My alarm went off at 3:20 a.m. on Saturday to wake me up for the Phoenix Half Marathon. I wasn't thrilled about my wake up time. I needed to head to Courtney's house so we could leave by 4:15 a.m. as planned. I toasted bread and topped it with peanut butter and honey, but I had to put it in a plastic container and take it to go. In hindsight I should have set my alarm for 3. We hit race traffic ... Read more
Butcher Jones Recreation Area – Memorial Day weekend
What else do you do when it's over 95 degrees but swim? We headed out to Butcher Jones Recreation Area on Sunday to lounge on inflatables and bask in the sunlight.Getting there was easy: We first stopped at Walgreens on Thomas and Power roads for a Tonto pass, then drove on Bush Highway to Butcher Jones Road. The beach was a popular place to cool off on Memorial Day weekend.On the drive back, we ... Read more
Butcher Jones Recreation Area
I recently discovered Butcher Jones Recreation Area near Mesa. It's a great spot to cool off this summer, if you don't mind sharing the beach with lots of families there to swim and picnic. My advice is to bring rafts and swim out farther than the little kids. You won't feel as crowded. From the water you can see families hanging out on the beach at Butcher Jones Recreation ... Read more
Lakeshore Restaurant at Saguaro Lake
The view from the Lakeshore Restaurant, which overlooks Saguaro Lake, is lovely.Sit on the patio on the warmer days to take in the sights as you dine. Warning: You'll notice lots of hungry birds.If you'd like to see more, consider a Desert Belle boat cruise. Last year I found a Deal Chicken offer for two for about $24 including one drink per person. It's a leisurely way to spend an afternoon. The ... Read more
Spring Training at Hohokam Stadium in 2011
This time my spring-training buddies and I went to Hohokam Stadium to watch the Chicago Cubs play against the Colorado Rockies. This stadium, while it looked older than the others, drew much bigger crowds than other Cactus League venues I've seen. And lawn seats were only $8. I tried some Island Noodles with teriyaki chicken. Final score: Rockies 4, Cubs 2. The only downside to the day was ... Read more
Visiting Mesa Contemporary Arts for Free
I discovered the Phoenix Library's Culture Pass recently, which gives you free admission for up to four people to such Valley attractions as the Desert Botanical Garden and Phoenix Zoo. The trick is to get to the library as early as possible to check out the pass, which I was told gets snatched up quickly. I managed to grab a pass for Mesa Contemporary Arts. The center is made up of five small ... Read more