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Floradise

A lifestyle blog by Marette Flora

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

I thought I wanted to sell our Phoenix condo, but visiting for the holidays reminded me how great the neighborhood is and how much I love it. One reason it’s so fun: It’s in the middle of the action, including pretty much all the major parade routes. We took in the Fiesta Bowl Parade the weekend after Christmas and were reminded about things that make Arizona so great.

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

 

First, it looks like fall in the winter, but it’s 70 degrees and sunny.

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

I love our sports teams.

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

Cacti are just so beautiful, and floats are fun, too.

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

The crowd loves it when the volunteers spin the balloons, including my section, which would yell “Spin! Spin! Spin!”

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

The Fiesta Bowl helps the community.

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

 

The more than two-hour parade has lots of fun floats.

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

 

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

It wouldn’t be an Arizona parade without lots of horses.

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

The marching bands are fun to watch.

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

There’s always a flyover or two!

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

So many talented dancers and groups perform.

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

And you’ll see some fun movie tie-ins.

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

You’ll see local celebrities like the White Mountain Apache Rodeo Queen and attendants, and the Coyotes’ Shane Doan as the grand marshal.

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

Some floats and participants you see year to year, like Spirit the balloon and the Wells Fargo carriage.

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

Fiesta Bowl Parade 2017

 

Have you attended a bowl parade? What’s your favorite?

 

Related post:

Fiesta Bowl Fun in 2014

Watch our video!

Phoenix Eats: Reyes de la Torta, Flower Child, Stock & Stable

Besides seeing my friends and family, the best part about being back in Phoenix for a few days was eating at places I love. I wasn’t able to visit all of my favorites, but I did have some excellent meals last weekend.

Here’s what I ate at three great local Phoenix restaurants:

Reyes de la Torta: It’s a no-frills mom-and-pop Mexican food location. Most (if not all) the servers speak Spanish and often music or television is playing in Spanish. The food comes in large portions and it’s simply delicious. It’s not about the decor, it’s about the food here.

I ordered the veggie torta, which mainly composed of cheese plus lettuce, beans, jalapeno and tomato. I also had rice on the side. I thought the torta would have more beans than it did, so next time I would add some as a side.
The Del Rey torta.

Flower Child: The Late Riser (cage-free eggs, beans, quinoa, roasted chile,salsa, avocado,corn, Greek yogurt and queso blanco) is delicious and guilt-free. I wished I could order a free refill! Also, if you show up for breakfast, which ends at 11, you can have free refills of the cold brew. This restaurant is adorable and I love the details like yoga mat parking, an infused water station outside and wall art.

Stock & Stable: This new restaurant opened in my old Phoenix neighborhood. Its dishes focus on meat (hence the name) but I found several pescatarian-friendly options. The squid ink cavatelli is tasty, but it kind of looked like bugs. You will see when you order it. Just don’t look at it; eat it!
The potted crab (a dip) is amazing. Do yourself a favor and order one (or two) and be sure to get extra bread.
We ordered the Eastern Promises and Black Hatchet drinks from their cocktail menu as well. I liked both, but I preferred the Black Hatchet.
This would be a great place to eat on a patio when the weather is nice.

Eastern Promises and Black Hatchet

If you try any of these places let me know what you think! What are your favorite places to eat?

Cash Mob at Shine Coffee

Last week I participated in my first cash mob. I received a Facebook invite for a cash mob benefiting Shine Coffee, a local coffee shop in central Phoenix. I made my way down Central Avenue on that rainy Tuesday to do my part.

I traded my usual Starbucks drink for a chai latte and as the friendly owner took my order I remembered why it’s important to frequent local businesses. Her big smiled showed she was genuinely grateful for my business and made me feel welcome.

I wished I could sip my drink at the table while the rain cleared up. But, alas, I had to get to work.

Yogi Bridal Shower Brunch at Postino

My yoga-teacher training friends and I went to brunch at Postino to celebrate my marriage to Graham. Our time together is always full of laughs, love and, this time, mimosas!

I loved my brunch dress. I found it at Marshalls for $10!

 You can’t go wrong with a farm scramble at brunch.

Afterward we walked across the street to Churn for some ice cream made of all-natural ingredients. Few things are better on a summer day.

We also looked for our favorite artists on the cassette wall. I think I spotted local favorite Black Carl!

Sunday Night Lunar Flow at the Clarendon Hotel

The supermoon is a time to reconnect to intentions set in the beginning of the year. It’s time to hold myself accountable by asking, what steps have I taken to move closer to my goals? These thoughts were my motivations during yoga class Sunday night. Lunar Flow was invigorating — just what I needed to end a week and start a new one. And as a yoga teacher I was inspired by Mary Canisales’ powerful sequencing. Have a great week!

Lunar Flow Yoga at the Clarendon Hotel

I’m already daydreaming about the weekend.

Last weekend was jam packed and ended beautifully with an extra-long yoga class atop the Clarendon Hotel.

Sutra Midtown hosts Lunar Flow classes each month; the next one is 8 p.m. July 13 and will be taught by Mary Canisales.

If you get to the roof a little early, you can nab a good spot and watch the sunset.

The classes are popular, so expect to get close to your neighbor. Angie Hall, who taught Sunday night’s class, encouraged us to touch hands in Warrior C and joked that we should even push each other over. Yoga is supposed to be fun, after all!

Sutra’s Lunar Flow classes are $10 and benefit the studio’s Karma Sutra Initiative, which helps local charities. Feel good, do good!

Desert Christmas: APS Electric Light Parade

The Electric Light Parade lighting up CenPho: just another reason I love my neighborhood.

Summer days at Central Avenue Farmers Market

When the mercury rises, Central Avenue Farmers Market moves partially indoors, but there’s still plenty to taste.

Last week I found an empanada (stuffed pastry) vendor. I tried the Rojas and Spinach and Corn vegetarian varieties. Each was delicious, but the spicy Rojas was my favorite. My mouth was on fire. I washed it down with strawberry lemonade from a nearby vendor (who went to my high school). The empanadas sold for $2 each or for the daily special of 6 for $10. Other options included pork, beef and breakfast empanadas.

The outside portion of the market was livened up with live music from a young boy singer. He was so brave and charming that I couldn’t help but drop a couple of dollars in his guitar case. He had a cheerful rendition of “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz. I also picked up some tapenade from Queen Creek Olive Mill and some produce.

Just some of the things I bought.

Nothing beats riding our bikes to the farmers market each week.

Rainy-day run on Murphy’s Bridle Path

From gray and gloomy to rainy and muddy to sunny. Simultaneously, I went from tired and unmotivated to exhilarated and inspired. The weather in Phoenix on Sunday made running on Murphy’s Bridle Path a rewarding experience.
It has been difficult to get motivated to run in recent uncharacteristically stormy weather. Whatever pushed me out the door that day ­­— mostly guilt from gorging on nachos, a pretzel with cheese and chocolate-covered pretzels the day before — I’m glad I ran.
The skies were mostly cloudy at first, but the sun’s rays managed to peek through. 
I hit the 2.5-mile mark just north of Northern Avenue and felt the number of droplets start to increase. I decided to turn back, and soon I found myself running through a short-lived deluge.
I spied Graham riding his bicycle down the trail in my direction. He had come to check up on me and found I was having a swell time getting drenched. Runners going in the opposite direction would laugh and give me a look of understanding as if to ask, “Isn’t this fun?”
I entrusted him with my cellphone, which I carry in an armband as my music player, to protect it from the rain. But the instant he rode off, I noticed a vivid rainbow to the east, over Piestewa Peak. Then came the pangs of remorse.
I wish I could have captured the view. But I’d like to think of the rainbow as my reward for running.

On a related note, I wrote an article about how easy it is to keep a fitness resolution in Phoenix. Check it out!

Faux New Year’s Eve at Postino WineCafe

My friends and I held a faux New Year’s Eve celebration — complete with party poppers — at Postino WineCafe to make up for the fact that we wouldn’t be together on the actual holiday. I had been craving bruschetta since I tried it at Hanny’s and found that it had too many olives for my taste.

I relished every bite of the four types we ordered: apple and Brie on fig spread, warm artichoke spread, smoked salmon with pesto and salami with pesto. (I have a weakness for pesto.) My companion complained that the bread was so hard it cut his gums, but I disagreed completely. (I thought it was perfect.) As I found on previous visits, Postino’s bruschetta can be enough to satisfy two appetites. This time, I sampled the salted-caramel sundae as my second and last course.

I took advantage of the $5 Bellini special to accompany my meal.

As usual, the service was spot on. I’d recommend Postino for any occasion, but especially meeting with friends postwork for drinks, good food and laughs. Get the $20 deal: Bruschetta and a bottle of wine to share.

Side note: Why do people call it Postinos? As far as I can tell the name is Postino WineCafe.

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