Thoughts, Reviews, and Ramblings

Oh boy it has been awhile since our last review, but time to get back into the groove. Every now and then we go out and I say, "We really need to write up this place". And sometimes I say it, but the tone is totally different (re-read with your more sinister voice). We were recommended to check out Sel Scottsdale and were told we would be blown away. While not quite blown-away, it was a unique dining experience. read more

It's Friday!! I celebrate Friday nearly every week by not cooking dinner at home. It's a celebration passed down through many generations of women in my family.  An unspoken tradition, if you will.  Or it just might be that I forgot to remove the cedar plank salmon I intended to have Andy grill from the freezer, so we had to go to dinner elsewhere. Who can say? But Andy's daughter Lily made a rare appearance at home.  She's busy and we hardly ever see her. So we thought it would be a good idea to take her out to Pomo Pizzeria Napoletana and catch up. read more

Andy's youngest daughter, Lily, has been hearing great things about Ocotillo restaurant in Phoenix and wanted to try it to see what was up. Lily enjoys appealing to our foodie natures by finding restaurants we may want to try as a family. So when she asked if we could go tonight, we thought it was a great idea! An ocotillo plant is a stick with spikes in the Winter, but in the Spring it turns into a somewhat leafier green stick with spikes and pretty red flowers.  I have been studying these plants since we moved to Arizona because they tend to be in everyone's yards. They are indigenous to the Sonoran desert, so that explains their prevalence. However, Ocotillo Restaurant--named for the spikey sticks--is a casual dining restaurant located in Midtown Phoenix.  Offering contemporary cuisine and several outside patio spaces where you can enjoy the native flora and a lovely cocktail. read more

I love when people say stuff like, "Lynyrd Skynyrd is a really good singer" and you think to yourself, um, that is the name of the band, not the name of a guy... do I tell them? Well don't expect to go into the kitchen and find Paul Martin either because I can't figure out how the name came about. Paul Flemming and Brian Bennett the founders of Paul Martin's, must have some story behind the name, but I may never know. read more

Andy and I, first and foremost are foodies, but we also like to seek out a little adventure. With adventure comes travel, of course, and we spend quite a bit of time in airports.  So imagine my excitement when I discovered Volanti Restaurant located on the runway of Scottsdale Airport!  Yippee!! I love, love restaurants with a fun setting--you know, like the Space Needle in Seattle--and this little lounge was right up my alley. So we invited our Cousins, Dan and Laura, along for a local adventure. read more