The Replacement

Back in 2013, I told you about a shopping center in Scottsdale that was built to look like a Tuscan village.  You can see that post here.  I mentioned that the center had been sold to a developer who had plans to tear it down and build a residential community.  Well, it's done and this is the replacement for that lovely Tuscan village.  It's called The Enclave.

One of my friends is actually looking for a new place in this area so we decided to stop in and take a look at one of the models.

However, the lobby is as far as we got.  It seems the models are only shown by appointment.  My friend hasn't decided if she will pursue that arrangement or not.  So, off we went to look at some other places.

Laser Eyes

I found this mural on the side of a building in midtown Phoenix a few days ago.  I didn't see a signature so the artist is unknown.  It looks like this super hero guy has met with a bit of a problem.

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

There is a new resort in the Scottsdale area called Andaz and I've been hearing some pretty great things about it so yesterday, two friends and I decided to go there for lunch and see what all the buzz was about.

I'm giving it a thumbs up for the design and decor.  The grounds are beautifully landscaped and the public spaces like the pool (above) and the main building were artfully designed.

I have to give the restaurant a definite thumbs down!  In spite of it being very quiet with only three tables occupied, the service was incredibly slow.  The waiter, although pleasant never asked if we wanted anything to drink and after waiting for him to return to the table I asked if there was a drinks list.  Some fifteen minutes later, he returned to the table (our food still hadn't arrived) and started to remove the drinks list when I stopped him and asked if we might order a drink.  "Oh yes" he said as though he never would have thought of that.  When our food finally arrived it was cold.  It took a very long time to arrive and all I can think is that it sat somewhere waiting to be picked up because it should not have been that cold.  I complained that mine was cold and to his credit, he did take that off the bill.  So I'm left wondering what all the fuss was about.  It certainly didn't live up to the hype for the three of us.

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  If you like a bit of James Bond, take a look.

Vendor Action

As with most major events, there is more to the action than just the main event.  The Barrett Jackson Collectors Car Auction was no exception.  There was every kind of vendor present that you could imagine.

This gentleman was selling some pretty nice looking cowboy hats.  He's steaming one here so he can shape the brim.

There were several leather vendors on hand.  This jacket was an eye catcher.  If I was 20 years younger, I might have been tempted.

One vendor had every type of model car you could imagine for sale.  Remember my post from last Sunday about the Shasta Travel Trailer my parents owned?  I could have picked up this model of one if I wanted.

If you were in the market for some unique furnishings for that "den", there were suppliers ready to sell you just the thing.  Fortunately, I don't have a den.  😃

This young lady was on the job at the McLaren auto show space.  I have no idea how much she knows about the cars but, she's and expert at attracting attention.

These motorized bicycles were attracting a crowd.  They sure would make going up hill a lot easier, wouldn't they?

This young lady looked like she was having a great time selling all kinds of treats at one booth.  She was wearing a fabulous 1950's look and a big smile.

  You could purchase every kind of vintage gas pump you might want.  This one appealed to me because when I was a little kid, my dad used be a regular customer of a Skelly Gas Station and I loved to go with him to get the car filled up.

That wraps up my Barrett Jackson photos for this year.  I hope it's not another four years before I go again.

Real Horsepower

What's all this talk about horsepower??  Here's the real thing!

The Barrett Jackson Collectors Car Auction wasn't just about cars.  They had some pretty special horses to show us too!  They had a small show in the afternoon of a few champion horses.

I wish I could have gotten photos of all of them.  They were all beautiful.  

It's a Doozy!

Here are some more shots form the Barrett Jackson Auto Auction from last week.  The gentleman standing next me asked if I'd seen this 1930 Duesenberg J Dual-Cowl Phaeton.  He added "it's a doozy".  And So it is, especially after it sold for a mere $880,000.00.  Yikes!

I love it's rather delicate looking hood ornament!

Another doozy in my book was this Austin Princess A 135 Hearse from 1956.  It was owned by John Lennon.  He drove it and modified it and used it in his 1971 movie "Imagine".  

They had a display of the original ownership papers with John Lennon's signature on it.  The new owner who paid $159,500.00 for the car will get those papers along with the car.

Another rare beauty was this 1933 Auburn 12 161A Salon Phaeton Convertible.  The description said it was one of the rarest produced and set many speed records in it's day.  This one sold for $165,000.00.

I think my favorite part of the Auburn was this gorgeous hood ornament!  

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

It's been four years since I attended the Barrett Jackson Collector Car Auction but, I got the opportunity to attend last week courtesy of my friends Julie and Dave.  I'm obviously not a bidder but, I have to admit that it's fun to tour the hall where all the cars are stored and see some rare beauties.  The above car is a 2011 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport.

I had never seen anything quite like it.  The paint job was not shiny like most cars, it had a sort of matte finish.  This car, belonging to Floyd Mayweather Jr. did not meet the reserve.  I don't know what the reserve was but rumor has it that it was over 1 million.

I think my favorite cars to see are the ones in the 1930 range.  This is a 1938 Rolls Royce Boattail Sporster.  This one sold for $126,500.00.  If you are a fan of Hercule Poirot, can't you picture Colonel Hastings in this one?

I think this was one of the most unusual cars I saw there.  It's a 1955 Chrysler Ghia Streamline X "Gilda".  Whew...that's a mouthful.

This is a one of a kind, aerodynamic exhibition car introduced at the Turin Auto Show.  It's spent a lot of it's life in museums, the Ford Museum until 1969, Harrah's until 1985, and the Blackhawk Museum until 2005.  It's been in private ownership since then.  This one would look pretty futuristic sailing down the road.  Unfortunately, this one didn't meet the reserve either so it did not sell this time around.

I have some more to show you tomorrow.

Urban vs. Rural

The area where I found yesterday's witch, is a patch of homes with huge lots and very narrow streets giving it a very rural look.  In reality is just feet away from busy Camelback Road and right in the heart of Phoenix.  I like to drive around in here every now and then and it seems I always discover something new or interesting to photograph.  Last year I found this shot that looks like it was taken on a country road somewhere.  I was looking for something similar when I found this patch of gnarled trees.  They were looking very picturesque with their winter bareness.

I also spotted a few homes that I've seen before but, I like the way they looked on this damp and grey morning.  It's funny how a little rain and wet weather changes the look of things.

I noticed I was being watched while I was doing my photographic explorations!

A Witch's Brew

I discovered a most unusual decoration on a house.  If I had seen this back in October I might have thought it was just another Halloween decoration but finding it in mid-January makes it seem completely out of place.

The funny thing is, it looks like it's a permanent ornament on the side of this house located in a rather upscale neighborhood.

Memories from the Past

When I was driving around on Friday I spotted this relic of the past sitting in someone's yard.  When I was a teenager, my mom and dad had a travel trailer very similar to this one that we vacationed in for several years.  The only difference is that our's had an overhang in front where an upper bunk was located.  Those wings on the back give it away as a Shasta travel trailer.  I have lots of fond memories of wonderful trips with the family in our little moving hotel.  We camped in style.

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  I'm walking in the footsteps of the Knights Templar.

A Bleak Day

It was a bleak day in Phoenix yesterday.  Grey clouds, rainy and cold.  Well, cold by desert standards.  I drove around for a little while looking for some good rainy day shots but, only a few turned up.

I think the weather was matching my mood because I felt like it was a bleak day in America too.  To sum up my feelings for yesterday;  Out with a class act and in with a crass act.

Random and Unrelated

Today I have an assortment of random shots that are totally unrelated from each other.  Just a few things to ponder.

The MetLife blimp passing overhead.  Snoopy is always a pleasant sight.

Our recent weather.  Rain every now and then but grey skies a lot.

Heavy traffic!  I was glad I wasn't in the right lane.

A very odd mishap on this bumper.  I have no idea what could have caused that.

The area along a north Phoenix walking path. I thought there was a simple beauty to it.

Designer Duds for Men

When one grey day follows another grey day, it's time to spend a little time in a Museum and the Phoenix Art Museum always has something to inspire me.  A quick trip through the small fashion design gallery had me wondering if anyone I know would wear these suits.  Frankly, I couldn't think of a single person.  That red one is by Giles Montezin, the black one by Mitsuhiro Matsuda and the grey one is the design of Jean Paul Gaultier.  The description card on the grey one said it was a gift of Neiman Marcus Last Call.  I think that means it didn't sell.

Not to leave the women out of this post, here's the 2005 Kate Winslet Oscar dress designed by Badgley Mischka.  It's quite lovely and must have looked wonderful on Kate.

The Beat of My Heart

Remember AZ88, that restaurant/bar in Scottsdale that I frequent especially when attending an event at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts?  If not, check this post from last August and this one of the outside of the place.  David and I stopped in last Wednesday night after the Pink Martini concert and we got to see their latest art work.  If you remember, this is the place that constantly has a changing and very eclectic art concept.  This time it's a beating heart.

They actually ripped a hole in the wall to expose the beating heart.  It doesn't make any sound, it just beats away over our heads.  They really do come up with some of the most clever ideas, but ripping out the drywall to expose the "bones" behind it was genius.

Is It a Spill or Is It Murder??

Last Friday night, I went with a few friends to a blind wine-tasting event at our local Total Wine store.  It was a tasting to see if we could tell the "Old World" wines from the "New World" wines.  Old world refers basically to France and and new world is pretty much anywhere else.  I did pretty good.  I only got one set wrong.  On the way out of the store, I saw this rather ominous puddle oozing out from under the shelving.  I think there might be a broken bottle somewhere under that pile.  Either that or there is a murder victim in the next aisle!  😁

Art for Fun

The latest art installation around the Scottsdale Waterfront are these woven merry-go-rounds.  They are very interactive because you can climb inside and take a spin.  This youngster was asking her daddy to make it go faster!

Town Council

Last Thursday night I attended a special meeting of the Paradise Valley Town Council to see my good friend Julie sworn in as a council member.  Many of my readers remember Julie not only from the many times I've mentioned her on this blog but, from when she used to have the Scottsdale Daily Photo Blog.

Since her blog went quiet, she has moved to Paradise Valley and found herself increasingly involved in local issues.  Last spring she decided to make a run for the Paradise Valley Town Council and she won.  Paradise Valley is located north and east of Phoenix and encompasses much of Camelback Mountain, the iconic mountain that runs between Phoenix, Paradise Valley and Scottsdale.  Julie is very involved in preservation of the mountain and hopes that her work on the council along with the other council members will help to continue that cause.  In fact, there is a petition on line that anyone can sign who is interested in saving the mountain.  The link is here!

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  It's all about traveling under the English Channel.