To finish off my vacation in Arizona, I couldn’t leave
without a visit to my friend Jaime, who I met travelling years ago. I left
early on Wednesday morning for the 3.5 hour drive to Scottsdale. My GPS decided
to take me on a scenic route through the desert rather than the direct route on
the I-10. It was beautiful and thank god my car didn’t have any issues!
It was a wonderful visit with Jaime and her cuddly pugs (4
of them… so many cuddles!). Plenty of time to catch up and try to stay out of
the heat. One of our favourite things to do is eat and Jaime definitely has a
lot of great recommendations. Lunch was in Oldtown Scottsdale at Stax Burger
Bistro for happy hour. I had a delicious beef slider with carmelized onions,
cheddar and mushrooms and totz (potato and sweet potato tater tots) with an
amazing spicy aioli. It hit the spot! Then we were off to walk the shopping
mall in the air conditioning before it was time for dinner.
Dinner was at Tommy V’s in Oldtown Scottsdale. It was a
wonderful, slow paced dinner where we had lots to time to talk. I had the Crostino
Di Prosciutto (Toasted bread capped with prosciutto & melted mozzarella
sprinkled with fresh sage) and the Kobe Beef Stacks (on Potato Cakes with Spicy
Remoulade Sauce) to go with my Pinot Grigio. It was a delicious albeit big
dinner! We ended the evening at home chatting and totally vegging out!
This morning, we had breakfast at Over Easy, where I had the
most delicious lemonade with mint and had Papa t’s breakfast delight (a scramble
of macaroni, bacon, onions and garlic). It could have used some seasoning or
herbs, but it was pretty tasty. And I loved the faux-50’s diner décor. After
breakfast we had time for a pedicure (because, who doesn’t make time for a
pedicure!) before lunch. I had to have good Mexican food before I left Arizona so
we went to Carolina’s, known for their homemade tortillas. I wanted to try new
things so I had the Chimichanga (shredded chicken topped with Sour Cream &
Guacamole) which was delicious – so tender and flavourful – and a fantastic
drink, Horchata (rice milk with cinnamon) which was so amazing! I tried Jaime’s
Machata (shredded beef with spices) which was tasty as well.
After lunch, Jaime took me to Total Wine (just like my Wine
& Beyond back home) and holy, what selection and prices!!! Yay! Too bad I
can’t bring much home. And then, after 26.5 hours, it was time for me to get
back on the road to Lake Havasu. And I didn’t drive through the desert on a
deserted road this time. It was still a beautiful drive (I love the scenery!).
I had an amazing time (thanks Jaime!) and will definitely
have to plan a trip to Scottsdale when it’s a little cooler. So, now I’m packed
and ready to return to Las Vegas tomorrow for my last few days of vacation.
Plans include shopping at my favourite outlet mall, trying to get in some last
minute pool time and maybe even going to a buffet (because that’s what you do in
LV, right!?)
It’s been a great vacation: lots of sun, lots of relaxation,
lots of beautiful sights and plenty of time to escape. But as always, vacations
must come to an end. Until the next one…
Lisa
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