Vacation Rewind: Scottsdale
Last week my husband and I were able to go back to Scottsdale, AZ to visit family and friends, and we had the best time! Since moving to Austin, we have definitely missed the desert, mountains, great restaurants, and let's be honest--we have missed the amazing freeways in Phoenix and that there's hardly any traffic! We were there for only 5 days, so we had to make sure to do some of our favorite things like...
Hiking
Pinnacle Peak mountain offers an entry level hiking experience, with a trail about 2 miles long, and offers breathtaking views of the Phoenix valley. The mountain is right by my parents' house, so getting out for some exercise and fresh air is a quick and convenient car ride away. I hiked this trail all the time in high school with friends, so I have great some memories to look back on, and I love creating new ones hiking with family.
Grabbing Lunch or Dinner
We have several favorite restaurants in Scottsdale, one of them being True Food Kitchen. I had to have my usual: a Green Arnie tea with their kale salad--the best combo for a nutritious lunch! We couldn't get to go to all of our favorite places within the short amount of time we were there, but my parents took us to a couple of their local hangouts in DC Ranch and the historic town of Cave Creek. However, right before we got on a plane to head back to Texas, we stopped by a neighborhood cafe that we loved going to called Isabella's Kitchen in the Grayhawk community. It's nestled right up against the golf course, and has a cozy, industrial vibe. Plus, their food is delicious!
Isabella's Kitchen
Isabella's Kitchen
After a great meal, the best thing to top it off with is dessert, of course! Churn, in central Phoenix, is Freddy's favorite place to get ice cream. It's too bad he discovered it right before we moved, so he really didn't get to hang out there as much as he would have liked (which is basically once a week!). It has a classic parlor shop feel, stocked with nostalgic candy, throwback toys & trinkets, and freshly churned (get it?) ice cream with all natural flavors. Pretty much some of the best ice cream in Phoenix! If you're in the area, this is a must see!
Shopping
Kierland and the Scottsdale Quarter offer great retailers in the great outdoors. Both are located across the street from one another, hosting shops such as J. Crew, Anthropologie, Arhaus, Nike, Vince, and more. I definitely prefer going from store to store with some fresh air in between, except, not during the outrageously hot summer months!
Spending time with family and friends
Most of all, we enjoyed spending time with our loved ones the most. I was reunited with my best friend after 15 months of not seeing each other, we got to have family meals together, and hang out with our great friends on New Year's Eve. All in all, it was a wonderful week, and we can't wait until we can go back home to Scottsdale again soon!
2015 was an amazing year filled with so many changes and surprises. It marked our first move together as a married couple for our new jobs, a wonderful Disneyland anniversary vacation, and the start of this blog! Thank you for taking the time to read my posts and follow along--I appreciate each and every one of you! Here's to an exciting new year, and I can't wait to share it with you.
Blushfully,
Belle