VISITED: Hall of Flame Fire Museum

A few weekends ago, Mike and I visited the Hall of Flame museum in Tempe/Phoenix (honestly, it's right there on the border so who knows?). He got a Groupon/Living Social/Amazon Local deal or something (these sort of things fall on deaf ears when it comes to me) and we went.

If you have kids, I definitely suggest it. It's very interactive -- you can sit in a truck, try on helmets, meet Smokey the Bear, slide down a pole, etc. And what kid doesn't want to pretend to be a fire fighter? At least for a little bit.

And some of the fire trucks were really neat to look at -- especially the ones that didn't look like fire trucks. Unfortunately, Mike and I just zoomed through. It's actually the biggest fire museum in America and it took us probably 30 minutes to walk around. We just have no ties to it. It was informative and educational, but not suited to my interests.

Weekends: The One Where We Had a Great Saturday.

Saturday was my only day off and I wanted to enjoy it -- not sleep in all day like I typically do. Mike and I woke up early, grabbed some coffee, and then got ready for a picnic. We rode our bikes up to Tempe Town Lake and enjoyed a picnic, complete with Tapatio Doritos. 

Afterwards, we rode back to his place and watched the Mitt documentary on Netflix. And truthfully, I really enjoyed it. Mitt is fairly robotic, but this film humanized him more than his campaign ever did. After the movie, Mike and I got ready and went to the Hall of Flame Fire Museum. And then, we went out to dinner at our favorite restaurant - Mucho Gusto. There, I ate too much and was stuffed for the rest of the evening.

It was such an amazing day and the best way to spend a day off. I was so refreshed going into Sunday and then I ended up getting sick Sunday evening. That nose started running and I ended up going to bed before 8 pm last night because I felt that terrible. Which, can explain why this post is up late. Oh well, I got 9 hours of sleep last night and even though I still didnt' feel better this morning, that sleep was worth everything I gave up to get it.

Speaking of sleep and getting things done, I need to nap so I can hopefully finish laundry tonight. I'm hoping that I can just sleep off this cold before the weekend because it's my last weekend before I begin my new job. 

Visited: Scottsdale Xeriscape Garden.

I love finding hidden gems throughout the valley. And, this hidden gem was literally across the street from me. The Scottsdale Xeriscape Garden is located across the street from my old high school. It was built within my memory, but I couldn't tell you precisely, when they built the water treatment plant. I've driven past this everyday for years and I finally decided to go check it out.

It's similar to the Desert Botanical Gardens except it's free and there's a little less to look at. And the best part is that it's right by the dog park.

Hi Mike!

I'd actually love to go back in the spring to see how things will change.

WEEKENDS // Sedona.

FRIDAY // Right after work, Mike and I started the drive up north. And by right after, I really mean that after I finished packing and freaking out, we headed out. On our way up to Sedona, I wanted to stop by Jerome since I've never been and Mike wanted to take me to Montezuma's Castle since I've never been. First up, we went to Montezuma's Castle -- which is neither Montezuma's nor a castle.

From there, we went to Jerome -- which is my new favorite place in all of Arizona. It's this small, artsy town on a mountainside. Amazing. We stopped by a winery for a wine flight and then had some delicious Mexican food before checking out all the small little stores.

Then, we left Jerome and went to Sedona to catch the sunset and enjoy some wine at the awesome private lookout at our hotel.

SATURDAY // We woke up really early -- and by early, I mean 6 am! That's insane. We had some breakfast and then went for a hike. We didn't hike very much because it started to rain and Mike "didn't want to be stuck on the side of a mountain with slippery rocks," but I think it's because we ran into some poop on the trail. However, we did hike up a little mountain. 

After our hike, we changed and grabbed some coffee and then we walked around a bunch of little shops until lunch. I had pizza and Mike had some gluten-free pasta at Picazzo's -- the menu there was almost entirely gluten-free. We left and went to another shopping center called Tlaquepaque. We went to Oak Creek Brewery in there and I had the Seven Dwarves -- a taster of 7 different kinds of their beers. My favorite was the Hefeweizen. 

After walking around some more, we went back to the room for a nap. Then, we woke up and got ready for our dinner. We went to a great restaurant called Rene's that was back at Tlaquepaque. We went back to the hotel, saw the lights and then went to bed.

SUNDAY // We had every intention of waking up early to go hiking, but when that alarm went off, I heard the rain and made the executive decision to turn off the alarm and just sleep. When we finally woke up, Mike approved of how I took the initiative since it was pouring outside and he had heard it when the alarm went off too. We packed up and got some coffee and I had a bagel before heading back down to the Valley. 

It was such a nice trip and it felt so good to get out of town and away from everything, even if it was just for a weekend. I'm kind of bummed we didn't get to hike as much as we wanted because of the rain, but that just gives us an excuse to go back up there soon. 

WEEKEND // Up North We Go!

I've been battling this cold since last week and as of right now (Sunday evening), I am happy to report that I am almost over it. I went for a run today and although it was hard, I don't feel completed wiped out.

Since so many of our weekends lately (like how I dragged him down to Tucson to see Modest Mouse) have been Kaileigh-centric, I let my boyfriend have this one. Of course, the weekend that I was still running at about 70%, but still - let him have one.

Friday-- Was fairly boring. I worked and then I went for a long walk, which I promptly fell asleep after. I pushed myself too hard that day and I definitely wasn't feeling up to it. I eventually made it over to Mike's and we went to his friend's party for a bit, but I was exhausted and still sick, so we didn't stay long.

Saturday-- The bulk of our weekend was dedicated to Saturday - I was finally going up North to meet his parents. It was incredibly nerve-wracking, but apparently, I passed. And I cannot wait to go up there when it's snowing this winter - provided he keeps me around long enough.

Sunday-- The main reason for our trip, despite finally letting me meet his parents, was for Mike to pick up his parents' dogs while they went on vacation. So, for the next week (Who knows? Because he refuses to tell me) or so, Mike has these two adorable dogs.



Now that we're home, I get to start the next three longest weeks of my life before we head off to San Diego. I'll be working 6 days a week until then.

What did you do this weekend? Let me know in the comments!

FAVORITE PLACES: Arizona.

- Favorite Restaurant: Havana Cafe.

$3 Mojitos on Mondays? Yes. And these are the best Mojitos I've ever had in my life. And the food is delicious. The only bad part is that I only end up here for special occasions - so that means once a year. I cannot stress enough how delicious this food is.

- Favorite Bar: Robbie Foxs Public House. (Or as I call it - SHOBBIE SHOX'S)

This is my go-to bar. Someone asks where I want to meet up and I always respond, "SHOBBIE'S!" I have spent many summer afternoons on the patio, drinking Magner's. And Jameson for $3 for Happy Hour? Yes. Please. Also, the food is delicious too. I've gotten the French Onion Soup on special before and it was so amazing.
Robbie's is dog friendly on the patio. And, there is live music on the weekends. The only bad part is that it turns into Club Robbie's on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights after 10. That's when it gets super packed and the music gets way too loud and really terrible. So, my solution is just to start there so I can leave before it gets too frat-boy on me.

- Favorite Sandwich: The Boars' Head Turkey and Brie at La Bocca Pizzeria.

I would also suggest grabbing a glass of their sangria here as well because it is delicious too. Honestly. This sandwich is my world. It has turkey, brie, and fig. And the bread - holy hell. This place is on Mill Ave in Tempe and is a little spendy, but I think it's definitely worth it.

- Favorite Place to Run: the canal.

Arizona has canals. Everywhere. And they make great running trails. The portion of canal next to my apartment isn't right up next to the road, so I don't have to worry about people gawking at me while I run and there are usually other runners and walkers out there too - so I definitely feel safe.

- Favorite Drink: Paper Route at Handlebar.

Another place I love on Mill. I sense a theme. The first time I went to Handlebar was on my 23rd birthday. It had just recently opened and I'm all for trying out new bars on Mill before they close. I noticed the Paper Route on the menu and I think all of us ordered one. I have also been known to make them at parties for unsuspecting guests. I say it is the quintessential American drink. Others say it is disgusting.

- Favorite Bagel: Lox Stock and Bagel.

I have been going here since I was a baby. And no, it's no New York bagel but that has to do with the water. Honestly, this is the place for people in the area. Everyone knows what you're talking about when you say you want to go to Lox.

ROADTRIP TO TUCSON.

A little backstory: I love Modest Mouse. Adore. When I found out they were playing a show in Phoenix, I was super psyched  However, I had to work the morning the tickets went on sale and by the time I could sneak off to the bathroom at work to buy them, they were all sold out. But, there were still tickets available for their show in Tucson. Yeah, Tucson is two hours away, but I thought it was totally worth it. And, this way, I got to drag my boyfriend along with me.

My best friend was in town for the weekend from New York, so I spent most of Friday with her and then my boyfriend and I got brunch with her on Saturday before we went down. It's kind of a bummer I didn't get to spend more time with her, but it gives me an excuse to go back to New York in the near future.

The drive down is pretty simple. I just take the I-10 and it's a straight shot down. We listened to some Radiolab podcasts. As for our hotel, we just stayed at a Best Western and it was actually pretty nice. I made sure to get a hotel near the venue.

Modest Mouse was amazing. It was awesome to see so many other people loving one of my favorite bands. As you can tell, I'm terrible at describing things that I like. So, suffice to say, I had a great time.

The next morning, we woke up and went to brunch at this place called La Cocina. It's a gem. I was hungry for breakfast, but I couldn't resist getting their reuben - which had green chiles on it. And, they had tons of gluten-free options.

After eating, we headed back up to Phoenix. It was a great mini-vacation and I can't wait until we head to San Diego next month.

WEEKEND: Beer and BBQ and Spring Breakers.

Drinking in the sun.

The weather this weekend was perfect. And not just "for Arizona." It was in the 70's, the sun was shining (and not in that usual, beating down on you way), and there was a slight breeze. I had to be outside or I was going to explode.

My friends and I went to Chandler's Great American Beer and BBQ Festival. This is an annual event and if I'm still in Arizona next year, I'll probably go back. Tickets were $10 and drink tickets were $5 each (And honestly, we were getting mixed drinks, so that's not bad at all). And then, the prices of the BBQ varied from place to place.

We stayed for about three hours and then it really started to get crowded - I guess everyone else wanted to spend some time outside too. 

On Sunday, we went to see Spring Breakers. I really enjoyed it, but I went in with the expectation of it being incredibly dark. My friends and I were mostly interested in it because James Franco looks a lot like our favorite rapper - Riff Raff. The narrative was disjointed and the way it was filmed made me honestly feel like I was on drugs, but it was incredibly well done. I don't think everyone is going to like this movie and I feel bad for all the little girls that show up thinking it's going to be just a fun American Pie-type party movie featuring Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens. What I'm trying to say is - See it, but be prepared that it's pretty dark.

I had a great weekend. Drinking in the sun is one of my favorite activities. What did you do this weekend? Let me know in the comments! 

WEEKEND REVIEW: Phoenix Suns Game.

I had a relatively tame weekend. Friday night, I went to the DAV to eat some fried fish that my Grandpa cooked. Saturday, I ended up staying home to catch up on TV (And sob while watching Parks and Rec.). But last night, my brother and I went to the Suns vs. Spurs game. I'm a huge Suns fan and he's a Spurs fan because he's a dick.

Enjoying my $10 beer.

This is what hanging out with a 16 year old boy is like. Always on his phone.

He is also not a fan of selfies.

Nathan was not amused.

Until the Spurs won.

Nate is my go-to sports buddy. He actually pays attention. Now, I just wish he would get his license so I could have a DD. 

Weekend Recap: Zoo Lights!

One of my favorite things about "winter" here in Arizona is Zoo Lights. I've been going since I was really little and I still love it.
You get to bundle-up in a jacket and drink hot chocolate and the dancing trees!

Unfortunately, when I was there on Saturday, the weather was a nice 70, so there was no bundling up. And, they changed the dancing trees.

This is Jenga -- the talking giraffe. We got there a little too early and he wasn't talking yet though.

I had a great time.
Zoo Lights opens for the public on November 22nd and runs until January 6th.