Thoughts, Reviews, and Ramblings

My visit to Sterling Golf and Country Club was really fascinating. The club just recently opened (February, 2021) and so everything is new or still in construction. The course is a Troon managed club which gets you on with some discounts if you are using a Troon card or have a Troon Privé membership. The course is a Nicklaus designed course with a menagerie of mounds, traps, and hazards to menace all levels of golfers. I played the Blue tees which were still 6,500 yards and managed to throw out a number that I will not be recording in the GHIN computers. read more

We were searching for a light lunch, you know, a salad or something, because it was a hot summer day.  We had only been in town about a week or so, and weren't yet familiar with the restaurant choices in our neighborhood.  So we hopped on our trusty cruisers and rode over to Mercado Del Lago Mall which is conveniently located at Via De Ventura and North Hayden.  There we discovered Grassroots, and Andy discovered the only salad he has ever loved. read more

Upon arrival to Scottsdale, we were in the midst of lockdown.  It was 115 degrees outside, Andy was out of town, and I only had a cat to entertain me.  So I flipped on Food Network (as I am wont to do in times of desperation... or just general boredom) and came across "The Best Thing I Ever Ate."  This is a show where the Food Network chefs tell you about their favorite menu items at their favorite restaurants.  Just my luck if one of them didn't mention a restaurant right around the corner from us, Fat Ox! (I know that reads like some new slang I learned from the kids on social media. Fat Ox is the name of the restaurant.) Well, I broke out my trusty phone and called Andy immediately. Just kidding. I added it to a running list of restaurants we want to try around town.  Let me tell you, Fat Ox did not disappoint. read more

I grabbed my trusty cohort Leslie and we headed down south of town to the edge of the Gila River Reservation to play Whirlwind Golf Course. While this course is just across the highway from Foothills GC, there is little similarity. Foothills has some elevation while Whirlwind is built in a flat area. Whirlwind is also a Troon managed club so there is a bit more uppity swank to this course than you will find across the way. If you have a Troon card then use Troon's portal to book your tee times. There are two 18 hole courses at Whirlwind, Devil's Claw and Cattail. We played Cattail. These are both courses designed by Gary Planks. The course is adjacent to the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass which is an enormous resort with the pools and water features running along some of the fairway. read more

Bandolero Cocina de Mexico is located in the Shopping Center on Double Tree and Scottsdale Rd in Gainey Ranch.  For those of you directionally challenged folks (like me) there is a Sprouts Market and Pomos restaraunt nearby.  We visited Bandoleros a couple of times, once for dinner and another time for brunch.  The restaurant is decorated nicely, lively colors and great music.  The drink menu boasts an extensive range of tequilas, as well as a nice selection of beers and wines. read more

Don't expect a review for Pizza Hut or Dominos, but Spinato's is a local chain that I recently found out about. They have five locations in the Valley, easily found by checking Google Maps. In full disclosure I only visited one location see update below (11108 N Frank Lloyd Wright) and it is still somewhat in pandemic mode. But I do intend to check other locations and expand on my review when I get the chance. Unfortunately, due to my crappy slow metabolism I cannot eat pizza every day like I could when I was 22. So be it... read more

For starters this is not in Scottsdale. It is West Valley and a fairly easy drive though, so it gets reviewed. The majority of the courses reviewed are public courses, but not necessarily municipal courses, and maybe that is the big problem with Cave Creek. As you roll into the property it is not obvious where you go. The pro shop site is up on a hill well past the parking lot. The parking was overflowing and much of that may have been that they do have a large driving range that most likely brings in lots of additional traffic, beyond the slated tee times. read more

When you pull up to Painted Mountain the first thing you notice is, "Resort? Where is the resort?". The main building looks like the VFW, old and boring. The bag drop is a bit messy with the guys managing carts in a panic to get carts cleaned and returned to the course. This is an old course that has had little updating since its inception and you can tell. The pace of play was terrible and we were backed up three groups as soon as we left the first tee. read more