My Day in Scottsdale, Arizona
The other day I set out to really experience the city of Scottsdale and all that it has to offer. Let me tell you, it was pretty awesome. I saw everything from Taliesin West by Frank Lloyd Wright, to catching a Diamondbacks spring training game at Scottsdale Stadium, and finishing off the night with a few drinks down at the Rusty Spur Saloon in Old Town Scottsdale. I'm gonna re-live my experiences here with you, in hopes that you gain a little insight into the awesomeness that exists right here in town. I tried to pack as much as I could into one day.
The day started with an early morning hike at Tom's Thumb Trailhead. The views of the desert are simply amazing. When I made it back down, I was worried that I wouldn't have enough energy left to get through the rest of the day, so I headed over to Scramble, a breakfast and lunch Joint, to grab some grub and get my energy levels back up. I had the Hog & Hen, a delicious brunch-type sandwich with pulled pork, honey bbq, onion strings and a fried egg. Simply put, I was well-nourished afterwards and ready to go catch the D-backs play at Scottsdale Stadium. The game was great, as it ended with a walk-off home run hit by Paul Goldschmidt. Couldn't have asked for a better ending!
Following the game, I decided it would be best to make a quick trip out to Taliesin West to observe the amazing architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright-- seeing as I have been here over a decade and never seen it. The way you feel simply walking up to the property is well worth the price of admission. The pool is immaculate, and you soon begin to realize what kind of genius he was. The atmosphere is one that makes you feel calm and at peace. I can only imagine what it must have been like to spend daily life there. He had a real gift, and I'm glad I was able to experience it, even if it was just for a short time. I left there and met my wife and daughter at Butterfly Wonderland for a bit. Simply amazing. One of the coolest things I've ever done in town. We had a great time, and if you're considering it, I highly recommend going there mid-day to beat the crowds that flock there after work gets out.
We then decided to take a quick ride down the 101 and go to Scottsdale Fashion Square to walk around for a bit. People watching is one of our favorite things to do, so we did just that, and also bought some new pairs of sunglasses. My wife antiques, so we headed over to Scottsdale Historical Museum to check out the vintage stuff they've got. I can tell you, there are some things to truly marvel at. Amazing when you start to see how things have been redesigned thousands of times into what we take for granted today.
Since it was getting late, and we were getting hungry, we decided to grab some food at Roka Akor-- one of the great restaurants in Scottsdale, especially if you love sushi like we do. 5 stars for sure. To cap off the night, we sent our daughter home with the sitter, and we hit Old Town for a few drinks at the Rusty Spur Saloon. Our stiff drinks were the perfect sign-off to an amazing day in Scottsdale. We decided to stay out and spend the night at Hotel Valley Ho-- famous for it's 50's style lodging and really cool pool.
If you're visiting, or if you live here... don't wait anymore. Get out and experience what this wonderful city has to offer. So some research and find out more about Scottsdale, if you want. I can honestly say it was one of the best days I've ever spent here. And there's still so much more to see.
The day started with an early morning hike at Tom's Thumb Trailhead. The views of the desert are simply amazing. When I made it back down, I was worried that I wouldn't have enough energy left to get through the rest of the day, so I headed over to Scramble, a breakfast and lunch Joint, to grab some grub and get my energy levels back up. I had the Hog & Hen, a delicious brunch-type sandwich with pulled pork, honey bbq, onion strings and a fried egg. Simply put, I was well-nourished afterwards and ready to go catch the D-backs play at Scottsdale Stadium. The game was great, as it ended with a walk-off home run hit by Paul Goldschmidt. Couldn't have asked for a better ending!
Following the game, I decided it would be best to make a quick trip out to Taliesin West to observe the amazing architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright-- seeing as I have been here over a decade and never seen it. The way you feel simply walking up to the property is well worth the price of admission. The pool is immaculate, and you soon begin to realize what kind of genius he was. The atmosphere is one that makes you feel calm and at peace. I can only imagine what it must have been like to spend daily life there. He had a real gift, and I'm glad I was able to experience it, even if it was just for a short time. I left there and met my wife and daughter at Butterfly Wonderland for a bit. Simply amazing. One of the coolest things I've ever done in town. We had a great time, and if you're considering it, I highly recommend going there mid-day to beat the crowds that flock there after work gets out.
We then decided to take a quick ride down the 101 and go to Scottsdale Fashion Square to walk around for a bit. People watching is one of our favorite things to do, so we did just that, and also bought some new pairs of sunglasses. My wife antiques, so we headed over to Scottsdale Historical Museum to check out the vintage stuff they've got. I can tell you, there are some things to truly marvel at. Amazing when you start to see how things have been redesigned thousands of times into what we take for granted today.
Since it was getting late, and we were getting hungry, we decided to grab some food at Roka Akor-- one of the great restaurants in Scottsdale, especially if you love sushi like we do. 5 stars for sure. To cap off the night, we sent our daughter home with the sitter, and we hit Old Town for a few drinks at the Rusty Spur Saloon. Our stiff drinks were the perfect sign-off to an amazing day in Scottsdale. We decided to stay out and spend the night at Hotel Valley Ho-- famous for it's 50's style lodging and really cool pool.
If you're visiting, or if you live here... don't wait anymore. Get out and experience what this wonderful city has to offer. So some research and find out more about Scottsdale, if you want. I can honestly say it was one of the best days I've ever spent here. And there's still so much more to see.