In the scurry that is Sunday morning at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Arizona, Hubby and I, along with a group of eight or so other people, met with Ace Bailey of Ultimate Art & Cultural Tours to learn all there is to know about this Mid-Century Modern hotel with a Southwest twist.
The Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Arizona. The concrete panels mentioned below can be seen lining the roofline of the porte-cochere along the entrance.
Built in 1956, the hotel was the first year-round resort in Scottsdale. It was lined all around with 350-pound concrete panels that have an “arrowhead” design set in them. The design marked the hotel as “Southwest” while keeping to the slick minimalism of Modern design. The hotel drew Hollywood’s elite to the Arizona desert with the lure of luxury and anonymity. Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood celebrated their wedding reception there. Jimmy Durante was a favorite guest who could often be found tickling the ivories at the purple piano in the lounge.
A column in the lobby has the arrowhead design in it. I don't know about you, but I see "V's" in it, for "Valley Ho," maybe?
Through the years, the hotel went through different phases of facelifts. Ramada acquired the hotel in the 1970s and tinkered with cosmetic changes. By the early 2000s, though, the hotel had seen better years and was up for demolition. In 2004, though, Westroc Hotels & Resorts took on the task of bringing the hotel back to life with a full restoration and update, inspired by the building’s cool history. It now embraces its hip past while setting trends for today. It boasts that it is “posh but never stuffy. Relaxed but far from dull.”
Below are pictures from our tour. I think you’ll agree that the hotel definitely clicks along to a familiar, fun-loving groove, inspired by its mid-century roots.
Old pictures of the original design can be found beside the concierge stand. Here is one of the original restaurant.The lobby has a great expansiveness to it with the stone-clad wall extending outside, beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. The fireplace is fantastic.
When the hotel underwent its most recent facelift, the developers went out of their way to reuse and recycle as much as they could. In fact, they managed to save 20,000 tons of waste from ever reaching the landfill by restoring the hotel instead of tearing it down. The fireplace in the lobby is one example as to how they did that. Instead of throwing out glass doors that had broken, they used them as a decorative feature in the fireplace. Today, the hotel has been classified as a “Green Hotel“, thanks to its environmentally friendly policies.
The environmentally friendly fireplace.Seen here, the massive concrete "arrowhead" panels lining the hotel, and a Saucer Pendant Light first designed in 1952 by George Nelson, which is translucent plastic spray-coated onto a steel skeleton.This is the bar/lounge area as it is today. I think they've done a great job of mixing the best of yesterday with what's cool today. I particularly love those "bubble" mirrors and those white lamps.This curved wall leads from the lobby of the hotel to the lounge area. It is clad in shiny glass tiles. Layered on top of those is a hard-to-miss, funky design made of felt or some other soft fabric in blues and chartreuse.A toast to cool: 1950s Fenders hang in the lobby area, behind the concierge desk.
Back in the day, connecting rooms didn’t exist, so the architect came up with the idea of using rotating screens on the patios and balconies so friends and families could visit one another in their PJs. The screens are still in use today, but perhaps as more of a novelty since there seems to be less concern about being seen in one’s pajamas these days.
Look closely to see the bars which hang from the ceiling and allow the screens to rotate.From the roof of the hotel, circles of tables perfectly aligned for, what looks like a celebratory dinner.A view of the pool from the rooftop. Notice the shape--a circle within another circle. It is meant to be the view one might see when looking down upon a martini glass with an olive sticking out of the side. The pool shape is not original to the hotel. It had to be completely redone when Westroc took it over because it was in disrepair.The view of a pleasant balcony for one of the rooms which, I believe, is an executive suite.
Rates for a signature king started at $229 a night when I did a search on their website for a weekend stay. The hotel also has several packages available.
The hotel also offers several rooms to those traveling with pets, providing some special amenities for your furry loved one.
If the price of a night’s stay is too rich for your blood, perhaps visiting Cafe Zuzu for dinner would be more to your liking. While the service can sometimes be a little off, I can personally vouch for Chef Wiley’s American cuisine. They offer new twists on old favorites.
There is a spa on site, as well as a fitness center. MyTown365, another blogger based in the area, recently posted a picture and information of one of the yoga classes provided on the rooftop of the hotel. From the looks of it, it is a very popular class among guests and the community at large.
Finally, if you do nothing else at the hotel, I highly recommend taking the tour with Ace Bailey. The price is $19.56 (in honor of the year the hotel first opened) and the 90-minute tour not only provides access to places within the hotel not usually available to the general public, you also receive discounts to the VH Spa and Cafe Zuzu. For more information about how to sign up for the tour, click here.
Hotel Valley Ho is located within walking distance to Old Town Scottsdale at 6850 E. Main Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85251. To make reservations or for more information, go to their website or call 480-248-2000.
On a partly cloudy afternoon last October, I took the “Another Side of San Diego” Segway Tour in La Jolla, California. My guide was a very knowledgeable, very friendly guy named Steven. We zipped all over town, taking in sea life, beach scenes, art, and architecture–all while smelling the fresh sea air and feeling somehow more connected to the town, its people, and the sealife because of the openness and accessibility of the Segway.
A sea anemone seen in one of the pools left behind at low tide. I think I even tickled this one with my finger.
One of my favorite parts of the tour was actually when we got off our personal transporters to go check out some of the life along the intertidal zone. It was accessible because the tide was out. Happily for me, Steven was a student of zoology and was able to tell me about the starfish, anemones, crabs, and other creatures living in the little pools of water left after the tide went out. It made me want to take their Tidal Pool Tour.
More sea anemones (look closely).
I also loved going into the two art galleries we visited: Legends Art Gallery, where they sell beautiful Mackenzie Thorpe prints and Dr. Seuss reproductions, and Lik Gallery, which showcases the photography of Peter Lik, known for his TV show, “From the Edge” on The Weather Channel. It was so neat to explore these galleries. On our tour, I learned that Theodore Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) lived in La Jolla and was inspired by some of the trees, buildings, and landscapes of the area. Peter Lik’s photography has also been inspired by the shores of La Jolla.
Seals lazing about near the Children's Pool in La Jolla.
There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about my tour. It provided a perfect balance of general sightseeing while focusing in on certain special details about the area. I would do it again in a heartbeat and, next time I’m in San Diego, I would love to take another Segway tour with “Another Side of San Diego”.
The price for this tour was $149. It was two hours in length and started and ended at Scripps Park in La Jolla. I highly recommend it.
Tips
Layer: I went in October. The clouds were overhead and made things a little chilly at first. As we went along, though, the sun popped out and warmed everything up. Steven brought along water bottles for the trip and there was a handy pouch on the front of the Segway to store my jacket when I took it off.
Wear comfortable shoes: If you heed nothing else I say, heed this advice. The Segway is all about standing and I learned from a previous experience that feet grow very weary standing on a Segway for two hours. I wore tennis shoes on this tour, and was very content the whole time.
Don’t forget your camera! I only took my iPhone camera but wished I could have zoomed in on some of the seals sunning themselves out on the rocks.
One of the restaurants at the top of our list in the Phoenix metro area is Flancer’s in Gilbert. Their motto is “rockin’ tastebuds since 2000” and they’ve been rockin’ our tastebuds on a near weekly basis since about 2007 when we first discovered them. This is the place we meet up with family and friends. This is the place we take out-of-town visitors when we want to provide a local experience with delicious food. We have also catered our Christmas and Thanksgiving meals several times from Flancer’s. The food is always delicious and it takes all the pressure off.
It’s not a fancy, hoity-toity kind of place, but that’s one of the reasons we like it. We can go there, knowing the food and service is going to be excellent and we don’t have to dress to the nines to experience that. All we have to do is come as we are, relax, and unwind with all the other folks who have discovered how great Flancer’s is.
If the sign is lighted, tastebuds are ignited!
Pictured below is Juliet, one of our all-time favorite servers who has become a great friend. She takes such good care of us. She always remembers our regular orders and makes us feel like VIPs. As you get to know the staff there, you learn that a lot of them, like Juliet, are vibrantly creative. Juliet is an artist who was featured at a gallery downtown. Jimmy, the general manager, is an accomplished musician and artist in his own right. It’s no wonder the atmosphere at Flancer’s is so alive when you have such creative, thoughtful people working there.
We love Juliet! Hugs!!
The fun starts as soon as you walk in the door at Flancer’s. Jimmy is there with great advice on the beer selections that he hand picks every week. Hubby always loves his choices of IPAs. And Kacie is a wisecracker who cracks us up even before seating us. Below, she gets in on the fun as I tried to capture a picture of Hubby on the Flancer’s patio.
Silly, Kacie!
Their patio is one of my favorite spots to eat in the Valley. Even though it sits alongside a busy street, the cafe lights and the great music piped through the speakers overhead–classics from the 60s, 70s, and 80s–make me feel as if I’m on an isolated island where everyone knows my name (Cheers!) and I know all the words to the song. It’s just a very easy place to be.
On this night, we had the patio almost completely to ourselves, but don’t let that fool you! That same night, we had to wait 20 minutes for a table because we got there when the restaurant was completely full. When we first got seated, the tables on the patio were full. We just linger longer than others and, by the time I took this picture, the patio was almost empty. It is a hopping place and does not take reservations, so be prepared to hang out. It’s worth it!
The patio is dotted with pretty cafe lights and heaters for when it gets cold.
My favorites on the menu for dinner: the Veg Out pizza (pictured here) or the Vibes of Veggie sandwich. Their bread is homemade and slap-your-knee fantastic, so pretty much all their sandwiches are a hit. Hubby likes their buffalo tenders with HOT sauce.
Veg Out Pizza, minus the black olives.
Juliet always puts on a fresh pot of Lavazza coffee when we arrive. It’s fresh and a perfect accompaniment to the cobbler of the week. My favorite is the strawberry cobbler, but shown below is the apple-cinnamon. Yum!
I only eat half of it because I'm keeping track of calories, but it is good enough to inhale the whole thing.
There are two Flancer’s locations, one in Gilbert and one in Mesa.
The Gilbert location can be found at 610 N Gilbert Road, a quarter mile south of Guadalupe, near historic downtown Gilbert. Take out orders can be made by calling 480-926-9077.
The Mesa location is at 1902 N. Higley Road, on the southwest corner of McKellips. Take out orders can be made at this location by calling 480-396-0077.
Flancer’s is rockin’ it seven days a week 10:30am to 9pm. Happy hour is from 3pm to 7pm everyday!
For more info, visit their website, which provides access to their menu, along with information on upcoming events, such as the Charity Beer and Cigar tasting. If delicious food, fun atmosphere, and great people aren’t enough, Flancer’s is big into supporting the community, so many of their events benefit charities. Currently, they are organizing a raffle which will support the Wounded Warrior/Warfighter Sports. When we eat there, we feel great knowing we are supporting a local business that goes on to support others. It’s win-win all around.
Thanks, Flancer’s and all the staff there, for being such a great place we are happy and proud to call home!
The summer is approaching and, for me, that means an extended period of travel to different places with different climates. In all the places, Hubby and I will walk at least 5 miles a day. Sometimes we walk to dinner and back. Sometimes we walk to the theater. Other times, we’re just strolling through town, window shopping or cafe hopping. No matter what we’re up to, I have to have comfortable shoes that can see me through all those miles and different situations.
It’s easier in winter to find comfy shoes that look grand in a variety of situations. These boots from Aquatalia by Marvin K saw me through the hills of San Francisco, a downpour in Toronto, dinner and Shakespeare in Stratford, Ontario, and countless other places where I had to walk outside for miles in occasional inclement weather.
Knee-high flat boots from Aquatalia by Marvin K are comfy and weather-proof. They also fit will in a variety of situations.
When attire isn’t as much of a concern, or casual wear is the norm, the Nikes below are my go-tos. They’ve seen me through some of those same San Francisco hills, an architectural tour in Palm Springs, a Segway tour in La Jolla and another one in St. Paul, Minnesota. I wore them to dinners at local jive joints with black pants and a top with a jacket for a sporty urban look that was incredibly comfortable. (I actually got compliments from that outfit!)
Nike Air Pegasus sneakers. I think the black color and shine of the fabric help them fit into a few other situations where white sneakers would stick out. Still, I only wear them for casual dinners and events.
With just two pairs of shoes needed for pretty much any situation, it was easy to pack and fairly light to carry. The boots come off quickly for airport security and go back on just as quickly. The sneakers were actually slightly more trouble since they have laces, but they were lighter and easier to pack in an overnight bag.
So, now we approach the summer and, as I pour through my closet, I feel woefully unprepared for the summer’s upcoming trips and events. The Nikes can probably transition to summer in the same capacity as before. And I have one pair of sandals that are the most comfortable I have ever owned:
Sandals by Naot. They seem to fit into several different situations and I have walked more than five miles in them in one day without blisters or pain.
These are great for probably 70% of the things I do in a given day and, unlike the Nikes, they look good with long skirts. Still, my problem with relying solely on sandals is that, they’re not as comfortable during those summer rain bursts. And, when I walk long distances through dusty or gravelly areas, I always end up having to stop in order to free the little pebbles that try to hitch a ride under my heel.
Shoes such as those I seek do exist. Last summer, I wore these shoes through visits to St. Paul, Minnesota, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Mackinaw Island, not to mention return visits to Phoenix and its hot, hot summer:
Suede penny loafers with Nike Air technology by Cole Haan. They looked great with jeans, capris, and certain skirts.
They were far more comfortable than I would have imagined them to be at first. They’re built to look like loafers but they bond to the foot more like flats, thanks to the moldable suede. The difference, though, is that with loafers, the leather is usually stiff and, in flats, the support is usually minimal. Walking miles in either kind of shoe often ends up in blisters and/or incredibly sore feet. These, however, rocked like Elvis’s shoes of the same variety (blue suede), fitting into a variety of situations and going with a lot of different outfits. But, as you can see, they have seen better days, and I’m afraid their support is starting to break down after so much wear.
This brings me to the contenders of new shoes that can be supportive, sporty, dressy, and closed-toed to fit a variety of summertime situations. At 41 years old, my trotting around all day in high heels are over. Still, I can’t help but salivate over these (and I may get them later for those times when I’m going out but not walking far):
Not exactly sporty or closed-toed, but...drool. Karma heel by Aquatalia by Marvin K.
As of yet, I have not found the one that fits all of my requirements. The shoes I have tried either rubbed horrible blisters, made my feet sweat, or they were just downright uncomfortable.
These Merrells had promise, but when I wore them to walk a mile to coffee and back, they drew blood from the blisters they rubbed! Ouch!These adorable little shoes from Privo by Clark's are spunky, sporty, and incredibly comfy, but they make my feet sweat. Ewew!I tried these as a dressier shoe that could fit into dress-up/dress-down situations. I thought since they are by Cole Haan with Nike Air Technology that they might actually work. And they are fairly comfortable. The problem is that they pinch my toes and do not provide the stability I need when walking along uneven sidewalks.
The comfort lines out there, like Ecco, Mephisto, and Clark’s make fine shoes, but a lot of them are either too wide for my dainty feet or they look like a shoe my grandmother would wear. (In fact, I bought my grandmother some Ecco’s for Christmas because she loved them so much.) These lines have started putting out some really great looking shoes lately and I have bought pairs in hopes of finding the one. But, alas, I am still looking for that summer staple.
So now, ladies and gentlemen, I put the question to you: Have you found stylish, comfortable, lightweight, summer shoes that are urban casual AND closed-toed?
If you have great traveling shoes you would like to share, drop me a note! Phoenix, as well as many other parts of the world, it seems, are starting Spring/Summer early. That has me antsy to find what I need to get on the road with style and comfort.
Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and robots of all sizes and shapes. Today’s coffee hour is inspired by the Liberty Street Robot & Supply Repair in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
A favorite mug from Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair in Ann Arbor.
Sometimes I think I should have been a social roboticist. Alright, I admit that I only heard that term about three months ago when I came across an article about Heather Knight on CNN.com. Since then, I have been mad with jealousy that I never pursued that route.
Below is a video of Heather presenting “Data” at a Ted Talk. Data is one of the social robots she programs and learns from. In the video below, Data tells silly jokes and gauges the audience’s response.
I do have my own robot, though. Her name is Rosie, or at least that’s what I call her. You may recall that “The Jetsons” had a robot named Rosie.
Rosie the Robot, a toy version. (Photo by t()by.)
My Rosie is not quite as multi-functional as the robot on “The Jetsons” but I love her no less for it. She is a Roomba, the kind of robot whose purpose in life is to suck up life’s dirt while I go about doing other things, like writing this article.
You might think I am odd to name my robot and give her social characteristics, but when you cohabitate with a robot, you tend to pick up on their little idiosyncrasies. For example, Rosie loves going underneath furniture. She’s very good at it too, sliding beneath wardrobes and armoires–and getting stuck because her little nose (sensor) is too tall to get her out.
She also loves climbing things. Rosie has two wheels that remind me of the all-terrain wheels on the Mars Rover. Whenever she comes to something, such as the base of a floor lamp or the air tube under my bed which pumps air into my Sleep Number bed, she sees it as a challenge to climb it, and puts her full-purpose into it until she gets both wheels up off the ground, dangling. Moments later, when she has realized she can go no further, she calls out “Error! Move Roomba to a new location then press CLEAN to restart.”
Rosie and I have come to understand one another, though. Because of her penchant for climbing on things, I now set up a “virtual wall” at the end of the bed so she can’t climb up onto the Sleep Number air tube. When I prepare a room for her to work in, I scoop up wires (she loves to munch on the small ones) or block off certain entry points under armoires where she has gotten stuck before. Now that we understand one another, I can go about my business without checking on her so often. Kind of reminds me of when I was first training my puppy.
But why is a travel writer blogging about robots, you ask? It has everything to do with setting the stage for the place I discovered last summer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As someone who finds robots utterly fascinating, imagine my delight when I came across the Liberty Street Robot Repair & Supply Shop in downtown Ann Arbor.
Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair shop.
When I first encountered it, I squealed and giggled like a little girl. Adult restraint kept me from clapping my hands and jumping up and down. I did, however, press my nose to the glass to see what was inside. It was like something out of a future envisioned in the 1950s. Robots, robot parts, and “robot swag”, as they called it, lined the shelves. I longed to go inside and explore! Sadly, though, the store was closed. I had to wait until the next day to go inside.
Robot stuff everywhere!They were closed, but I loved their door sign.
When I did, I found a delightful shop celebrating all things robot. There were robot brains and robot souls. You could buy robot tears and anamorphic equalizers to make your bot more human. They had ultra-flex suspension coils, joint lubricants, and, of course, tons of loose screws.
Better Bot's Positronic Brain.Hand-Crank Robot Souls. The fine print reads, "Studies show that robots with souls are 54% less likely to rise up against humanity than their soulless counterparts."Robot tears.Sound-Activated Anamorphic Equalizers. "Now with test button!"Ultra-Flex Suspension Coils.Joint Lubricant.Loose Screws.
If building a full robot is out of the question, have no fear! They have robot ducks! And erasers in the shape of a robot! Maybe you would like some robot art made out of old scrap metal and Raytheon vacuum tubes? They’ve got it all!
Robot Duck."Robo-Swag" advertised among robots from days gone by.Raytheon tube robot art.
The best part about the whole thing, though, is that the store is just a front for 826Michigan, a nonprofit dedicated to “supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.” As a writer and robot lover, I had returned to the mother ship.
So, the next time you’re in Ann Arbor, go down to Liberty Street and check out the robot store. Not only will you feed the part of you that wishes you had a robot butler, but if you buy something from them or donate to them, you’ll be supporting a great organization that inspires and empowers kids to write. After all, if the kids aren’t getting inspired to create, who’s gonna design our robot butlers?
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Need a place to stay in Ann Arbor?
Bellanina, a day spa in A2, has at least two vacation rentals which both offer fantastic locations within walking distance to everything. We have stayed in the vacation rental just across the street from Kerrytown Market and Shops and loved walking over to Sweetwaters every morning for coffee. Because we had a kitchenette, we also took advantage of having a fridge to store perishables found at Sparrows Meat & Produce, also located within the Kerrytown building. We’re looking forward to our next visit to Ann Arbor when we will stay at the other one.
Our favorite eats
We walked all over downtown Ann Arbor and enjoyed quite a few restaurants during our two weeks there. Our favorites, though, were Logan, “New American” cuisine, and Grange Kitchen & Bar, locally sourced, farm-to-table meals.
The bright, blue skies are blanketed today with leftover rainclouds from the weekend. They are the kind of clouds that look like pillow stuffing. They have flat bottoms and, in their journey across the sky, they take on the shapes of animals and objects. The wind beneath them is cold, a reminder of yesterday’s blustery rain and wind. You will never hear me complain of the rain, even if it did feel at times like I was Sisyphus trying to push a boulder through the streets of Phoenix last night.
Sisyphus carrying his burden.
Today, however, the clouds seem content to be their billowing selves, keeping their nurturing rain tucked into their folds. They lope sloth-like through the skies, inspiring all kinds of imaginings to those whose eyes roam skyward and on into daydreams. It is their presence, and that of the accompanying cold wind, that has me hunched over my coffee mug today, doing some daydreaming of my own about adventures had on the weekend before the storms rolled in.
It's coffee time! Second cup, please!
If you have read previous posts of this blog, then you know Hubby and I were alerted to a grand event happening in Mesa over last week–the Festival of Creativity at the fantastic Mesa Arts Center. This festival itself was free and included artistic expressions in several forms, including music and interactive art pieces. Mirazozo was one of the main attractions of the festival, but to get in visitors paid a nominal fee of $5 per person. It was an impressive architectural sculpture made out of thin sheets of colored plastic, and brought to life with air.
Hubby and I went to the festival on Friday night. On the music stage was Tobie Milford, a violinist whose music rolled up and over the exhibits in gentle waves. The sounds were like a benediction. It’s not enough, though, for me to describe it for you. Tobie Milford must be heard to understand his talent. Below is a video to give you a little taste of what it was like to walk around this festival with his looping violin and milky voice mixing with the creative energy in the air:
All along the lane that was set up for the festival there were interactive exhibits. There was a large Lego cactus being built by anyone who wanted to participate. Visitors built smaller pieces and the artists banged them into place on the cactus. Looking closely, one could see the artistic spirit of the community at large. We found a Space Invader among the bright Lego colors. Do you see it in the photo below?
Attendees at the festival were invited to help build a 10-foot tall cactus made out of Legos. Anybody see the Space Invader in the cactus? (Photo by M Dryja.)
As we walked on, we saw a juggler tossing large, illuminated yoyos and bowling pins into the air and catching them with ease. There were long sticks that looked like the big brothers of desert plants rooted into containers. When pushed, the plants made music. One structure looked like a giant, neon agave plant, but when we touched it, we discovered it was made out of pool noodles. Art was projected up onto the blank walls of surrounding buildings and white shade sails overhead. The light from the projections spun before and over us as another artist, perched on a scaffolding, took pictures of people interacting with the art below.
Agave plant made out of pool noodles. The sign on the container invites visitors to touch it. (Photo by M Dryja.)Illuminated images spun over a blank wall. It was hard to capture how grand and vivid it was, but I did manage to grab a phrase from it: "The Desert is my Playground." That seemed to be a theme for the festival.
A favorite piece for both of us was the video wall where passersby became the art. As we walked by, a camera caught our silhouettes and projected them on the wall of the Contemporary Art building. When we moved, the projections moved, and then divided and flipped, and suddenly, what was two images of our silhouettes became four and six and upside down. It brought out the kid in everyone who passed by. Old men with canes were trying to make the projections more outlandish than before. Kids were hopping up and down to make the images jump.
Hubby raised his arms and created images that split off, flipped over, and danced across the wall.A family from very young to what looked like grandparents got involved in creating art on the wall.
We also took the opportunity to walk through the Contemporary Art Museum, another free experience. A lot of the artists in that museum are from the area. It was a good reminder to see how talented people in the Phoenix area are. I have known that for a while, given the number of art walks and festivals held each month in various cities in the metro area, but this was a permanent reminder to the the community at large. Sadly, I was not able to take pictures inside the museum, but the building and surrounding gardens were works of art on their own, so Hubby and I took lots of photos of the outside.
Lighted glass structures are on permanent display in the garden outside the Contemporary Art Museum. (Photo by M Dryja.)The entire Mesa Arts Center plaza is rather impressive with contemporary architecture, creative landscaping, and the way it is lit.
I’m sorry to admit that we were not originally there for those local artists. We were there for Mirazozo. The reason I did not start this article with Mirazozo, however, is because, although it is larger and more well-known than the others we saw, I was just as impressed by some of the exhibits produced by local talent, and they deserve to be showcased. For instance, just outside Mirazozo’s luminarium was a group of pictures created by local chalk artists. It was impressive to see the depth of color and detail they could get over the stubbly, bumpy blacktop of the parking lot.
One of our favorite images by the chalk artists, a desert tortoise. Hubby claimed that's what he looks like in the morning before his first cup of coffee.One of the groupings of chalk art.The chalk art from another vantage point.
As for the main exhibit, Mirazozo, it’s hard to describe what it is, exactly. It sort of feels like part bounce-house, part cathedral. The walls are made of thin sheets of plastic, so thin that they are flexible and feel like fabric. Air is pumped into the structure and light from outside filters through stripes and designs to create a stained-glass effect.
Hubby explores Mirazozo.Hubby is dazzled. And maybe a little dazed.
The structure is laid out very much in the way a cathedral or basilica might be, with little transepts off to the side and a central nave in the middle. In fact, the structure of Mirazozo actually reminded me of that of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
The layout of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.Layout of Mirazozo.
Reading more about Mirazozo, I learned that it was “inspired by the beauty of natural geometry and by Islamic architecture.”
We were there because friends had told us that it was a sight to behold. This big, silver bubbly structure that sat in the parking lot promised to dazzle us with its colors. It was astounding to consider the immense size of the thing, how it was made, and how it was held together, as all that air pushed in to give it life.
Mirazozo from the outside looks much like a Middle Eastern circus tent. Apparently, the small domes and repetitious forms found in the bazaars of Iran inspired the design of Mirazozo. (Photo by M Dryja.)
Inside, it was sacred and psychedelic. People lounged on parts of the floor that poofed up where the walls met the ground. I couldn’t help but think of stoned hippies seeing them lounge barefoot like that so peacefully. It’s not something you see at most art exhibits, but it also didn’t feel out of place either. We were all barefoot so as not to damage the plastic flooring. (In fact, the inside did smell a bit like feet.) Still, whatever it was–the lighting, the music by David Bickley bouncing off the soft walls, the muffled whispers–it was an easy place to be, relaxing and a little mind-altering.
Inside were tunnels which led to other rooms and nooks.Spidery lines curved and angled across the ceiling.A little girl looks around as Hubby posed in front of a green "tree".More lines trumpet out from the ceiling.
Below is a slideshow with far more pictures from Mirazozo and the Festival of Creativity. Grab yourself a cup of coffee, relax, and enjoy.
Eminem started it last year during the Superbowl with the award-winning Chrysler ad. It was a call to the strength and resiliency Detroit is capable of.
Eastwood continued the call but broadened it to all of America, using Detroit as the epitome of what it looks like to return to glory.
Detroit’s image is looking up, thanks to the new pioneers who have decided the city is worth saving. I see article after article about the energy buzzing through town. People are coming together to reclaim the history–all of it, even the hard stuff–and remake what’s there into something even better. Sure it has a long way to go, but from the sounds of it, there is an understanding that their work is for the long-term. There isn’t a silver bullet that will solve all problems overnight.
Still, they work and they open their hearts and hands to what needs done. They look to each other and dig deep into the rich wells of their bold, creative spirits and release what is there.
People Mover Station in Detroit. (Photo used with thanks to Maia C.)The Thanksgiving Parade float for the International Jazz Festival, on display during the festival. (Photo used with thanks to Maia C.)Fisher Theater in Detroit. (Photo used with thanks to cseeman.)
And now we can taste the fruits of their labors. We can learn from them. We can warm ourselves to the hope they have sparked and take it with us to the corners of our own worlds, bringing that kind of hope borne out of hard work and belief in what’s possible. They represent what’s possible because they’ve seen the worst of it. If Detroit can come back, maybe the rest of us can too.
American flag on a building in downtown Detroit. (Photo used with thanks to cseeman.)
That is the inspiration that is rippling out from Motor City and touching the hearts of people in Michigan as well as points beyond. Thanks to people like Dan Austin, who is an historian of Detroit and founder of HistoricDetroit.org, the story of this city is being told. His website shares all the news about what’s happening architecturally and historically through the eyes of people that live there. He was kind enough to share with me on Facebook the name of several organizations in the area which offer tours of all shapes and kinds. I will be in Michigan in June and you can bet I will be participating in at least one of them.
Detail on a Detroit building. (Photo used with thanks to cseeman.)
Inside Detroit has the inside scoop on what’s happening in the city. Their mission is to “to educate the public about Detroit’s history, culture, community, and livability in order to spur economic development.” They offer a variety of tours: walking, biking, Segway, and bus. They also have unique Bar Tours, which take you to different bars in the area on special occasions, such as St. Patty’s Day and Summer Kick Off.
The Detroit Historical Society has been around since 1921. Their mission is to “educate and inspire our community and visitors by preserving and portraying our region’s shared history through dynamic exhibits and experiences.” Their tours are specific to the Detroit Historical Museum and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, but their exhibits, events, and resources provide a sturdy foundation for learning all you might want to know about the city before heading out to explore it on a city tour.
Preservation Wayne has been around since 1975 and is Detroit’s “oldest and largest architectural preservation organization.” They offer lots of different walking tours beginning in May and running through September.
These stories, these dreams, give me hope and inspire me to believe that we can make it and become an even better country, an even better world.
Belief in downtown Detroit. (With thanks to Maia C for the excellent photos of a city she clearly loves.)
I haven’t even arrived in Michigan, yet I am inspired by what I’m hearing and seeing about the “new” Detroit.
Welcome to Jet Planes and Coffee, my internet friends. I am coming to you live from my desk in Arizona, bubbling over with stories about my recent visits to Seattle. Just before sitting down to write you, though, I did what I always do when I want to share life with good friends–I grabbed a favorite mug and poured myself a good cup of joe.
Coffee's ready. Desk is a little cluttered. Let's talk Seattle.
It’s not Starbuck’s coffee, in case you were wondering. I can see how you might think that since I just returned from Seattle (and since you can get Starbuck’s coffee pretty much anywhere). There is a bag of Starbuck’s Tribute Blend™ sitting in the bottom of my unpacked suitcase. For now, though, I am drinking from another Washington State roaster, Grounds for Change. It’s their Bolivian Taipiplaya Limited Edition roast and, although it is a little lighter than I usually like, it’s good. Grounds for Change always has good stuff. I’ve been buying my beans from them since about 2005, when I still lived in the Seattle area.
This is the next bag of coffee, not yet opened, from Grounds for Change. I always like trying different flavors from Grounds for Change. Señor Owl, the cookie jar, looks on approvingly.
I could go on and on about coffee but that’s not why you’re here. You’re here, I presume, to check out what Seattle has to offer; maybe to get some tips on where to stay and what to do.
Well, you’re in luck. I just came from there yesterday. Hubby and I were there from Thursday of last week to Sunday morning–about 72 hours. It was our second trip in the last seven months. I have much to share, so grab your own cup of happiness, and let’s get started.
First things first: Where to stay.
Both of our recent visits took us to the fabulous Hotel 1000. I cannot say enough good about this place. It has a relaxed, “old friend” feel to it that meets the warm welcome one might receive at the Four Seasons just up the road. It is not right on the sightline of the water and, therefore, is a little cheaper than the Four Seasons. We felt it to be just as service-oriented, though, and it is located within walking distance to everything downtown. It also offers a lot of great perks, such as free wifi throughout the hotel, a cozy spa, virtual golf, full-service concierge, and electronic “Do Not Disturb” and Housekeeping notifications built into every room.
The front of Hotel 1000, conveniently located on the corner of 1st Avenue and Madison, near to where all the action happens, when it's not happening at Hotel 1000, of course. (Photo by EMS Shane in Portland.)Our room--a Deluxe King Water view.Nice desk space for the business traveler. Hubby got set up right away and very easily.Cool bathtub, which is filled from the ceiling, is visible through a glass wall that separates the bathroom from the bedroom. For more modest individuals, there is a screen that moves up and down the wall with a flick of a switch.
Price per night for a Deluxe Waterfront King room, according to the Hotel 1000 website: $272
Price per night at the Four Seasons for a Deluxe Bay-view room, according to their website: $435. (You can get a city-view room for $285, though.)
Another Hotel 1000 perk? They drove us to Crush Restaurant, located about two miles east of the hotel, in the Courtesy Car. If our friends hadn’t been able to drop us back at the hotel, the friendly valets from the hotel would have picked us up.
Don’t get me wrong. I love the Four Seasons. I love the lobby with its rough-hewn, stacked stone lining the walls, and the sleek fireplace. We met some friends for dinner there at Art Restaurant. It is a great place and very popular. I highly recommend going, even if you only stop in to the lounge for some nibblies and a drink.
Four Seasons/Art Restaurant Lobby.
Where to eat
That brings us to, where to eat.
If you go to Art Restaurant during the summer, make sure to get a table by the window so you can watch the sun set, and the ferries go to and fro. This last time we went, it was dark by the time we got seated, so we just focused on the lovely company of our friends and the delicious food. The photo below is from our visit in August.
Sunset as seen from the window at Art Restaurant in August.
The thing about Art, besides the beautiful surroundings and the excellent service, is that they give you these homemade potato chips with a mouth-watering sour cream style dip. Oh, it is so good. And, I was hungry when I sat down so I ate a lot of those things. I couldn’t get enough of them, really. So…by the time the second course arrived–a gnocchi of some sort–I was full. The flavors were just too much for my satisfied tummy. I shouldn’t have eaten so many chips, but I did and, frankly, I’m not really sorry for it. They were really good. Sorry I can’t tell you more about what’s good there from my point of view. I can tell you that Hubby loved his fish–an Indian-spiced salmon–and our friends enjoyed their beef tenderloin.
When we lived near Seattle, we had heard great things about another restaurant, Crush, but we never actually made it there until this last visit. Now we have a huge crush on Crush Restaurant, located just a couple of miles east of Hotel 1000 on Madison. Chef Wilson and the team there manage to create the kind of eating experience that leaves you feeling like a regular, even though it might be the first time visiting (which it was for us). The food was thoughtful and delicious. I loved every minute of my baby beet salad, minus the crispy pancetta, and the mushroom risotto. I’m vegetarian. They were very gracious to provide wonderful options throughout the meal. My favorite part of the meal, however, was dessert: salted chocolate-covered caramels. Yrrrmmmmm. If I close my eyes I can still taste the marriage of salt, chocolate, and caramel.
Hubby had the same salad with the pancetta for his first course and then he had a duo of salmon and pork cheek. My description of it does not do it justice. Let me put it this way: I thought he was going to squeal with delight as he polished off his main dish.
The cleverest dish, however, was our friend’s first course called “Bacon and Eggs”. It was parsnip flan with smoked Ikura roe, bourbon maple syrup & bacon crème fraiche served up in the tiniest little dish. Our friend loved every bite and grinned from ear to ear because he knew he had the most fun of all the first courses.
Bacon & Eggs, Chef Wilson style. (Photo from Crush website.)
The service was top-notch and very friendly. The surroundings were an eclectic blend of at-home charm with contemporary design. We will be back.
The front of Crush restaurant. (Photo from the Crush Restaurant website.)
Serious Pie is the pizza place we found to be seriously delicious, another restaurant by Seattle’s genius restauranteur, Tom Douglas. Reservations might not be available, but we had no trouble getting in on Thursday night. Things were different when we went there on a weekend back in August and had to wait. They took one of our cell numbers and called us when it was time for dinner–about 30 minutes after we arrived–so we could have walked around and shopped a little if we had wanted to.
Inside the small Serious Pie restaurant. It reminds me of a pub-style pizzeria. When the restaurant is full, it can feel claustrophobic with foodies squished into the tables elbow-to-elbow. (Photo by mightykenny.)
Serious Pie is the best pizza we have found in Seattle. We lived in the area for about seven years and never found “the” pizza place. Now we have. Serious Pie is where we will go whenever we want pizza in Seattle, even if we have to share a communal table with six other people we just met. (Knock on wood, we’ve gotten a two-seater table each time we’ve been there. I’m not big on spaces cramped with strangers, even if I do end up adoring them by the end of the meal.)
Our favorite pie is the very simple Buffalo Mozzarella, Red Sauce, and Basil. Yum, yum, and triple-yum. It has a thin crust that is charred just right–not too much to choke on smoke, but not too little to leave the dough chewy. I could eat a whole pizza by myself–and I never usually have more than two slices of pizza anywhere.
Serious Pie mozzarella, red sauce, basil pizza. (Photo by greenplasticamy.)
Things to do
Our most recent visits to Seattle took us there for business and pleasure. Having lived there for several years, the touristy places don’t really speak to us. Touristy things never really speak to me anyway (see comment above about cramped spaces). We’ve done the Space Needle a thousand times with out of town guests. It’s worth doing at least once just to cross it off your list. The Seattle Aquarium is nice, especially if you have kids. I used to love going to the Ballard Locks to see the salmon swim upstream. I also hear good things about the Experience Music Project which is located near the Space Needle, but I haven’t yet been there myself. Being a major fan of the Fine Arts, I’m always eager to go to the art galleries and the Seattle Art Museum. The Seattle Symphony and Pacific Northwest Ballet are both tops in my book as well.
This last couple of visits one goal we had was to get a sense for what it’s like to live downtown, so our journeys took us where our feet could go with a focus on art and nature.
Last summer we were there during an “Out to Lunch” music series that seemed to take place regularly on the Harbor Steps. If I am not mistaken, a band strikes up around lunchtime and the steps themselves become a little amphitheater where people sit and listen to the music. The combination of music, sunshine, and sea air was intoxicating and I loved how it brought out the authenticity of the city. This man, in particular, delighted me beyond measure. He was out of this world wacky and completely true to himself. How could you not love him? I call him the Scarf Dancer.
The Scarf Dancer.The Scarf Dancer, floating, twirling, and beaming with joy in rhythm to the music.I don't know how many scarves he had, but he twirled them, held them up to the wind, or tied them around his waist. He was having a blast, and so was I.
We also roamed over to the harbor itself, up to the Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park. Long, long ago, we contributed some moo-lah to their campaign to get that park going and, lo and behold, they put our name on a railing along the waterfront with all the other people who donated.
Our donation turned into a railing at the Olympic Sculpture Park.
It was great to see how beautiful the park had turned out and how many people use it for their nightly strolls and jogs. (We had moved a few months before the park opened, so we never got to see it before then.) It is a very peaceful part of Seattle, with the water licking the shoreline off to one side and the city sparkling quietly on the other.
Of course, no visit is complete without a trek to Pike Place Market. It’s not just for tourists, you know, although much of it is taken up with people who traveled for miles to see the men throw fish in the air. We were there for lunch and then again, later, for coffee. It quiets down at night when the homeless guys curl up to sleep in the darkened thresholds of stores no longer open. Seattle is kind to their homeless, treating them like the human beings they are, so they tend to be harmless even if they do ask for some change or have the desire to tell you something important. (Always use Street Smarts, though, whenever dealing with strangers, homeless or otherwise.)
Pike Place Market is a little quieter at night, but most of the shops are closed then too.
Along First Avenue are a handful of art galleries. We stopped into Vetri, a gallery specializing in exhibits of glass glass artwork. We loved the Mods by Jamie Harris.
Mods by Jamie Harris at the Vetri gallery in Seattle. (Photo by M Dryja.)
We also learned that Dale Chihuly, perhaps the most famous glass artisan of them all, creates paintings that are splattered and circled with vibrant colors. These paintings are the blueprints for what goes on to become his famous glass pieces. He has taken what he uses as a guideline for blowing glass and turned it into another work of art worth sharing.
One of Dale Chihuly's Limited Edition Prints
Finally, our steps took us over to the shopping district where I bought some new sunglasses. Yes. I needed sunglasses in a city known for its rain. Little known fact: sunshine happens in Seattle. It’s most known to happen in August, but it can cut through the clouds in March as well. Since I had gotten new contacts from my all-time favorite eye doctor, Dr. Mark Hamilton, who is also located in the Seattle area at Highland Vision Clinic, I needed some sunglasses that weren’t prescription or clip-ons. Nordstrom helped me out with some new Kate Spade shades. And ten minutes later it started raining again.
So, there ya go. My coffee mug is empty now. How about yours?
Talking about Seattle makes me miss it again and I’ve only just been home for a little over 24 hours. Fortunately, Hubby is making arrangements for us to stay for a little longer this fall in a vacation rental in a neighborhood of Seattle called Belltown. I can’t wait.
Now I’m really intrigued. My friends, Juliet and Jimmy, got me interested in seeing MIRAZOZO in Mesa, but the video below has me ready to head to the box office for tickets. Although most activities at the Festival of Creativity are free, MIRAZOZO is $5. Shelling out five bucks to have an art experience that is world-renown is not a high price to pay.
The Festival of Creativity runs from now through March 18th at the Mesa Arts Center at 1 East Main Street in Mesa. Doors open each day at noon and close at 9pm. For more information, check out my previous post or go to the Mesa Arts Center website.
Creative friends of mine, people who are artists and know art, have told me that I need to go see MIRAZOZO at the Mesa Arts Center. So, when I got this email about it, I thought it might be something worth sharing with others too. If you’re in the area of Mesa, Arizona anytime between now and March 18th, head over to MIRAZOZO. Maybe we’ll bump into each other in the giant sculpture of air, light, and color.
Please view the Parking Map below for alternate Parking around the Mesa Arts Center
Mesa Arts Center Box Office: (480) 644.6500 One East Main Street Mesa, Arizona 85201
Jet Planes and Coffee 