A Scottdale Resort

I've driven past the Westin Kierland Resort many times but had never been inside the place so I remedied that recently when I took a little tour around the hotel.

First I stopped for lunch at the hotel's restaurant. I had heard good things about the food there but, I'd have to say I wasn't impressed.

However I was impressed by the view from the restaurant looking out over the golf course and a little lake.

The decor inside gave it just your average hotel look.  I think they did a much better job on the grounds than they did on the interior.  But, I did quite like this table and art piece sitting in an obscure little corner.

Argentinian Giant

I thought I had missed out on the blooms on the Argentinian Giant cactus this year but I finally caught one this last Sunday at the garden.

This cactus has the most spectacular blooms that are always the size of a large dinner plate.

This one was in perfect condition and was beautifully shaped.  I'm so glad I got to see it and photograph it.

Cactus Blooms & A Scotsman

I caught a few cactus blooms when I was at the garden last Sunday.  This Saguaro bloom was just above eye level so it was a good opportunity to get a nice close up view.

This toothpick cactus had only two or three blooms on it but this one was standing up and reaching for the sky.

And, you just never know who you might run into at the botanical garden.  This fellow was performing background music for a private memorial service near the herb garden.  A fellow playing the bagpipes is not a common sight in these parts!

Weather Extremes

So I mentioned yesterday that it got to 108 degrees (42C) on Friday and yesterday it barely made it over 70 (21C).  Talk about weather extremes!  The normal temperature here in the desert southwest for this time of year is about 86 degrees (30C).  Things just seem to be a bit on the strange side weather-wise.  However, the good thing is, the cool temperatures and heavily overcast skies on Sunday made for some perfect picture taking.  I was just ready to press the shutter on this shot of a guayacan bloom when I was photo bombed by the bee who seemed to want to get in on the action.

The lion's tail blooms were standing up tall and proud at the Desert Botanical Garden.

And these lovely artichokes are just about ready to open up and expose their lavender blooms.  I always have mixed emotions when I see the artichokes blooming or ready to bloom.  When they open up, they've missed their time for eating purposes but, I guess they do need to go to seed once in while to encourage new growth.

Crazy Crowds, High Heat & Slow Service

On Friday I mentioned that it was Cinco de Mayo, a non-holiday that we crazy Americans celebrate by drinking tequila and eating Mexican food.  My friend David and I had plans to get some Mexican food and at the last minute we decided to join his sister and a few other friends at restaurant near his sister's house.  When I arrived, there was a line about 30 people deep.  Once inside, it was wall to wall people and the wait for a table to eat was about 2 hours long.  To top that off, we had to wait outside where the temperature had topped out at 108 degrees (42C).  (By the way, those were freakish temperatures for this time of year.  It will back down to 77 today.)  We lasted an hour and a half and decided it wasn't worth it.  The whole silly Cinco de Mayo thing has gotten out of control.

The good news is, David introduced me to a relatively new place that has a secret bar on the second floor.  It was sort of like and elegant speak-easy.  We had to get there through a door in the restaurant kitchen that looks like the door to a meat locker and we had to be escorted by the restaurant manager. It felt so decadent!  I loved it.

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  Every world class city has a dependable and well planned mass transportation system.

Garden in the City

There is a patch of land on Central Avenue between Camelback Road and Indian School Road that has been sitting vacant for many years now.  From time to time there will be a sign on it with a picture of some planned building or development but nothing seems to stick.  Recently I noticed a lot of garden activity on that patch of land.  I decided to stop and see what it was all about.

It seems a nursery that is located on the far west side of Phoenix has opened an outlet right there on our central corridor.  This is an area full of high-rise buildings, businesses and multi-housing units and of course the light rail that runs right up the middle of Central Avenue.  I can only assume that it is a temporary arrangement until some type of development is finally approved for this location.  It certainly adds a lot of color to a once barren plot of land.

They lady I talked to was a volunteer working on the site and she told me that all of the rose plants I was admiring are breeds from South Africa and they are new to our area.

They were the most fragrant roses I think I've ever been near.  I could smell their sweet scent just walking along the paths between the plants.

Break Out the Chips and Salsa

Today is Cinco de Mayo, that Mexican holiday that we Americans celebrate but most Mexicans do not.  It's the day we head to our local Mexican Restaurant for a hearty meal and a Margarita (or two). My friend David and I have plans to celebrate the day with a delicious Mexican treat and of course it will start with some chips and salsa.

Homes for the Birds

I found two classy looking birdhouses hanging in a tree last weekend.  They remind me of the houses I photographed last year in some of our historic neighborhoods.  They have that mellowed with age look.

I think they are very appealing in a vintage sort of way.  I wonder if they are well used.

Walking Weather

Last Saturday was a beautiful day for a walk so I decided to head to Old Town Scottsdale where I could walk the streets of old western storefronts and maybe find a photo or two.  That's how I happened to find this little restaurant called Cien Agave.  I had never even heard of it before but, I decided to stop in.

This is where I found the painting I featured yesterday by artist Moises.  You can see it just over the head of the guy in the tan T-shirt.  The restaurant turned out to be very good with exceptional service provided by a very friendly staff.

The walls were covered with paintings by Moises so, now I'm wondering if this might be one of his favorite places to eat.  Regardless, finding this place was a very pleasant surprise.  I have a feeling I'll be back.

A Coincidental Find

Just last week, I had a few photos from the most recent exhibit at the Heard Museum about Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera and one of the pictures I featured was a self portrait of Frida called "Diego on my Mind".  Last Saturday, I found a painting by Phoenix artist Moises that is his take on that very same painting this time with Diego Rivera pictured with Frida on his mind.  It kind of looks like he might also be thinking about a nice taco but that's beside the point.

El Moises was born in Mexico and raised in Phoenix. His artwork has a sometimes whimsical look at culture and society and is always done in vibrant colors.  You can read about him and see some of his other art a the link.  

Tomorrow I'll show you the unlikely place I found this painting.

Theme Day: Let's Eat

The May 1st theme for all City Daily Photo bloggers is "Let's Eat" and what a fun theme it is.  Everyone loves good food and food is a central part of our social lives.  I decided to show you these great puff pastry desserts I made a few weeks ago.  They are called Apple Rose Puff Pastries and they are as delicious as they are pretty.

I liked them so much I made them again a few weeks later.

To see the other "Let's Eat" photos from other City Daily Photo bloggers, click here.

Trees and Flowers

Just down the street from the see-through house I featured yesterday was this row of trees blooming with pretty yellow flowers.  I think these are mesquite trees.

And, just down the street a little further was this house with the gorgeous garden growing around the fenced yard.  What a spectacular display.

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  I'm reviewing a London hotel.

See-Through House

I found this house in a neighborhood near me but, I hadn't noticed this one before.  It has a lot of glass and you can see straight through it.  It's difficult to photograph because of reflections.

Here's another shot from a little different angle.  You can see straight through the house where the door is located and in the rooms on both sides of the door.  It's very attractive but, that's a lot of glass to maintain and I bet it's expensive to cool in the summer.

Men at Work

I spied three big broom lifts near a local office building so I drove in for a closer look.  They were working on the windows of the building and I'm not sure if it was just a wash job or something bigger.

They had an awful lot of things up there in the bucket with them.  By the way, that guy on the left has some kind of blue cloth over his head.  He's not really a "blue-man".

What I found really interesting were these covers on the tires of the lift.  I've never seen anything like them before and I'm not exactly sure what they are for.  Maybe it's just to keep the tires from leaving marks on the pavement.

National Tell A Story Day

Today is National Tell a Story Day (among several other "national day" designations) so I thought I'd take this opportunity to tell you a story.  It's a story with pictures about Casper the Cactus Wren!

Casper was a very resourceful little cactus wren with innovative ideas in the field of nest building.  When he set out on the task of building the perfect nest, he found the ideal location in the arms of a tall and strong cactus.  Now all he needed were some unique and durable building materials to frame his dream home.

Soaring above the desert setting, imagine Casper's excitement when he noticed an old gardener's cart lined with a frayed and tattered carpet.  Surely those loose threads from that carpet would not only create a solid home but a luxurious one at that.

With confidence and grit, Casper began gathering what was needed.  He tugged and pulled on those frazzled pieces of thread until his muscles ached, but he couldn't seem to pry them loose.  However, Casper was not deterred, he was determined to get what he wanted.

"Maybe if I pull from another direction" thought Casper.  So he pulled with all his might until he nearly slipped off the side of the cart.

"Maybe some swift jerking actions will do the trick" thought Casper.  So he pulled with such rapid motion that he started to feel a bit dizzy.

"Whew" he thought.  "This is much harder than I thought it would be."

Casper gave it one last, powerful yank, but those threads were just not going to break free.

Casper came to the realization that carpet thread was just not going to work out as nest building material.  He would have to go back to the tried and true construction stock.

When all his work was finally done, Casper took time to relax and admire his work.  His new home was solid and comforting and fit perfectly into the neighborhood.  It was his very own Home Sweet Home.

Copper Flag

Recently I noticed a shiny artwork in front of a corporate office building.  I'm not sure if it's a new piece or if I just hadn't noticed it before but, it caught my eye this time.  The building is called Missouri Falls probably because it's located on 7th Street and Missouri.

From across the street it appeared to be a giant copper flag waving in the breeze.

So, I went across the street to take a closer look.  Not only is it a sculpture but it's a fountain too with water running down through that crease on the left side and into a pool below.

I couldn't find any artist's name associated with it.  Too bad, it's quite attractive.

Frida and Diego

Last Friday I went to the Heard Museum to see the new exhibit Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.  I'm going to make a point to go back sometime this summer after the winter visitors have gone because it was extremely crowded and I think I missed a lot because of that.  I patiently waited for a break in the crowds to snap this photo of some of Frida's clothes.  I heard a guide say that she wore a lot of loose and boxy tops to hide the cast she had to wear under her clothes because of her back injury.

They had quite a few original works of art from both Frida and Diego.  I liked this one titled "Diego on my Mind" from 1943.

And then I saw this photograph of Frida working on that same (or a similar) painting with Diego looking on.

Among the works of Diego Rivera was this painting that almost everyone will recognize.  It has been reprinted numerous times.

I'll go back later this summer and spend more time looking at all the pieces on display.