Downtown Phoenix Historic Home Tours

It was a year ago this December when we first spotted our 1920's English Tudor home in the F.Q. Story neighborhood in downtown Phonix. We ventured to this unique part of town during the annual Home Tour and our future residence was having an open house the same weekend. It was love at first sight. The perfect front porch, original double-hung windows, and black and white tiled floors just oozed charm and character. A little over a month later we moved in.

If you enjoy history, interior design, architecture, or just like to look at homes the Historic Home Tours have something for you! Food and gift vendors are also on site during the tour. Ticket sales go toward preserving and supporting these historic neighborhoods (as there are no HOA fees). Checkout the schedules below and websites for more information!

F.Q. Story
December 6th & 7th, 2014
Website: fqstory.org

Willo
February 8th, 2015
Website: willohistoricdistrict.com

Coronado
March 1st, 2015
Website: gcna.info

Encanto/Palmcroft
March 29th, 2015
Website: encantopalmcroft.org

IKEA is Getting Crafty

Have you been to Ikea lately? Most of it looks the same. It still takes a year to walk through, the furniture is still uncomfortable and the Sweedish meatballs are still filling. But it's the new section that caught my eye. Holy smokes. I was in a gift-givers paradise!

They have TONS of coordinating wrapping paper, ribbon, gift tags, paper lanterns, party supplies, and more! It was such a nice little treat and I got to explore the new paper crafts section with my friend Maryann which made it that much better (the hubs wouldn't appreciate it like my lady friends. That's the gospel truth). AND, the best part? Christmas trimmings and wrappings a-plenty! Go check it out!

Paint Nite

Who knew that as an inexperienced artist you could paint a snazzy little canvas like a pro? And in two hours or less, may I add. The lady friends and I had a fun evening at Paint Nite in Phoenix and our cityscapes were pretty impressive, if I do say so myself. Some had a little help from wine and others from Coke (the cola, not the other), and a fabulous time was had by all!

Paint Nite provides you with all the tools you need to create your masterpiece and you just show up and have a good time. And maybe you'll be lucky enough to win a drawing or game like I did. Yup, a pass for a free paint night and green smock were mine for the taking! Visit their website HERE to find a class in your neck of the woods. And take someone fun along. It makes the evening so much more enjoyable!

Extra Credit: Frame your painting and hang it on the wall. There is something about a frame that makes the art look like it came from a store and you paid big bucks. Really.

Top 10 Phoenix Restaurants

A huge perk of living in a big city are all the options for food. You'd typically think of New York or Chicago for great restaurants, but I'm here to tell you Phoenix can hold it's own! Here is our list of Top 10 Phoenix Restaurants.

1. La Grande Orange. Spicy Pimento Dip? Say no more! But I will. The Margherita Pizza is our personal favorite. We've tried them all and there's not one we don't like. And if you're into salad the kale is king. Read our original LGO post HERE.

2. Bobby Q's. Cornbread? Check. Delicious pulled pork? Check. Fabulous mac n' cheese? Check. Mini doughnuts? Double check. This place gets it done deliciously well. I'm usually not a big BBQ fan, but Bobby Q's is definitely is deserving of a top spot. Mmmm hmmm.

3. Pino's Al Centro. Pino's really does have a Mom and Pop feel to it. It's not the fanciest place, but it's small, quaint, and serves some delicious grub. Make sure you listen to the specials, it's usually worth getting.

4. The Henry. Fox Restaurant Concepts has some awesome spots in the valley like Sauce and The Arrogant Butcher, but The Henry takes the cake for us (or the Warm Croissant Bread Pudding in this case -- delicious). The decor is amazing and the food is even better. Best to make a reservation!

5. Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. Named by RateBeer.com as the NUMBER ONE best new brewery in the WORLD. That's saying something. But can I tell you the food is damn delicious? You must try the artichoke dip.  Oh, and the tagline? "Handcrafted Beers, Facecrafted Beards." Gold.

6. The Breadfruit. It's Jamaican, mon! This quaint little place serves up big flavor, especially if you're a seafood fan. Enjoy a cocktail and/or cigar at the Rum Bar. This is a slightly hidden downtown gem. Again, make a reservation.

7. Lo-Lo's Chicken and Waffles. Soul food at its best. And I've got good news for you, if you fly through Phoenix Sky Harbor you can try this place at the airport (Terminal 4, Passenger Lobby Level 3). My favorite? The chicken and waffles, duh.

8. The Main Ingredient. Central Phoenix has a few old homes that have been converted into restaurants but this is our favorite. A unique menu in an idyllic setting where the outside seating is perfect with twinkling lights and inside it's nice a cozy.

9. Cornish Pasty. It's like you just landed in Portland, Oregon. But you didn't. The Cornish Pasty got it's start in Southwest England and is a British style empanada filled with warm, hearty goodness. I like the Bangers & Mash but there are a plethora to choose from.

10. d'Lish. A great health food location for breakfast and lunch! Get the California Club and the hummus plate. I'm getting a d'Lish craving just thinking about it. Read our original post about d'Lish HERE.

Disclaimer ... OK, so a few of these don't technically have Phoenix addresses but they're in the valley so I'm counting them in. Neener neener.

Flagstaff

Enjoying the cool air among the ponderosa pines is a welcome change after enduring the summer heat in Phoenix. Flagstaff provides a nice wilderness retreat that's close enough to the city for a day trip, but even better for a weekend away!

If you're heading north, try the Extreme Obstacle Course in Flagstaff. It's a ropes course at Fort Tuthill County Park where we conquered swinging ropes, zip lines, nets, and bridges all while being suspended up high among the trees.

And what better way to enjoy the outdoors than to go camping? We found a great site about an hour from the Grand Canyon that wasn't too far off the beaten path, but remote enough that during a walk through the meadow we spotted five big elk! Building a fire and roasting mallows (the size of our fist, I might add) was enough to bring us back to our country roots and help us remember how great the outdoors can be. Viva la Flagstaff!

Salvation Outdoor

We recently moved to downtown Phoenix and love it. There is so much to do. We're central to restaurants, museums, sporting events, and tons more. It can be a hassle to drive everywhere so we decided we need to join the throngs of peeps who ride bikes.

A new bike isn't cheap, so we checked out a place called Salvation Outdoor that has used outdoor equipment. We got an awesome deal, and the guy who runs the place is friendly and helpful. We spent about $300 for two bikes, a bike rack for the car, a basket, and a lock. If you're looking for camping gear, kayaks, fishing equipment, etc. take a road trip to Salvation Outdoor. You might find just what you need and save a ton of cash in the process. Cha-ching.

Schnepf Farms Peach Festival

Yes, I've had the song in my head all week. "Going to the country, gonna eat a lot of peaches." Spring is lovely in Phoenix. You can go for a hike or lay by the pool since the weather is always perfect. There are loads of events in the area this time of year including the Schnepf Farms Peach Festival in Queen Creek (just across the road from the Olive Mill). Each year Schnepf Farms hosts the event with carnival rides for the kids, peach pancakes, live music, and opens the orchard for the public to pick juicy, sweet peaches.

It gets pretty crowded at the festival so early morning is ideal if you don't want to push through crowds. We stocked up on the $2/lb peaches and they are quite delicious! We've made peach cobbler, peach pie, and there may be peach jam in our future. Schnepf Farms is the largest peach grower in Arizona and the peaches are pesticide free and organic. The festival ends May 18th, but UPICK lasts through the month of May!

Farmer's Market Dinner

Living downtown has its perks, like an impromptu stop at the Farmer's Market on the way home. This one is called Bodega, on the corner of Roosevelt and 5th Street. Open each Tuesday from 3-6 pm. It was a small selection, but we picked up some broccoli, peppers, spinach, and green onions, then headed home to make something out of it.

Here's what I put in our Farmer's Market Dinner.

Chicken, cut and sauteed
Peppers, chopped
Zucchini, sliced
Green onion
Cumin
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper
Coconut Oil

Mix all ingredient together and cook over medium heat. Serve and enjoy! The peppers were our favorite part and at 25 cents each, how could you go wrong? Delicious!

Phoenix Furniture Auction

Have you ever been to an auction? The fast talking, bidding, and crazy characters are simply amusing. The Phoenix Furniture Auction has all that -- a sight to behold. Each Wednesday at 7 PM the madness begins. And it moves fast! About 400 items auctioned off in 3 hours. You can preview the items all day Wednesday up until the auction begins. You can sit, inspect, analyze, and decide what your maximum bid would be (or view the items online). We have a short video snippet for your viewing pleasure below. Click here for more information.

Your choice of ottoman. $20. Can I get $25? Your choice. SOLD!

She isn't the autioneer. False advertising.

The Farm at South Mountain

The Farm at South Mountain is a MUST to visit in the valley. You've heard about the Queen Creek Olive Mill, and this is also a little slice of outdoor heaven but located IN Phoenix! The farm is made up of three different restaurants, gift shops, lots of green grass to roll around in, gardens, and 10 acres of land. They offer classes from Gardening to Yoga. It's important to note they aren't open year-round, so head over while the temps are still below hell level. 

The Farm Kitchen. Order your meal, then take it out to the
 tables in a little picnic basket. Cutest ever!

Morning Glory Cafe has an outside patio. Great for a sit-down, casual brunch.

This little guy enjoyed my leftovers. I had the
Farm Monte Cristo. It was different, but so good!

Succulentia. Unique greenhouse with a variety of
cacti and succulents.

Cool gifts in the Botanica market. Love this piece.

Tabacco Bark scent sounds disgusting, but it was
actually quite lovely! The best of all the scents they offered.

Fun shirt for the garden/music lover in us all.

The boys checking out the citrus. They also have walnut trees. Legit.

A little view into Quiessence, the fancy dinner spot.

Creative art idea for your home

I found this art at The Farm at South Mountain in the little gift shop. I thought it was a unique, creative art idea and easy to make on your own! Although I may just purchase the original art because it's fabulous and done right. I love the message and look forward to having our own garden VERY soon!

They used a page from a dictionary, then put the phrase and illustration over the top. You could use a different phrase, or just a picture, and feed it through your printer. The possibilities are endless! The simplistic look is great and with a plain mat and a frame you have wall-ready art.

La Grande Orange Phoenix

La Grande Orange (LGO) is the place where dreams come true. I've eaten at a lot of places in the valley but this is at the top of my list. No contest. Best pizza and best chips and dips plate. During the day you order at the counter and pick a seat but at night it's a full service bar and restaurant. They've got gelato, a bakery, and a gift shop, too. And guess what else? LGO is in the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport (Terminal 4, Southwest Airlines D Gates)! You MUST try it.

Bake Shop and To Go ordering

Salsa, Pimento, and Guacamole Dips

The best damn margherita pizza and sourdough crust you've ever had

LGO at night