Apacheland Days

Here's a little something I found the other day. Superstition Mountain Museum will hold their Apacheland Days celebration on January 16 and 17. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Apacheland Movie Ranch's opening. I don't have the time to research detailed information on the Apacheland studio this morning, but several movies, TV shows and commercials were filmed there before a fire burnt down all but the barn and the chapel that appeared in the Elvis movie, Charro. Those two buildings were relocated to the Superstition Mountain Museum, their permanent home.

(I thought I had a photo of the chapel, but I can't find it.)

Author Event at Sedona Rouge

I will be speaking and signing books along with two other Arizona authors, Christine Bailey and Jackie Dishner, on January 23 from 4pm-6pm at Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa. I'm really looking forward to the trip. In addition to the event, we are scheduled to take the Water to Wine tour where you kayak to the area's wineries. I'm also hoping to take a helicopter and a Tomcar ride.

Flagg Gem and Mineral Show

I wish I knew about the Flagg Gem & Mineral Show before I went last Saturday. If I had, I would have taken the kids earlier. Usually held the first weekend in January (this year it was moved to the second weekend so it didn't conflict with New Year's Day celebrations), the show features more than 100 dealers of minerals, fossils, gems and lapidary materials. One of its goals is to increase children's interest in rocks, minerals, geology and science, and the Arizona Mineral & Mining Museum Foundation and the Mesa Community College Geology Club, the show's sponsors, go out of their way to make this a particularly child-friendly event. Several groups offer free samples to children and teachers.

We went because one of my daughters needed rock samples for a science project and her teacher recommended the event. She suggested we go to the Arizona Leaverite booth where kids can choose 12 labeled rock and mineral samples from those displayed in cups on three tables. Cost? $1. This seemed to be one of the more popular booths at the event although the "Dig for Fossils" exhibit and the florescent rock display were also popular.

Did I mention this gem and mineral show is free? Free admission and free parking. If you have kids--and even if you don't--keep an eye out for this event next year.

Salsa Trail

I randomly picked a brochure on the Salsa Trail (http://www.salsatrail.com/) this morning, and rather than write about all the restaurants and my last visit, I wanted to focus on a discussion I recently had with a fellow writer. The question is this: Is the Salsa Trail a day trip?

Of course, it can be a day trip. In fact, the last time I visited Graham County and explored the Trail, I tackled it as a day trip. But, how much salsa can you eat in one day? On my trip, my husband, girls and I stopped first at Bush & Shurtz for lunch. We drove down the road for chips and salsa at La Casita Cafe in Thatcher. It gets a little blurry after that. I think we went on to have chips and salsa at Casa Manana before driving out to Country Seven Grocery in Duncan, which at the time was no longer serving food (although we wouldn't have been able to eat it). From there, we visited the San Simon Chile Company (Mi Casa Tortilla Factory wasn't open). At that point, I think we were up for some more salsa, so we stopped at Manor House & Rock N' Horse Saloon. Dinner I think was at Chalo's in Safford, but maybe it was El Charro. After eating my weight in chips and salsa alone that day, who knows?

I personally think the Salsa Trail is best experienced over the course of a weekend. Spend some time at Discovery Park and Mt. Graham International Observatory. Fish at Roper Lake State Park. Rockhound at Red Mountain and Black Hills rockhound areas. Off-road at Hot Wells Dunes Recreation Area. Or, sight see at the Rex Allen Museum in Willcox. Then, hit the Salsa Trail again. I recommend staying at the Black Rock Ranch Wilderness Retreat (http://www.blackrockranch.com/), the Olney House (http://www.olneyhouse.com/), or the Simpson Hotel (http://www.simpsonhotel.com/).

Now, can you make the Salsa Trail a day trip? I suppose if you gathered a group of friends and ordered one or two appetizers at each stop, you could make it to all 12 restaurants, the tortilla factory and the chile company in one day. Instead, I would pick two or three restaurants, eat at the first for lunch, sight see or visit a few local shops and then have dinner. Give each of the restaurant the full gastronomic attention they deserve.

New Year

For me, the New Year starts today, the Monday my kids go back to school and I get back to work. I didn't make any formal resolutions this year, no goals to hike down the Grand Canyon or bird watch in Southern Arizona. But, I do plan to clean my desk.

What does a clean desk have to do with travel? As a travel writer, I collect brochures, articles, photos, you name it. My desk runneth over with them. The plan: write and clean. Every day, I'll grab a brochure, share a tip I've learned in my travels, and clear off my desk. Hopefully, before too long, I'll have a cleaner desk and a steady stream of blog content.

Allan Houser at the Desert Botanical Garden

This year the Desert Botanical Garden is featuring the sculptures of Native American artist Allan Houser during Las Noches de las Luminarias. (Last year, it was the work of Chiluly.) Houser, who died in 1994 at the age of 80, is often referred to as the father of American Indian sculpture. Here are a few of the works I photographed (not very well) recently at the Luminarias:

Tempe Art Galleries

In my last post, I talked about the Tempe Center for the Arts, which includes a small art gallery and a sculpture garden. I wanted to take a few minutes here, though, and talk about the other galleries in Tempe.

The Tempe Public Library, located at 3500 S. Rural Road, displays art on both its first and second floors. Exhibits rotate and include student work. At Connections Cafe, also within the library, local artists have an opportunity to show their work. Upcoming exhibits include Othman and Thomas; Bruns and Keaton; Kaster and Klotz; and Carlton and Farias.

The Tempe Post Office, located at 500 S. Mill Avenue, also showcases local artists. Displays here emphasize fun, eye-catching and unusual work.

The recently refurbished Gallery at the Vihel Center also offers the community a chance to see local artwork. The center, located at 3340 S. Rural Road, holds classes, too, in dance, music, theater and visual arts for both children and adults.

And, then there's ASU. Check out the ASU Art Museum at the corner of Mill Avenue and 10th Street. This contemporary art museum is free to the public and is home to the very first Georgia O'Keefe skull painting. As part of your visit, cross 10th Street and tour the Ceramics Research Center's displays of 3-dimensional art.

Tempe Festival of the Arts

Here are some photos to enjoy of this weekend's Tempe Festival of the Arts. The festival features the works of more than 400 artists and attracts nearly 250,000 people to the Mill Avenue District. If you missed this weekend's event, be sure to catch the spring festival, March 26-28.

Tempe Center for the Arts

I took a tour yesterday of the Tempe Center for the Arts (TCA) and wanted to share a little of what I learned. Opened in 2007, the facility was designed to house nine arts groups including Childsplay, Tempe Little Theater, the Tempe Symphony Orchestra, and the Arizona Wind Ensemble. Two stages showcase the groups' performances. The main theater accommodates up to 600 and features African mahogany and stylistic seating. No seat is further than 55 feet from the stage. The smaller theater can accommodate up to 300, depending on what its used for: performance, dance, cabaret or even banquet space.

The TCA also houses a 3,500-square-foot art gallery and, just outside the gallery's doors, a sculpture garden. Banquet and meeting facilities offer stunning views of downtown Tempe, the town lake and Papago Park.

You don't have to wait for a performance to visit the TCA. Stop by, visit the gallery, and take the elevator up to the third floor balcony. It's all free. In fact, even some of the performances are free. "Performance with a View" presents local talent including jazz vocalists and the ASU Saxophone Choir. "Walk-In Wednesdays" is an open mic night allowing for musicians take center stage. Check online for a list of current events.

The Tempe Center for the Arts is located at 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway in Tempe. Telephone: 480-350-2822. Website: www.tempe.gov/TCA.

Coming Attractions!

I wanted to mention two new attractions opening in 2010. I'm really excited about them both.

Sea Life Aquarium: Opening "by June" at the Arizona Mills Mall in Tempe, this aquarium will feature 5,000 sea creatures in a 165,000 gallon tank. Visitors walk through a 360-degree tunnel, encircled by the tank and its marine life. There will also be more than 30 aquarium tanks, tide pools and replicas of a sunken ship and dinosaur fossils. Ticket prices are yet to be determined but one-day tickets to the California aquarium are $18.95 for adults and $11.95 for children.

Musical Instrument Museum: This one-of-a-kind museum in the north Phoenix is scheduled to open April 24, 2010. It will display as many as 5,000 popular and indigenous instruments representing every country in the world. From what I've heard, as you approach a display, you will be able to hear the instrument playing. Very cool! Of course, they also plan to hold frequent performances and demonstrations of instrument making. Can't wait!

The Missions of Father Kino

Yesterday I posted about Ted DeGrazia's Mission in the Sun. By chance today, I found a recent article in the AZ Republic about San Jose de Tumacacori and San Xavier del Bac, Father Kino's Southern Arizona missions. I thought it was only appropriate that I take a few minutes today to write about Father Kino and these missions.

Father Kino was born Eusebio Francesco Chini (Kino was the German-ized version of his name, probably adopted while studying in Austria) in Italy in 1645. After recuperating from a serious illness, he joined the Society of Jesus in 1665 and became a priest. Though Kino wanted to evangelize in the Orient, he was sent to establish missions in Northern Mexico and Southern Arizona instead.

Kino arrived in Mexico in 1687 and started northward. In 1691, he founded Arizona's oldest mission, Tumacacori, near Tubac. A national park, Tumacacori has a small museum and offers tours of the grounds, cemetery and the church. From time to time, other areas of the park are open for tours. Los Santos de Guevavi--a visitas or country church--can be visited during the fall and winter. The first captain of the Tubac presidio, Juan Tomas de Beldarrain, was mortally wounded by Seri Indians at Los Santos and is buried beneath the church's altar. Also available for guided tours is San Cayetano de Calabazas. Although it was founded later by Father Francisco Pauer, it had an interesting history of Apache attacks and eventually became Fort Mason for a short time.

San Xavier del Bac, located just south of Tucson, stands as a monument to Kino's achievements. Built in 1692, it is still a functioning Catholic church and is considered by many to be the finest example of mission architecture in the United States (although it remains a mystery as to why only one of the towers is completed and the other is not).

Admission to San Xavier del Bac is free; admission to Tumacacori is $3.

Ted DeGrazia's Gallery & Mission in the Sun

I think this little studio in North Tucson is one of Arizona's hidden treasures. It's quirky, it's beautiful and it's free.

Ettore "Ted" DeGrazia, the son of Italian immigrants, painted mostly Southwestern designs with an emphasis on Native Americans, missionaries and Spanish soldiers. He built his studio (pictured above) and studio out of adobe brick.

The beautiful mission (pictured above) nearby was built to honor Father Kino, the missionary who established a system of missions in Arizona. DeGrazia dedicated his mission to the Virgin of Guadalupe and painted her image on the altar.

An interesting bit of trivia: To protest inheritance taxes on works of art, DeGrazia took about 100 of his paintings into the Superstition Mountains (yes, the same place where the Lost Dutchman's Goldmine is supposedly located), and he burned them.

Hanny's

Hanny's Department Store opened on November 22, 1947 at the southwest corner of Adam and First Streets in downtown Phoenix. At the time, it was the "go-to" place for sophisticated men's attire in the Valley. The department store closed in 1986, but the building houses a restaurant, Hanny's, that serves as a reminder of its fashionable past.

I've never eaten at Hanny's. The menu is mainly sandwiches, salads and pizzas, and it seems a little pricey to me. From what I read, it's popular with the after work crowd.

Details: 40 N. First St., Phoenix. Phone: 602-252-2285. Website: http://www.hannys.net/.

The American Heritage Festival

Last weekend, I attended the American Heritage Festival, a three-day event held in the open fields of Schnepf Farms. Reenactors hold staged Revolutionary War and Civil War battles, set up camp and model period fashions. The kids really liked writing with a quill and ink at the school house and climbing on a WWII Army truck. The mountain man, with his collection of pelts, was another favorite, especially with my younger nieces and nephews.

The American Heritage Festival is held every November. It's a cash-only event, and I didn't see any ATMs, so come prepared. Speaking of being prepared, dress appropriately. You never know what to expect in November. Temperatures were chilly to begin with, then it started raining, but by the end of our visit, it was sunny and somewhat warm. Plan accordingly.

Website: www.americanheritagefestival.com.

Cerreta Candy Company

My first iPhone app is Phoenix Family-Friendly. That's what the contract calls it, but at least here, I'm going to refer to it as Family-Friendly Phoenix. What better way to start than with a short entry about Cerreta Candy Company?

I like Cerreta because it is family-owned and operated, plus they make great candy! You can take a 30-minute, guided tour, Monday through Friday, 10-1, or a self-guided video tour during normal business hours, Monday through Saturday, 8-6. Come prepared to sample, and don't be surprised if you're pulled out of the guided tour to demonstrate the candy making process!

The Cerreta Candy Company is located at 5345 W. Glendale Avenue, Glendale, 85301. Phone: 623-930-1000. Website: www.cerreta.com.

Her Secret is Patience

If you look closely at this photograph, you'll see a large metal pole anchoring two blue circles jut above the buildings. This is the new artwork in Downtown Civic Park. I couldn't get a better shot from where I was, the 9th floor of the Arizona Center parking garage, but you can see good photo in this month's issue of Sunset. It's supposedly inspired by monsoon clouds and cactus blooms, but I have to admit I don't really get it.

iPhone Applications

I just received a contract last night to write iPhone applications for the Phoenix area. Look for updates in the upcoming weeks!

New Phoenix Visitor Center

Yesterday, I visited the new Phoenix Visitor Center just next door to the Phoenix Convention Center. I picked up well over 100 brochures (or at least it felt like that many as I carried them back to my car). So, I have plenty of material for a while.

Here's a photo I took of downtown from the 9th floor of the Arizona Center parking garage.

Queen Creek Demonstration Garden

I didn't realize until about a week ago that Queen Creek had a garden of any sorts. Located in Desert Mountain Park, this demonstration garden reminds me of a very small-scale botanical garden with prickly pear cactus, sage, and other, more exotic plants that I can't remember the name of.

It would take maybe 20 minutes for the most avid plant enthusiast to meander its pink, crushed gravel paths--so definitely not worth a drive from Glendale--but if you're at Desert Mountain Park for a marathon day of organized kids' sports and need a break, the garden is definitely a pleasant escape.

(Details: 22201 S. Hawes Rd., Queen Creek. 480-358-3700, http://www.queencreek.org/.)

Chapel of the Holy Cross

This beautiful church was designed by Marguerite Brunswig Staude, a sculptor and student of Frank Lloyd Wright. Her inspiration came in 1932 when she viewed the newly constructed Empire State Building from a certain angle and saw what seemed to be a cross imposed through the very core of the structure. Staude had inherited a large sum of money and wanted to build a church that would glorify God and give thanks for the gifts she had received in life. After searching throughout Europe looking for the ideal location, she was struck by the beauty of Sedona and decided to build a "monument to faith" among its red rocks. It was completed in 1956.

The Chapel of the Holy Cross is open to the public daily 9am-5pm and on Sundays 10am-5pm. It is operated by the Diocese of Phoenix and St. John Vianney parish. Parking is limited, and you may not be able to park at the top lot. If not, be prepared to walk. There are also no public restrooms at the chapel (although there is a small portable at the lower parking lot), so go before you go.

(Details: 780 Chapel Rd., Sedona. 928-282-4069, http://www.chapeloftheholycross.com/.)