desert flower

I nearly didn't make it up to our favorite spot in Sedona on Airport Road.  It was ridiculously windy and I was wearing a skirt.  Not only that, the full skirt has precarious snaps instead of a zipper because I made it years ago when I was afraid of messing up sewing in a zipper. Translation:  this skirt was not made for climbing rocks, especially not in the wind.  I stood halfway up the little lookout for about ten minutes until the wind calmed down enough for me to risk flashing the couple and family below us.  Luckily I got up without too much difficulty, and Ted took some windswept photos of me.  The weather felt incredible, especially after spending a few days in the Phoenix heat romping around Mesa, downtown Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Gilbert.  We welcomed the change of scenery and weather, even if it wasn't that much cooler during the day.

This outfit screams Arizona to me for some reason.  Maybe it's the combination of a little redneck with the cutoff vest, a little cowboy with the bandana-like floral skirt, and a little Native American with the silver accessories.  Plus, my sandals matched the red rock.  It's just a fun, very me look in the way that it's a a bit weird and themed.  I just had to put this getup on to have a little photoshoot and Picazzo's dinner date with Ted, even if it meant flashing an innocent family for half a second.

Vest/Nordstrom Rack, Skirt/handmade by me, Cactus Earrings/unknown, AZ Necklace/Kris Nations, Belt/vintage, Sandals/Saltwater 

branching out, cactus style

Although I've lived in the Phoenix area my entire life, I very rarely venture to downtown Phoenix and instead opt for other surrounding areas.  Thankfully I have friends like Erin who know all the local gems from their time spent in Phoenix for college and work. With Ted visiting, I thought getting shown around by some "locals" was a good idea. I considered it a little staycation for myself, since everything was new to me too!

On Saturday, we spent a full day in Phoenix.  Our first stop was the Phoenix Public Market.  We browsed the venders for a while until the heat took its toll and we had to seek refuge in the nearby cafe to cool off.  Of course Phoenix decided to show off its hottest weather while Ted was here, so we had to take numerous breaks during the day for cold drinks and sits.  

Erin has been raving about the food truck Short Leash for while now, so going to their new restaurant Sit...Stay was an obvious choice.  I have to say, it did not disappoint.  The unique hotdog combinations left my stomach and heart very happy.  We tried the Sunny (grilled seasonal fruit, prosciutto, mixed greens, goat cheese, honey & cracked pepper served on naan with a chicken wiener), the Bratwurst Stuffed Pretzel (bratwurst slow cooked in four peaks kiltlifter beer with sauerkraut, onions & bacon topped with swiss cheese & sweet bavarian mustard served on our pretzel roll) and the Bear w/ the Spicy Beer Hot wiener (peanut butter, smoked gouda, bacon, bbq sauce & cracker jacks).  THEY WERE ALL INCREDIBLE.  I have to say, the Bear was probably my favorite, because it was so bonkers and worked so well.  The kind chefs even split our hotdogs three-ways so we all had a cute plate of sample-sized dogs.  I loved it there.  It left Ted and I missing our favorite foodcart in Portland.  Oh man, the food I will be eating in a little over a month...


Before we left lunch, Rylee met up with us and we all headed to some vintage shops that I've heard about but have never been to, like the adorably-stuffed Qcumberz.  We spent a few hours browsing them, which was really lovely, and a good way to escape the heat.  I found a few cute things that I had to leave behind, like the tea towel above with a donut sticking out of its mouth.  There was one thing I simply could not leave behind at MacAlpine's (which by the way, is the cutest soda fountain/vintage shop ever).  This magical purchase will surely turn up in a post later this year.  Be excited.  Although both Rylee and Erin walked away with some solid purchases, I think Ted's takes the cake, at least in my book: a Captain & Tennille album featuring the song "Muskrat Love" which is quite possibly the weirdest and greatest song ever to be recorded.


Naturally we were tired, sweaty, and ready for a cold drink, so we made the point to go to Lux after Rylee had to depart for work and we were ready for a break from shopping.  It was busy, but we managed to find a seat on a picnic table studded with teal typewriters and settled in for more than an hour.  We chatted, sipped our cold coffees, and I may have stared at a girl that looked like Jennifer Lawrence a little too much. (I swear, she looked JUST LIKE HER.)  Regardless, it was good to finally get there after wanting to go for a couple of years!  Afterwards we met up with Domenico at MacAlpine's and then had a impromptu photoshoot in a cute neighborhood.

Welcome Diner was a very welcome way to end the day indeed.  The sun set enough for us to enjoy the big patio with misters, lights, and a cute dog to pet.  The four of us split the Bumblebee (fried chicken, honey, mustard, pickles on a biscuit), the Koko (fried chicken, chipotle ranch, arugula, tomato on a biscuit), the PB&B burger (peanut butter, pickles, bacon, cheddar), Poutine (fries smothered in gravy and melted cheddar--aka the first poutine I've actually really loved), and a little order of Fried Squash Blossoms.  It was all delicious.  There are very few sweeter things in life than good food and even better company.  We ended the night with Rylee joining us again at an Irish pub after work.  It felt good to be in an environment that felt familiar (I'm looking at you, London) but with friends that were even more familiar.  I'm a lucky girl, is all I'm saying.

Pictures including me and/or Ted by Erin

drink here: blue hound + bitter & twisted

It's been a while since I've had a proper girls night and I've never "gone out for drinks with my girlfriends" as twenty-somethings tend to do. So with the recent opening of Bitter & Twisted, Rylee, Erin, and I were inspired to venture out on a Friday night and do just this.  I switched out my grey t-shirt and knitted brooch for a silky beaded blouse that has never left my room, my favorite neglected vintage necklace, jeans, and gold flats, as one does for a night out.  I thought of all those articles promising "take your look from day to night" and felt accomplished, and a little silly for feeling that way.  I headed to Erin's lovely home with Rylee to share a deliciously healthy dinner of soba noodles and veggies courtesy of Erin (she's a domestic goddess; haven't you heard?) and we chatted.  Of course I made too many bad jokes, one resulting in spilling my water across the table.  This is why I probably don't drink very often--I'm already a bad joke-telling klutz on a daily basis.

After our meal, we drove into downtown Phoenix and were greeted by a sizable crowd at the cocktail parlour.  We put our name down for the hour to an hour-and-a-half wait and wandered around for a bit before settling on nearby Blue Hound for our waiting game.  As life usually goes, waiting was half the fun!  We hung out in the relaxing, Restoration Hardware-decorated lounge between the bar and hotel lobby it was connected to, and settled in for over an hour, talking, laughing, and appreciating their choice of menu fonts.  I tried their seasonal tap (I'm all about seasonal anything), which happened to be Deschutes Brewery's Twilight Summer Ale.  My heart beat a little faster when I heard the name and thought fondly of Portland, where the Deschutes Brewery restaurant is.  What can I say? I'm in love.  Funnily enough, I found out later that Ted had ordered the same beer at the restaurant earlier in the week.

Around 11 (the time our breed is usually crawling into bed to watch online television for a couple of hours), we went back to Bitter & Twisted and got seated.  The atmosphere was much darker and louder than the Blue Hound, but it still felt comfortable and most definitely stylish.  I tried the Lime and the Coconut which had a delicious creamy layer of foam that was hands down my favorite part of it--I wanted to dollop that foam onto a piece of vanilla cake or something. Of course it took me forever to finish, because I'm not much of a cocktail connoisseur quite yet. Regardless, I'd say the night was a success.

photo diary: mesa summer part III

Thanks to my racked-up rapid rewards points, I could fly back to Phoenix (from Austin) free one last time before heading back to Portland for the school year.  Lucky me, I got home just in time for my dad's big birthday party and a visit from Ted, who was going home afterwards for the first time this summer.  The party was a hit, thanks to my mom's hard work, an awesome trivia slideshow made by my dad, and some delicious tacos and bean dip.  It was a great time had by all, and I loved catching up with family and family friends.  That night, Ted and I watched The Truman Show and I felt very lucky to have him around to show off (this never gets old), and to just do whatever.

The next day, Ted and I made our first carrot cake for my dad's actual birthday and went to my grandparents' (mom's side) to hang out for a while.  Despite some frustration, the cake turned out great, and we covered it with walnuts and coconut, because WHY NOT?  It went wonderfully with the delicious homemade meal my grandparents (dad's side) cooked up for my dad's birthday dinner--ribs and mac n' cheese.  SO GOOD.  

After the road trip, Ted and I enjoyed a low-key day of a lunch and movie date.  We ate at Cornish Pasty Co., which got our seal of approval.  We split the The Oggie (Steak, potatoes, onion and rutabaga) and The Lamb Greek (Lamb, spinach, fresh mozzarella, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, artichokes and roasted garlic).  As you can probably imagine--both incredible.  Highly recommend this place for a casual date.  Afterwards, we saw Monsters University.  Nothing like a Pixar movie date!  (Fun fact: The first time we hung out, we had a Pixar marathon with friends.)  We ended the night with leftover Mexican food and a froyo run with friends.

The next day, we did some Harry Potter legos and said our goodbyes, like true adults.  It was sad, but at least I got to go hang out with my grandma with my dad and Kendal afterward for lunch. The days leading up to my departure were filled with sewing (pillows for my momma above), Izzy cuddles, iced tea with Rylee, Flancer's with my grandpa and parents, and one last trip to Nello's with my grandparents, aunts, uncle, and cousins after some antiquing.

It was sad saying goodbye (I hate goodbyes more than most things), but the promise of the holidays is always present in my holiday-obsessed mind.  Miss and love you guys dearly.

photo diary: grand canyon

Ted had never seen the Grand Canyon, so like a good Arizonan, I gave him the grand tour around the south rim, but not before exploring the parking lot extensively for a spot.  We took our time hiking and enjoying the views of the canyon (but not of the parking lot as we tried to find the parking spot again, at the end of the day).

As we started to leave, Ted decided he wanted to go back to our spot on Airport Road to watch the sunset.  So we raced against the clock (in the safest way--I'm a very cautious passenger) to beat the sunset.  We put off dinner to do so, so we cracked open a bag of Pop Chips and finished our cooler fruit on the way to Sedona.

After enjoying the sunset just in time (although not at our favorite spot, because the parking was full) at the top of Airport Road, we went to Picazzo's Organic Italian Kitchen for a laid-back dinner date.  What's better than enjoying late night gourmet pizza outside with your loved one?  We split the Free-Range Chicken Pesto, which we loved.  We were tickled that the menu said, "As a complimentary investment to your health, add arugula to any pizza at no charge." Too good.  It was a great day, made even greater by a warm pizza with one of my favorite people.

Photos taken by Ted.

Sedona on Dwellable

photo diary: sedona & flagstaff

Ted and I took a small road trip while he was visiting me--hopefully the first of many.  We got up early, packed the car, got some Starbucks, and hit the road to Sedona.  We may have taken our time...  Yep, we're those kind of road trippers.  It was fun being spontaneous throughout the trip--I'm very lucky that Ted's more laid-back nature compliments my excessive planning.  We got to Sedona in time to get some sightseeing in before finding a lovely bench to eat our leftover tacos and bean dip (the best bean dip) from my dad's epic birthday bash.

Our favorite place we found in Sedona was on Airport Road.  There were some red rocks on the side of the road that you could climb to see a beautiful view overlooking Sedona.  We had a blast Oak Creek Canyon, wandering through the trees and along the creek, amongst the numerous towering vortex rocks.  There was action, adventure, romance, and even danger.  Yep, Ted saved me from a snake.  It was epic.  Sure, the snake was probably completely harmless, but hey, it was pretty cool.

Finally, we drove to Flagstaff to walk around the shops and grab some dinner at Beaver Street Brewery--we had the Beaver Street Burger and Rustic Portabello, both solid as usual (this place is a family favorite).

PS I will be blogging about the prior and following days to the road trip in a combined "Mesa" post.  Excitement, I know!

Photos taken by Ted.

Sedona on Dwellable