An Amazing Musical Suprise: MIM

What's in a name? I admit, “musical instrument museum” did not inspire me. I pictured a dusty set of cabinets with tarnished saxophones, even though a couple of well-traveled friends raved about the place. How right they were!

I have mentally renamed the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) “The Amazing Museum of World Music” (the acronym isn't as clever but this place is so uplifting, illuminating and inspiring to everyone, not just musicians, it deserves a name that should have people flocking to it.

First, the building itself is elegant and handsome. Second, visitors experience the best of technology with portable headsets that automatically pick up transmissions when they approach any of the hundreds of video/sound screens that explain and demonstrate various musical styles etc. The exhibition rooms of mechanical music machines and play-it-yourself instruments on the first floor are just plain fun, and the “world of music” on the upper floor is nothing short of fantastic. Talk about seductive! As you pass from area to area, country to country, section to section, snatches of songs and sounds call out to you to stop and examine the unique costumes, cultures, musical styles and instruments from, say, Burkina Faso in Africa, or Latvia, or Israel ( the floor is roughly divided by continents - the US has a room of it's own).
Check out this YouTube video from MIM. The white-coated restorers are a little surreal, and this demonstrates only a minor part of their automated collection of tweeting birds, automatons and giant orchestral machines - a tiny part of everything you'll find here.

The variety is astounding, the depth and breadth of research impressive. But most of all, you will come away entertained, educated, enlightened, and yes, uplifted with the knowledge that wherever a human lives on the the planet, we all speak the language of music.
AND you'll have a new appreciation of the beauty of all sorts of instruments. Tickets run from $10-20, and the museum is open most days, with specially scheduled concerts.

Musical Instrument Museum

4725 E Mayo Blvd.

Phoenix, AZ 85050

(480) 478-6000 

https://mim.org/

Desert Done Right: The Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale

I have a thing for cool light fixtures

If one place could sum up a landscape, a state, an idea, it's the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North. It IS the showcase for the best of Arizona's mountain and desert landscapes. Walking through the doors into the main lobby takes your breath away as all of Phoenix spreads out before you, framed by massive wood beams and floor-to-ceiling windows. 

Lulled by the scent of sandalwood (yes, it's piped in, and one of many sensory delights here), you might make your way to the onyx bar (made from thin sheets of onyx lit from behind), or to the spa for a seasonal light and scent treatment in the steam room (this autumn it's magenta light and lavender steam). 

 OK, this is a five-star resort, and you would expect luxury casitas, multiple swimming pools, tennis courts, the works, and your expectations would be amply met. The sixth star at the four seasons is the setting. Nestled among ancient boulder-strewn mountains, the resort takes advantage of every view, and appreciates the unique flora of the desert - shapely cacti and other native plants - like nowhere else. It's a desert experience par excellence.

Another view of Proof

The casual eatery, Proof, is the kind of place anyone would feel comfortable dropping by for lunch in their hiking shorts. It's a cross between a sports bar and a soda fountain with upscale food (and prices to match). I had a super fresh lobster roll (seafood is flown in daily) that knocked my socks off (if I was wearing socks). The ice cream is made there and is  irresistible. Another indulgence are the pretzel nuts, a cross between a deep-fried donut and pretzel, slightly sweet, with a melty cheese dipping sauce. The salads are also great, and carry a considerably smaller guilt load.

High season tariff for rooms (that would be now) runs around $700, while late summer (it can get up to 120°) hovers around the $250 mark. Shoulder season is in between, literally.

Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North
10600 East Crescent Moon Drive
Scottsdale, Arizona 85262-8342  
(480) 515-5700  

Down Home Wright - Taliesin

Every Frank Lloyd Wright space I've seen prior to this one has been built for someone else: private commissions like Fallingwater and the Kentuck Knob home in Pennsylvania, or public spaces such as the Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael, California. They we're designed and built to please others. Taliesin is all about Wright himself: it was built for and by him and his family as an escape from Wisconsin winters.

Every inch of the site reflects FLW, from the height and narrowness of his doorways and low ceilings (some of which were modified after his death to accommodate those taller than Wright’s 5’8”) to the use of cheap, plentiful building materials: local rock, sand, cement, canvas, and plywood.

Wright is often cited as the father of site-specific architecture; Tallesin is a fine example of that, and also very telling about the man. The impression is of a powerful personality, highly egotistical and self-referential, more interested in form than function. By Wright's own admission, he banged his knees more on his own furniture than anything else. The rooms are showcases for interesting, if somewhat awkward, furniture and seating arrangement angles. Views took precedence over comfort, as did the way the piece looked rather than felt.

Wright admired and used plentiful, available materials, evidenced by his appreciation of simple rocks, turned red by centuries underground or sun-blasted black for an equal amount of time. Apprentices - his students -  labored beside him to hoist boulders into cement and sand forms to create dramatic walls while all, including Wright and his long-suffering wife - lived in tents among the scorpions and sagebrush.

 


All the Wright-designed properties I've visited have significant structural flaws (often water-induced leaks), as does Taliesin. The relentless Arizona sun and dust have combined to weather the property, rendering it a bit shabbier than expected, though Wright's placement of viewing sites and water features remains flawless. His sound design in the small cabaret is nothing short of brilliant.

The school of architecture, which still exists today, was Wright's wife's idea - an income source that utilized the site and gave opportunity to the eager young students who saw the value in Wright's idea of creating human habitations as art that enhanced and blended in with the nature around it.

Don't expect a polished property - this is a desert dwelling in every sense of the word, as eccentric and unique as Wright himself. 

Taliesin
12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd.
(if using GPS, the address is 12345 N. Taliesin Dr.)
Scottsdale, AZ 85259

http://franklloydwright.org/taliesin-west/

Only in Phoenix...The Mesa Swap Meet and Wong's

"We're all about recreational shopping" sez the Mesa Market Swap Meet

Every municipality has its own special places, and I'm drawn to them like a bee to the last blossom. These are Phoenix area exclusives:

Time to kill on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday, plus a hankering to shop until you need a foot rub and a place to rest your bottom? You  will probably find what you’re looking for (and then some) at the Mesa Market Swap Meet, but it may take a while. The term “miles of aisles” truly applies, as does “as seen on TV”; although there are only two aisles, they do appear to go on for miles, booth after booth of everything from car seat covers to laser-cut sun catchers and local stone jewelry. More of a mall similar to state fair sales barns than a place where individuals sell their antiques and unwanted items, the Swap Meet does have something for everyone. But your wallet will be the better for it if you know what you’re looking for, or you might come home scratching your head over the woven lap rug you just bought with a picture of a Comanche chief superimposed over an eagle and American flag.

There is a snack bar (hot dogs, tacos etc.) on the premises if the need strikes. The website offers coupons, and there's often live music on the weekends.

If there were a Chinese word for "beloved dive with good food" (and there probably is), it's the perfect description of Wongs Chinese Dining.. The people who run it are friendly and helpful (free fried wontons while you wait!), And the place is buzzing at lunchtime. I chose it because it was “where the locals eat” - a big Hispanic favorite - and close to the airport car rental place; from the outside, “unassuming” doesn’t cover it - “condemned” seems more accurate at first glance (I think the older part of the building IS condemned, judging from the chain link fence around it), but don't be fooled. My traveler instincts kicked in and said “take a chance”. I'm glad I did.

Pic is of pork egg foo young, as big as your head! The pork, in this case, is char sui, bits of Chinese-style red barbecued pork; it's covered with a heavier-than-usual pork-based gravy, but very tasty, nonetheless. Visitors have to wander back through the kitchen to get to the bathroom; consider it an opportunity to wave to the family busily cooking everything to order.

Places I didn't get to, but wish I did:

Scottsdale Thursday Evening Art Walk, 6:30-9PM in the "art district", along Main Street from Scottsdale Road to Goldwater Blvd. has been going strong since 1975. Live music, restaurants, fountains, statues and a generally festive atmosphere sound like lots of fun http://scottsdalegalleries.com/about/map/

Mesa Market Swap Meet
10550 E. Baseline Rd.
Mesa, AZ 85209
http://mesamarket.com/

Wong's Chinese Dining

1139 E. Buckeye Rd., Phoenix

Yelp Reviews (There's more than one Wong's - this is the "right" one): https://www.yelp.com/biz/wongs-chinese-dining-phoenix

Desert Rennaissance: Hotel Valley Ho and Mountain Shadows

Hotel Valey Ho (courtesty Hotel Valley Ho)

Both Hotel Valley Ho and Mountain Shadows Resort are the product of the forward-thinking triumvirate of developers behind Westroc Hospitality, a Phoenix-based company devoted to transforming unique (often run-down or tired) properties into extraordinary singular destinations.

Too cool for the 'fifties: the original lobby

Don’t you love it when you stumble on a great place unexpectedly? I found out about Hotel Valley Ho by accident, and almost didn’t stop by to check it out – that would have been a mistake. This mid-century-style landmark opened on December 20, 1956, and was the first hotel in the valley to have air conditioning, The name "Valley Ho" was the result of a newspaper contest inspired by its sister property Westward Ho, a hotel that didn't stand the test of time. Hotel Valley Ho is now a hip spot that caters to locals and visitors alike, with featured venues ZuZu restaurant and bar, VH Spa (Vitality + Health), The Tower Residences, and OH Pool Bar + Cabanas, named one of the “World’s Coolest Pools” by  Travel + Leisure.

Valley Ho bath

This was the first hotel renovated by Westroc, and Valley Ho has turned into a destination all its own, smack-dab in the center of Scottsdale’s action. The Museum of Contemporary Art, Scottsdale Waterfront  and Fashion Square Mall and other shopping and amusements are within easy walking distance. The hotel's grounds are beautifully landscaped, reminiscent of Maui without the humidity. Speaking of Maui, some online reviews of this hotel have lovely things to say about the beach access. Uh, no. No beach, but plenty of sand. The  rooms are attractive and comfortable, and the bar is a meeting place par excellence.

Dinner in restaurant ZuZu - particularly outside among the palm trees and tweeting birdies - is an uber-pleasant experience. The food was fabulous (perfectly prepared beef from Colorado, fresh-daily seafood, local veggies), and the wait staff more than accommodating (if you’re lucky, you’ll get Garrett, waiter extraordinaire and sommelier to be).

ZuZu in Hotel Valley Ho (courtesy of Hotel Valley Ho)

Valley Ho is a great all-around choice for a stay in downtown Scottsdale. High season (now until late May) averages about $300 per room for all amenities, low season is half that.

Restaurant fountain, Mountain Shadows

Cool, quiet, sleek, serene. Busy life got you down? Tired of paparazzi swarming like hornets? Tied to electronics? Mountain Shadows is your remedy. This resort is a place of refuge, away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Phoenix, set above the fancy shops and eateries of Scottsdale. It's the most recent property recreated by the Westroc group and its partners.

After all, if Mountain Shadows worked for dozens of the glamorous late '50s elite such as Lucile Ball and Desi Arnez, why not you? Of course, this isn’t the Hollywood getaway of the days of early TV, or even the episode of the TV pop show, The Monkees; those buildings no longer exist.

Lucille Ball extends the glad hand on her way into Mountain Shadows

Mountain Shadows view of Camelback Mountain

Lunch at Hearth 61

In their place, stunning ultramodern architecture takes in two-story floor-to-ceiling views of shadows falling over Camelback Mountain, two aqua blue pools beckon, luxe condos and rooms cocoon, an 18-hole golf course challenges, and an open kitchen/restaurant, Hearth 61, serves up locally sourced, thoughtfully prepared nourishment (the grilled eggplant and quinoa is especially tasty, though steak frites shared the drool factor). The bar and lounge enhance the serenity with a bubbling fountain and cozy seating in case you want company, but not too much. Rates are reasonable for this new property $215 - 500 per night, depending on the room and date.

Room at Mountain Shadows

Hotel Valley Ho
6850 East Main Street
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(480) 376-2600 
https://www.hotelvalleyho.com/ 

Mountain Shadows

5445 E. Lincoln Dr.

Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 

(855) 485-1417

 mountainshadows.com/

Another view of Mountain Shadows' property

Another Phabulous Pharm in Phoenix - OK, I'll stop now. Phinally.

A view of the groves

“Former Detroit auto industry worker becomes olive farmer”
Isn't that a headline for the ages? Lucky for visitors to the area, That's exactly what Perry Rea did. After a period of study in Italy, the Rea family (wife Brenda and four and a half kids - Brenda was expecting) moved to Queen Creek (southeast Phoenix), planted olive trees and began their own business eleven years ago. Now, Queen Creek Olive Mill is a thriving concern, selling three grades of excellent quality olive oil, flavored oils, tapenades, and lots of other goodies, including beauty products (Olivespa) as well as edibles.
Olive oil lip balm, how do I love thee? Here in the desert, humidity is hard to come by – even in this fertile area, prunes not only grow on trees, but humans can turn into one with very little effort. The new line, created by one of the Rea kids, is fabulous.

Take the tour to find out how olive oil is made, the processes, differences in quality (you may never go to Safeway again), and how to really taste the stuff (hint: you warm it up before you swish it around). The Rea family has also published a pretty and practical take on Italian cooking with plenty of EVOO, of course.

Then order at the counter and wander out to the front shaded area to enjoy a tasty, inexpensive Italian-inspired meal among the groves: lunch every day, dinner on weekends. The Estrella pizza is sublime, the warm olives a meal in themselves. Good-sized portions, casual atmosphere and…most European of all… no tipping unless you force it on the busboys. It’s no wonder the Olive Mill has grown over the years and remains a local favorite.

We tried to leave some food on the plates, but it wasn't easy

The Olive Mill is not far from Schnepf Farm, so make a day of farm stops. Just try to avoid S. Rittenhouse Rd. during commute hours; The former 2-lane farm road hasn't kept up with all the new development in the area, and delays are unavoidable during those times.

Queen Creek Olive Mill
25062 S. Meridian Rd.
Queen Creek, AZ 85142

480-361-9860
https://www.queencreekolivemill.com/

Pharming in Phoenix - Not a Contradiction: Agritopia and Schnepf Farm

Wines from Garage East, Agritopia

Like most cities, Phoenix is composed of once-separate villages grown together into a mishmash of streets and neighborhoods - a fact that's easy to verify if you look at a map of Phoenix and discover Seventh Street and Seventh Avenue running parallel with each other a few blocks apart. Downtown is as urban as it gets, but as one moves farther out from the center of town, differences begin to appear. The area around Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler and Queen Creek in the southeast quadrant of the city is dotted with small farms interlaced with suburban developments. In fact, the overwhelming majority of farms in Arizona are small, locally owned family operations (under $20,000 a year, according to the USDA) that still manage to produce most of the lettuce consumed in America, and an equally hefty quantity of cotton.

Ag stats aside, few of us are lucky enough to witness the birth of a new hip area, but southeast Phoenix is happening, and signs are everywhere. One of the coolest spots to visit in the area is Agritopia, the brainchild of the Johnston family, who began farming 160 acres in Gilbert in the early 1960s. Instead of selling off parcels to developers who had successfully pressured other small landowners, the Johnston clan developed it themselves, creating a planned residential community of 450 unique houses on 90 acres surrounding 11 acres of urban farmland, a chef-driven restaurant, coffee shop, winery and creative craftsman spaces. All the shops and restaurants are open to the public. The Johnstons gathered a consortium of other producers and makers to create Agritopia, reimagining the existing buildings on the property as housing various hand-made and locally related businesses, all in the most pleasant, grassy, tree-lined setting. The original family home, Joe's Farm Grill, is packed at lunch. The Coffee Shop offers fresh baked goods and local coffee, and a pay-it-yourself shop for produce and products from local businesses features tea, flour and crackers from local grower and grinder Hadley mills, coffee, chocolate and more.
 

Barnone (variously called barn one, bar none, or bar no knee, depending on who you talk to) houses a group of craft businesses such as paper makers, and a brewery, 12 West.

My FAVORITE stop on the property, however, is the winery in Garage East, run by Brian and Megan Ruffentine. It's a bright and welcoming tasting room for Arizona wines (grapes are grown in the Tucson area), ranging from tart whites to the deepest Tempranillo, reminiscent of Spain. 

Served with a delicious platter of locally cured meats, cheeses, medjool dates, honey and those Hadley Mills crackers, it's easy to while away hours here, either in the very hip and light interior, or on the shaded outdoor patio.

For a more traditional take on farming, There's Schnepf Farm. Other than the pure pleasure of saying “schnepf” while attempting to keep all your saliva in your mouth, there’s plenty to be found here for the whole gang. Breakfast is a big fave, thanks to the little patio on the side of the store and the hearty farm breakfast menu and baked goods. The store itself stocks a treasure trove of jams, salsas and local products. Schnepf’s is a real farm, 75 years in the business and run by the fourth generation of the family; they offer just-picked produce as well as u-pick whatever is in season in the fields. Thanks to this area’s unbelievably long growing season (September to July) and double harvest, there’s plenty to be found; however, most people come to Schnepf’s for its most famous product: organic peaches. The farm is the biggest producer in Arizona, and they ship all over. When out of season, there are always jams, salsas and what-all based on the fuzzy fruit. Schnepf's has special events most of the year; check their website for what's available to pick. They're closed July 5 through Labor Day.

As the city continues its relentless march (and the population continues to grow), these types of farms may shrink and disappear - so go now, when the going is good. More to come: another great local farm with a slippery twist...and a place with miles of aisles....

The Farm at Agritopia
3000 E. Ray Rd.
Gilbert, AZ 85296
(480) 988-1238
http://thefarmatagritopia.com/

Schnepf Farms
24810 S. Rittenhouse Rd.
Queen Creek, AZ 85142
(480) 987-3100
http://www.schnepffarms.com/