San Diego Souvenir Mug

Phillip has been on this much-appreciated fixing-things-with-superglue kick.

He’s currently putting back together the mug my grandma got me as a souvenir of our 2003 trip to San Diego.

She had vacation time, wanted to go to San Diego, but didn’t feel she could make the drive alone, so I got to go along.

I drove and we worked as a team to figure out how to navigate San Diego – exploring the Gaslamp Quarter, peeking in at the inner workings of the Balboa Park pipe organ, accidentally visiting the zoo on (super crowded!) free day, shopping in Seaport Village, spontaneously deciding to take a Duck tour (laughing as the amphibious vehicle splashed into the bay), and wandering through the colorful Old Town Market that’s commemorated on my mug. We would walk from our hotel to the beach or to this Italian restaurant that had a second story with a view of the ocean.

She would actually be turning 86 today if it hadn’t been for pancreatic cancer in 2007.

I wish there was a word for the opposite of regret, to describe things that, even in hindsight, you are 100% glad you did.

I’m so grateful for that trip to San Diego with Grandma.

October 7, 2016October 7, 2016

NoRayz Sunglasses Review

Driving towards California with the late afternoon sun dipping just below the car’s visor, I found myself reaching up to my face to make sure my sunglasses were on. More than once.

They were. It just didn’t seem like it.

Sunset in Indio

I was wearing inexpensive (but cute!) Target sunglasses, and the glare seemed to cut right through the lenses.

I thought about the NoRayz sunglasses that were en route to my mailbox and wished I could’ve brought them. NoRayz is a new eyewear company that makes performance sunglasses, and I had a hunch they’d be better at blocking the sun than what I was wearing.

They were.

NoRayz

Once I got back and tried them out, I realized just how much they would’ve helped. They fit comfortably snug on your face and block the sun without obscuring your vision.

NoRayz

They’re effective and sturdy enough to wear during hiking, running, skiing, or driving directly into the sunset. The top portion is shaded to further reduce glare.

NoRayz

Phillip tried both pairs, as well. He expected to prefer the smaller frames (“Sedona”), but once he tried them on, he liked the fuller coverage of the “Yuma” pair much better.

NoRayz

While I thought they looked great on Phillip, they’re not a style I’d just wear around. However, the next time I’m going on a long drive (or a hike), they’re definitely coming with me.

I asked the technically-minded Marty to check them out, as well. So I’ll wrap up with his analysis.

Marty’s take:

NoRayz sunglasses come in two sizes. Since I have kind of a large head and I like a lot of coverage from the sun, the larger pair were my first choice.

They are robust looking with a 1 3/8″ hinge arm area tapering down to just under 1/2″ at the ear pad.

The other feature that is very noticeable is the top quarter of the lens area is blacked out, like a built-in visor. I tested this feature while driving west about sundown and found that it worked pretty well.

The glasses came with a soft cloth bag that doubled as a lens cleaner. Nice, but other brands in this class typically also include a hard case with a clip or MOLLE gear attachment point.

The optics were good as was the overall workmanship. They were very comfortable for the 3-hour drive. I like that they are handcrafted in the USA.

Nice sunglasses for outdoor sports, biking, or riding a quad. They reminded me of the mountaineer-style glasses equipped with side shields.

NoRayz

Protection: Lenses are polarized to block 100% of UVA and UVB rays, including glare from reflections.
Rating: ANSI rated at z80.3-2015
Material: Lenses are polycarbonate and frames are polycarbonate resin.
Price: $150.

We received 2 pair of NoRayz sunglasses to review.

October 3, 2016December 27, 2018

Jungle Garden

Since we knew there’d be way more to see at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens than we’d have time to explore while we were in the Pasadena area, we skipped the desert and cactus gardens (they’re supposed to be very good – we just have lots of desert gardens here in Arizona) and headed straight for something different: the jungle garden.

I really being enveloped in lush the rainforest-like landscape.

Thick trees were like an entire ecosystem of their own with vines climbing their trunks and air plants nestled in their branches.

We spotted ferns and flowers and plants with leaves the size of umbrellas.

My favorite spot was right next to the waterfall.

We received complimentary press passes to Huntington Library via Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau.

September 29, 2016June 22, 2021

Chile Pepper Festival in Phoenix

As far as I’m concerned, the annual Roosevelt Row Chile Pepper Festival is mostly an excuse to sample really delicious food from a bunch of Phoenix restaurants. The spicy selection includes items like tacos, stuffed chiles, donuts, desserts, and even beverages.

The next festival is this weekend, so here’s the scoop!

How it Works

You buy the number of tasting tickets and/or beer tokens you want at a table near the entrance – there’s no admission cost. Then you wander around the different booths and trade tastings for one or two tickets each. There’s also live music and market areas.

Proceeds raised help support the Growhouse Community Garden’s urban agriculture and education programs.

Last year, we went early, so we could go to Ballet Under the Stars afterwards. We bought our tasting tickets right as the festival opened, and there was practically no line. By the time we left, however, an hour or two in, a lot of people were waiting. Of course, it’s cooler later on. So…pick your battles, I guess.

Food + Drink

If you can’t eat spicy food, this is probably not the festival for you. I mean, you could just go and enjoy the live music. But all the tastings range from mildly to make-you-cry hot.

A few of our favorites:

Welcome Chicken and Donuts – Thai chili donut.
Paz Cantina – Blue corn taco with pork and green chiles.
Otro Café – Phillip liked the Mexico-style “street corn” with chili powder, cheese, and mayo on it.

At one point, I was ready to douse the fire in my mouth, so I got a smoothie, which was deceptively sweet at first – then the sweet disappeared and the crazy burn kicked in. It was unexpected. Like the photobomb from the smoothie guy.

Although beverage-wise we stuck with water and a bottle of Mexican Coke (and that one mouth-searing smoothie), there’s also a beer garden and margarita station.

Art, Craft + Community

On the market side of the festival, there were a handful of community and artist booths.

I dug the collage work of the multitalented Keisha J. Jones, who also models and makes delicious baked goods!

At the Valley Permaculture Alliance (Trees Matter) booth, you could make newspaper seed-starter pots, which inspired a CraftHack project.

Entertainment

When the music started, we watched Flamenco por la Vida. They perform flamenco music and dance superbly.

Some of their adorable pint-sized students danced, as well.

This Saturday, Flamenco por la Vida will be on stage at 9pm. I’m not sure if students will be joining them or if that’s past their bedtime.

A video posted by stephanieliebold (@stephanieliebold) on Sep 26, 2015 at 10:22pm PDT

There are several other performances during the festival, as well as cooking demonstrations and pepper-eating contests.

The band Mariachi Luna de Mexico played after we’d left. In fact, they strode in like some kind of guitar-wielding posse, just as we were headed to the parking lot.

– Festival Info –

The 2016 Chile Pepper Festival will be Saturday, October 1 from 5-10pm.
New location: 128 E Roosevelt St, Phoenix (Roosevelt/2nd St.)
Limited street parking will be available.
Light rail: Central Ave & Roosevelt St. stop is only about a block away (0.1 mile)!
All-ages event. If you plan to drink alcohol, be ready to show your ID and get a wristband at the entry.
There is no admission fee. Food, beverages, and handcrafted items will be for sale.
Details at chilepepperfest.com.

September 26, 2016September 26, 2016

Room with a View in Big Sur

I saw this image on Pinterest of what looked like a tiny cabin with large picture windows. The caption said “Big Sur,” but the link was broken.

A few years ago, Phillip and I drove down Highway 1 through Big Sur – wooded mountains on one side and cliffs dropping off into the ocean on the other. It is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been.

Which may be why, in a late-night, insomnia-fueled obsession, I had to find out more about the place in the photo.