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Andreoli's...I'm in love.
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Growing up in New Jersey it wasn't very hard to find great Italian food. It was in our kitchen, at my grandmother's, or up the street at Cosmo Bella Pizza. Moving to Indiana in 1987 caused gastronomical problems. Indianapolis wasn't the hub for "real" Italian food and to get anything decent you would have to really search. Now having a home in AZ the hunt began here for great restaurants...... And today I found PARADISO!!
While searching online I came across Andreoli's Italian Grocer in Scottsdale. I took a look at the website, read the reviews and drooled over their menu. I only hoped that the food was half as good as they made it look and sound. I chuckled at one reviewers comment.."you'll feel like you're in Italy". Really? Yes.....a thousand times, YES!
As we got out of the car three men were standing in the parking lot talking....two of them with their hands clasped behind their backs, nodding occasionally, as older Italian men always seem to do. The third was gesturing grandly about something...in Italian:-) Inside the small, but beautifully decorated restaurant, were 10 tables that looked as though they were found in a small village in Italy and made their way to Arizona. We grabbed a table, ordered our food and then just took it all in. Of the 25-30 people in the restaurant, we were the only ones speaking English. Everyone spoke Italian...even small children were running about with a Roman tongue.
And then the sandwiches we ordered came......and I entered HEAVEN. Insanely good, fresh, and yes....you would think you were in Italy. Besides the sandwiches and pizzas for lunch, they also have a specials menu and serve amazing dinner dishes.
My sandwich...Viva l'italia...Focaccia bread with fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil. So simple, but seriously, I could eat this for the rest of my life. |
| And Jeffrey's....(my dad would have loved this)...Sempronio...Prosciutto, mozzarella and roasted peppers. |
| All I wanted to do was sit there and soak it all in. Wonderful food, loved being surrounded by the sounds of Italy, all just a short drive away. |
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This is my second winter in Arizona...last year I came out at Christmas and stayed through January. This year I have extended it a bit further. Due to a few repeat clients and a wedding, I'll be here throughout the winter months. Now that I have my Jeep here, it is so much fun to head out to the desert and enjoy what Arizona has to offer. Yesterday my "sister"of the traveling pants and I headed out to the Superstition Mountains to go hiking. The Superstition Mountains lie in the Sonoran Desert which is also a part of the Tonto National Forest....confused? Me too! Although it is absolutely stunning.
We started out on our hike and followed the Boulder Canyon trail.....and along the way I learned plenty about hiking in Arizona. First and foremost follow the Boy Scout rule of "Be Prepared"....we weren't. Things to remember for the next hike:
1) Wear hiking boots. It makes a HUGE difference. Running shoes don't cut it on this rocky terrain.
2) Bring water. Really.....we thought we were going for a little hike....turned out longer than we planned.
3) Hiking poles are not for old people and those who want to look dedicated....they really can help.
4) Snacks, sunglasses and sunblock.
5) Bring Water....I know I already said it, but it needs to be said again.
6) Learn the trails....and let someone know where you are.
7) Dress appropriately....we were cold at the beginning and HOT at the end.
8) Bring water:-)
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| We started to hike at 7:45 am...the moon was in the sky. The cactus on the right let us know that everything would be A- OK. |
| Leaning about the desert is so much more fun when you actually get to walkabout the desert!! Say hello to some prickly pear cactus. |
| The most famous cactus of the desert would be the Saguaro....although the guy on the right is confused about which way to go! |
| There has been rain recently which allows things to really "green up". This will also allow for a wonderful show of spring wildflowers in a few months. |
| It really wouldn't be a fun trip for us if we didn't run into someone interesting. So meet Dawn. She came bounding along about 30 minutes into our hike, completely prepared for her adventure. We were embarrassed to mention that we were completely UNPREPARED. She stopped to chat, and offer a bit of advice, and then invited us to follow along as she made her way to the end of the trail. We followed behind and then she informed us that we had traveled two miles. TWO???? How could that be? It felt like five!! But when you are watching every step you take to ensure that you don't topple over jutting rocks, or fall of a mountainside, it seems longer. |
We said our goodbyes to Dawn at the end of our trail and started our way back out. Looking at so many beautiful things along the way was so fun. All of this is literally in my backyard...just a 20 minute drive down the road. I'm in love.....and I'll be back. Completely prepared.
And if you are in Arizona and are looking for a photographer....I'm ready! |
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The Last Leg......Santa Fe 2 and The Laguna Reservation
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Back safely in Arizona, the journey has come to an end. I loved every minute of it and I really want to thank my traveling sister, Geri. We drove over 2,000 miles and met some amazing characters. We laughed, sang, prayed and laughed some more. The best part of this trip was certainly connecting with individuals we had never met and learning their stories. Incredible people for sure and it reminds me that we are all so different, however; everyone is looking for the same thing....love and acceptance.
Our last day in Santa Fe was a bit chilly. The weather had started to dip and snow was in the forecast. The New Mexico Museum of Art is right of the plaza in the historic downtown. The architecture of this building is what I think of when I picture New Mexico. Absolutely beautiful....almost looks soft to the touch, doesn't it? |
| Doors....doors....and more doors...... |
Warming up was an easy task back at the La Fonda Hotel. The French Pastry shop in the hotel is just magnificent. We had a wonderful conversation with an older couple from Arkansas who were on a road trip as well.....and we had AMAZING pastry. And I kept running into this girl during my travels:-) She always seemed to be across the table from me!
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| Our delectable treats....a Raspberry Tart and Chocolate Croissant...yum! |
| The Pastry shop was busy all morning long....everyone enjoying coffee, pastries and conversation. Great ambiance and decor. |
| After our coffee and pastries we walked about some more and found such great photographic stops.... |
| Our last stop in Santa Fe was this rug gallery. Were we found Ali working in his friend's store. He came to the States thirteen years ago from Jordan and was so happy to talk about his family and his Muslim heritage. He fell in love with a nice American girl from Ohio and now is a proud papa of four year old twins. He was so genuine and eager to chat...and so we did.....about everything;-) |
| And then we hit the road for home....and it began to snow. A bit of flurries that eventually let up. |
| As we made our way across New Mexico toward Arizona, my traveling companion was in need of a potty break and also saw a sign for "fried bread".....that's a reason to stop. Right? Right! When we entered the small Laguna Indian store we met Dominic. We didn't ask to photograph him since there were signs outside... "no use of photographic equipment in the store". While shopping and chatting, Dominic suggested that we should see the church at the top of the hill that the Laguna Indians and the Spaniards built in 1699. Laguna is a Native American tribe of the Pueblo people. As we made our way to the top of the hill there were 30-40 small homes all crammed together surrounding St. Joseph's. |
The doors to the church were carved and looked every bit of 400 years old. The doors were locked and we rang the bell which brought us face to face with Father Wayne. He had been a priest in this church twenty years ago and was now on round two of pastoring this flock. He allowed us into the church but we were unable to photograph inside. On Indian reservations the church is owned by the reservation and the Catholic Church just administers to them. The Indians do not allow their sacred places to be photographed. Surprisingly....I followed the orders of the tribe:-)
Father Wayne told us that we had arrived on the third and last day of the new governor being installed in the tribe. A new governor is chosen each year and the tribe dances and feasts for three days in January. Sadly, we had just missed the dancing in the square. |
| And a view of a typical home next to the church. Small, compact, no frills. |
And our view of the Pueblo as we left and made the last leg of our journey home. You can see the church at the very top center of the image.
Such an amazing adventure with so many wonderful memories, stories and people. A trip we'll never forget. |
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Santa Fe.....La Fonda and The Cathedral
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We rolled into Santa Fe yesterday and stopped in a few local shops. We came to the historic downtown area and had lunch at La Fonda. Beautiful hotel with wonderful character. The best part of this trip is meandering. Going wherever the spirit moves us....and it seems as though the spirit has a religious preference. Each place that we stop on this journey brings us to a Catholic Church....although New Mexico has quite a few:-)
On of the many comfortable sitting areas in the hotel.... |
| The main lobby.........a group of guys were gathering here as part of a bridal party....this would be an amazing destination wedding locale. Anyone interested??? I'd be happy to come back and shoot it??? Anyone??? |
| The doors leading off the main restaurant...the chef is from Fort Wayne, IN. Way to represent the Midwest!! |
| After leaving the hotel we headed over to St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral Basilica. A stunning cathedral that has portions of it that date back to 1610. The cathedral itself was completed in 1869. |
| The main doors leading into the church are reliefs....they remind me of the doors of the Baptistry in Florence, Italy. The work of Ghiberti. The doors here depict the history of the church in Santa Fe. |
And as we entered the Cathedral we were greeted by David. A volunteer who has an amazing amount of knowledge of the Catholic Church in New Mexico. As we talked more David revealed that the church had just finished an amazing restoration to celebrate its 400 year anniversary. We also learned that David was one of the artists to paint the interior of the cathedral. One of three main painters the restoration would take thirteen months. All of the work done while visitors continued to come through. I wonder if that's how it was for Michelangelo??? :-).
And David got a chuckle out of me asking to photograph him. He told me he doesn't take a great picture....well David, when posed, you're right. But when you are animatedly talking about the place you love....much better! |
| We took a short trip around the plaza as we waited for Mass to begin at the Cathedral when we met Christopher Michael....lots of people selling their jewelry and wares on the side streets. I just loved the way in which he greeted us with a big smile and loads of cheer. He was happy to pose for my camera. |
| I found this girl trolling the streets of Santa Fe....and yes, it got a bit chilly in the evening as we walked about. |
| We head to our final destination today....Gilbert, AZ. We'll be driving through Flagstaff and the Tonto National Forest. Looking forward to emptying the suitcase as both of us are running out of clean clothes!! Until tomorrow! |
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This is going to be short since we are FRIED!! It has been a wonderful day filled with joy and sorrow. We started off our morning in Oklahoma City with the purpose of visiting the Oklahoma City National Memorial. A tribute the to the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Hard to imagine that it has been 17 years since that day in April.
As we searched for parking this morning, we saw the parking lot of St. Joseph's Cathedral was directly across from the Memorial, and the parking lot was virtually empty. We decided to pop in to the cathedral and then make our way to the site. St. Joseph's is just beautiful. We walked around the church a bit and then went to the basement where the gift shop was. We were greeted by the sweetest nun who spent the next hour and a half telling us how she became a nun, made her way to Oklahoma City from California and about her family. |
| Meet Sister Susan Clark. She is a Carmelite nun who ministers in the St. Joseph Parish. |
| Such a lovely woman whose company we truly enjoyed. As we left the church and made our way to the site of the bombing, this statue of Jesus sits between the cathedral and where the Alfred F. Murrah Federal Building use to stand. The statue reads, AND JESUS WEPT. So fitting for the spot where it is erected. |
| As you enter either side of the Memorial it is flanked by large walls....and the walls are timed....one reads 9:01 and the other reads 9:03. The times represent the moment before life change for Oklahoma City and immediately after. |
| The Field of Empty Chairs represent the 168 lives lost in the bombing. Of those 19 were children who were attending daycare. The smaller chairs represent the children. |
| On the north side of the Memorial you can find the "survivor tree". This tree became a symbol to Oklahoma City about standing strong in the face of adversity. The tree stood as everything around it crumbled. It blooms beautiful green leaves in the spring, and provides wonderful shade for those who choose to enjoy it. Even in winter, without all of its greenery, it still makes a statement. |
| And then we left Oklahoma City after a quick lunch in Bricktown. The trip to Albuquerque was eight hours and we are TIRED!!! Looking forward to a day of fun here in New Mexico tomorrow. As we approached the city and came in over the mountains it got colder....and there was snow! Until then....we'll be meandering:-) |
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