink Jeep Tours, gazed at the tumbled red boulders in front of us and thought they are going to go around those right? They aren’t going to go right over them.

Right? Right? Riiiiiight?

As our hot pink jeep climbed the trademark red rocks of Sedona, the rocks where there was absolutely no trail in existence, all I could think was gee they really meant off road, didn’t they?

Pink Jeep Tours, located on the main street of Sedona, Arizona which runs right through town, does indeed mean off road in the tours they offer in their distinctive hot pink jeeps. And, once I relaxed and enjoyed the ride through the canyons and valleys of red rock right outside town, I loved it.

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The Verde Canyon Railroad, Clarkdale, Arizona

Posted on April 7, 2012 by Jan Ross

I lounged back on the comfy loveseat and popped a chocolate brownie in my mouth. I was lazily relaxed with a sumptuous spread of food on the table before me and someone was strolling around taking drink orders. I could not be more comfortable.

This is the way to travel. On a train.

Seriously. Why can't airplanes be like this?

No tiny airline seats with someone smushed up against you. No eensy aisles to maneuver, careful not to bang into anyone’s elbow or protruding foot. No dried up peanuts eaten while hunched over a tray that might any moment be jammed into your stomach as the person in front of you reclines their seat.

No. This is the only way to travel.

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Blues, Barbecue and Elvis Presley – A Girls Getaway to Memphis, Tennessee

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Jan Ross

We stepped out of the car, stretching and ready to experience Memphis in all its glory and then we all gasped aloud at the humid heat that slapped us in the face like a wet washcloth. We had chosen Memphis on a whim for our Girlfriend Getaway since it was fairly close to our home base of Lexington, Kentucky and my sister-in-law was dying to visit Graceland, home of the famous Elvis Presley.

What we had not done was research just how hot Memphis could be in the summer, assuming it would be similar to Kentucky. It was pretty warm but we quickly adjusted and set our sights on settling into our lovely room in the River Inn at Harbor Town.

Read the rest of this article on GirlsGetaway.com HERE.

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The Junipine Resort in Sedona, Arizona

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Jan Ross

Check out my review of the Junipine Resort on Examiner.com as well HERE.

We dropped our luggage and walked straight back through the living room to the deck because, through the sliding glass doors, we could see it.

The view.

The incredible, mesmerizing, gorgeous view of the snow-topped mountains, the trees, the creek, the….we were overwhelmed with the beauty.

Wouldn't you be amazed by this view?

We saw a great deal of jaw-dropping scenery when we were in Arizona but Sedona was truly one of the most amazing places we have ever seen. It started with our stay at the wonderful Junipine Resort, just a few miles outside town. The drive from town out to the Junipine Resort has such incredible scenery that we had to stop several times to take pictures. Luckily, there are plenty of places to pull off the road since everyone else wants to do the very same thing.

One of the many gorgeous mountain views in Sedona.

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Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Jan Ross

There it was. The London Bridge.

No, not that one.

This one.

Yes. Yes, they do indeed have the London Bridge in Arizona. Crazy but true. It’s one of the highlights of this scenic town situated on the banks of beautiful Lake Havasu and one of the reasons we decided to make Lake Havasu City one of the stops on the whirlwind tour of Arizona we were on. The London Bridge and the Pocket Cruisers Convention.

After the long drive from Scottsdale/Phoenix through cactus-strewn desert and craggy brown mountains towering in the distance, the sight of the sparklingly clear green water in the lake was pretty refreshing.

Speaking of driving, I have to say how much we have enjoyed having a rental car and making this road trip. Even though we have traveled quite a bit in the last two years, we have never actually taken a long road trip together. And let me just tell you that a two-week road trip, driving all over the state of Arizona is an excellent test of your marriage compatibility.

Apparently ours is pretty good.

Although, in good conscience,  I have to admit there was that one episode of yelling and gesticulating when I very clearly pointed to the left lane and Tom assumed I was pointing to the right lane and exited off the Interstate instead of continuing the way I had clearly indicated. This was not so much an argument as an example of him being completely and totally in the wrong.

It’s also nice to have a rental car because we just stuffed our dirty laundry into a garbage bag and left it in the car. Our suitcases got lighter and lighter which was very pleasant but we finally had to stuff those smelly clothes back in the suitcases. And I use the word “we” very loosely because in actuality that was me doing the packing because he doesn’t do it exactly right.

Much like how he does not understand my clear gestures to the left lane.

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Eating Our Way Around Old Town Scottsdale with Arizona Food Tours

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Jan Ross

If you have been reading this blog for very long, you know we are all about the food when we travel. In fact, you can see all of my foodie reviews here which include walking food tours in San Francisco and Portland, Maine. So it will not surprise you to learn that we basically ate our way across Arizona from Scottsdale/Phoenix to Lake Havasu to Sedona and back to Scottsdale/Phoenix/Chandler.

When I learned we were going to be staying at the fabulous and kitschy Hotel Valley Ho (more about them in another post), I did a little research about Old Town Scottsdale, where the hotel is located and found out that there was a food tour there. A Taste of Old Town Scottsdale presented by Arizona Food Tours included everything from pizza to liqueur-infused ice cream, along a three-hour walking tour that would also present the history of the area.

Perfect.

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Back to the Beach – Navarre Beach, Florida

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Jan Ross

Pretty much everything I need. Yet I still have a full suitcase.

Well, I finally have everything unpacked and put away from our Arizona trip, all the laundry done and neatly folded up, and my suitcases tucked into the closet.

Good thing because now it’s time to pack again.

I have been invited on a press trip to Navarre Beach, Florida and don’t think I have ever had two trips quite this close together before.

Wait.

Uh. Yeah. There was that time I went to Hawaii twice within three weeks last year. That was really a wonderful and completely overwhelming experience. We had already planned a press trip with Brendan Vacations to Hawaii when Classic Vacations came along and offered me a fam trip and I just couldn’t pass it up. I had never been to Hawaii before and here I was going twice. Crazy.

But you better believe I went on both trips. However, it was a little surreal to be in Waikiki three weeks later with my husband and saying “Oh, yeah! Let’s eat here – it was really good the last time I was here. Three weeks ago.”

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Over, Under, Around and Through – Experiencing the Beautiful Water of the Caribbean

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Jan Ross

There is no water anywhere in the world quite like the Caribbean. I have been to beaches all my life but the first time I saw the incredible, innumerable shades of blue and green that make up the Caribbean I was truly amazed. Sparkling jade, dark and mysterious emerald, clear turquoise, pale blue topaz – it’s a whole jewelry box of colors. Diving into the Caribbean is an experience like no other, with jewel-bright fish darting through water so clear you can see the white sand 40 feet below. But there are many different ways to experience this gorgeous liquid prism. You can go over, under, around and through it.

Read the rest of this article on Travelhoppers HERE.

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The Black Bear Diner in Lake Havasu City, AZ

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Jan Ross

Black Bear Diner on Urbanspoon

This Southern girl had come home.

I could smell fish and shrimp frying, people were chowing down on big plates of food with cold glasses of iced tea and the place mat offered everything in the restaurant with bacon wrapped around it.

Bacon wrapped meat loaf? Oh, yeah.

The only thing they didn’t do was offer me a choice of sweet or unsweet tea but you can’t expect that once you leave the South. You just plan on sweetening your own tea as soon as people lose that distinctive southern twang and the salt doesn’t have rice in it because of the humidity.

Our waitress, Connie, was not from the South but you would never have known it from her friendliness and down home attitude. Flying around from table to table making conversation, taking orders and welcoming us to the great state of Arizona, she made our visit to the Black Bear Diner in Lake Havasu especially pleasant.

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