Morning Hikes and Breakfast Bites

As midday temperatures rise, outdoor activities tend to get pushed out to the cooler edges of the day, when the sun is lower in the sky and less punishing.

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So it was great to come across a list of shaded and/or shorter summer morning Phoenix hikes paired with local breakfast spots! The list came from a 2011 article* on the no-longer-existent Phoenix Metromix site. However, you can still read it on the Internet Archive.

The first few recommendations from Metromix (MM) are below, along with my notes.

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MM reco #1: Echo Canyon (Camelback Mountain) Ramada Loop Trail + La Grande Orange

  • The Ramada Loop Trail is not on the Park map. Maybe it’s closed. Maybe they just forgot about it. Other sites also mention it, so I assume it actually exists.
  • Echo Canyon Bobbie’s Rock Trail is another short hike, which begins at the Summit/Echo Canyon Trailhead.
  • Dogs aren’t allowed in the Echo Canyon area.
  • I’m totally in favor of breakfast at La Grande Orange. Keep in mind, though, like the trailhead, it can get really busy on the weekends and parking gets tricky. (There is a valet in front of the restaurant.)

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MM reco #2South Mountain Park Kiwanis Trail + Local Breeze (closed)**

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MM reco #3White Tanks Mountain Regional Park Mesquite Canyon and Willow Canyon Trails (loop) + Bobbie’s Café

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Bonus reco (from me): Lo Piano Bosque Habitat Canal Trail + Ncounter

  • The Canal Path is partially shaded, about .7 miles long, and is in this little stretch of nature that’s oddly close to the freeway.
  • From Curry, head south on Lake View Drive. You can either turn right immediately to park or keep going south and park in the shade under the freeway.
  • Ncounter has omelets – as well as other hearty breakfast options – and good coffee.

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Finally, be safe out there and take lots of water with you! In fact, if you’re not used to very hot, dry climates, you might want to skip the Phoenix-area trails until about October. In the meantime, just head straight to breakfast.

Do you have a favorite hike/breakfast combo?

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*I wish the 2011 article had been called “7 Hikes for 7 Breakfasts.” But it was an article, not a 1950s musical.

**The former Local Breeze location is now The Vig, which serves brunch and opens daily at 10 or 11am.

Photos by me. Map via Google Maps.

Fireworks and Fountains in Anaheim

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1. Make an entrance

They say it’s about the journey.

But arriving can be pretty nice too. After you’ve been traveling, unlocking the door to a comfortable hotel room feels like someone should strike up the band and set off fireworks.

That literally happened when we stayed at Hotel Indigo Anaheim. Mention my name, and there will be fireworks the night you check in too.

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Actually, Disneyland does a fireworks show every night. Mentioning me changes nothing. You can, however, request a room with a fireworks view when you make your reservation. Then you can just assume they’re in your honor.

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Everyone there is really accommodating and service-focused, regularly working things out for guests – transportation, early check-ins, recommendations, etc. We had a late-notice schedule change for our Star Wars Celebration convention trip, and General Manager Edward Voysest was flexible with changing our reservation. Hannah made sure everything was set when we checked in.

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So while the really hardcore fans camped out on a convention center floor, we were sleeping in an actual bed with really excellent pillows. I know. Poor us!

 
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2. Start your day

We were so comfortable, it was hard to get moving the next morning. Blackout curtains can be a double-edged sword. The Keurig helped.

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The bright lighting in the bathroom helped too. In the shower was a regular shower head, as well as a handheld one that reminded me one of those long microphones. So, in case you need to do some shower singing, you’re all set. There’s also a fancy straight-sided vessel sink atop the counter and really nice scented soaps.

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Since we had stocked our mini fridge with fruit and yogurt and whatnot, it was easy to grab something quick that first morning when we were in a hurry.

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When we were less rushed the following day, we tried out the Chambers Bar & Bistro in the hotel. It was really crowded, so they asked if we wanted to eat out on the patio. It was a beautiful morning and so peaceful out there!

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Our server José knew so much about the area and the menu. I ordered the chilaquiles, house-made tortilla chips drenched in red pepper sauce with queso fresco and avocado on top and local eggs, fruit, and diced potatoes on the side. It was absolutely the best dish of the trip. Thinking about it now makes me a little sad I can’t eat that every day. Also hungry.

 
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3. Get around

After we were ready and breakfasted and coffeed, we’d slip our lanyards on, get our convention gear, and walk over to the Anaheim Convention Center. Along with Disneyland, it was only about 10-15 minutes away – close enough it wasn’t a big deal to go back if you forgot something/needed a nap.

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Not driving is actually more convenient, since traffic around there can be kind of a mess and parking at the convention center, theme parks, and most area hotels is $15-20 a day. Hotel Indigo Anaheim doesn’t charge guests for parking and even let us stay parked in the garage a few extra hours since we planned to be at the convention past checkout.

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The area is really pedestrian friendly with wide palm-lined sidewalks, a ton of restaurants, and a few stores. The only time we used the car during our time there was to meet my cousin Allison in another town for lunch one day.

 
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4. Return

After we were done conventioning for the day, we’d head back.

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Hotel Indigo Anaheim is pretty hard to miss. It was remodeled a couple years ago (recently enough that some Google Maps views still show the old Holiday Inn Express facade) after the launch of the Hotel Indigo brand with its focus on an experience that reflects the character of the neighborhood. In this case, that means an agricultural theme. Way before the remodel and before Anaheim was populated by Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and 20,000 hotel rooms, there were acres of citrus trees and walnut groves.

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Now there is a musical fountain and light show (think mini Bellagio) out front, but the hotel features plenty of reminders of the past. There are floor-to-ceiling photos of walnut trees and vintage farm equipment, antiques in the lounge, and a restaurant named after the old Chambers Ranch.

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You’ll probably be greeted by the super friendly lobby staff when you walk back in. The Front Desk Supervisor Arthur, a.k.a. King Arthur, takes care of his domain, patiently answering questions for guests, helping with the luggage cart, even running outside to direct traffic when a parking guest was in the way of the garbage truck.

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You can sit by the pool, get a workout in, or catch up on work in the business center. There’s free wifi throughout the hotel, so you’re not limited to working in the business center. I took my iPad up to the second floor lounge, which is open to the lobby, while people wearing conference lanyards or Jedi costumes or mouse ears walked by outside.

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Of course, chilling in your room is nice too. (And I definitely needed some down time!) We had a family studio, so it was really roomy with a couch and nice hardwood floors. Housekeeping comes daily and the room was always sparkling clean when we returned, with fun little touches like towels folded into the shape of an elephant. One day we left Mr. Cheeseface on the nightstand, and they set him in the center of the pillows when they made up the beds, which made me smile.

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Before you know it, the Disney fireworks will be bursting in the sky, and it’ll be time to start it all again.

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Photos by Phillip or me.

Thank you to IHG / Hotel Indigo for providing our accommodations and breakfast vouchers.

Down the Street from Disney: Anaheim’s Local Food Corner

For someone on the lookout for the quirky, unique flavor of places you visit, Anaheim’s resort district can seem like a sea of corporate giants. However, if you look closely, you can find local goodness. In fact, there’s one scrappy strip mall with 5 restaurants that aren’t part of national chains.

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The Anaheim Resort Centre is on the northeast corner of Harbor Boulevard and Katella Avenue – walking distance from Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention Center. But this is not where you go to meet Disney princesses. These are unfancy, pay-at-the-counter type places for late-night takeout or quick pre-theme park or -convention meals.

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Since I couldn’t find enough information before our trip to include this corner in my Anaheim food post, I did some research while I was in town. Menus were acquired, employees were chatted with, tacos were consumed – all so that next time you’re in the neighborhood, you’ll know your options.

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Working your way from Katella Avenue north (right to left if you were facing the front of the building), here are the 5 local restaurants:

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1. California Pizza Place (menu) – Not to be confused with the far-reaching California Pizza Kitchen, this narrow dining room with walls crammed with retro paraphernalia is the one and only location of California Pizza Place. You can grab a slice at lunch, pancakes in the morning, or call for delivery.

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*2. Tanor Mediterranean Grill (menu) – Recently opened Mediterranean/Persian food with shawarma meat spinning and skewers of meat grilled to order. As I was looking over the menu, they handed me a sample of chicken shawarma. It was insanely good. I got it on a wrap, which was fine, but masked the chicken’s awesomeness a bit. Next time, I’d get the chicken straight up with a side of their delicious saffron rice and maybe some quinoa tabouleh. (I’ve never seen quinoa in tabouleh before, but it probably makes it gluten free.)

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3. Star Burger (menu) – The menu includes an interesting fusion of burgers, kimchi, and bulkogi (Korean-style grilled beef). The person I spoke to when I stopped by and when I called had limited English. You should be fine ordering straight off the menu, but it might be tricky if you have special requests or questions.

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*4. Alertos Mexican Food – This is a family-owned taqueria with five Southern California locations. We split a burrito and a pile of their mini tacos. Our favorites were pastor and pollo asado. Those definitely beat out the (much pricier) food truck tacos I’d had the day before.

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5. Panda Kitchen (menu) – Their menu offers the typical playlist of American Chinese food standards. You can call ahead to pick up your order or dine in. There’s lots of seating, but they didn’t want me to take photos.

Besides the 5 independent restaurants above, the Anaheim Resort Centre is home to a Subway, liquor store**, souvenirs and sunglass shop. There’s lots of free parking, which is also rare in the area.

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*We ate at Alertos and Tanor. Both were delicious. I can’t vouch for the other restaurants.

**By the way, isn’t the land of family vacations and overpriced hotel mini bars the perfect location for a liquor store? You can even buy postcards along with your booze for an analog version of a drunk dial. What would that be called? A lush letter? Pissed post? Sloshed snail mail?

Where to eat in the Anaheim Resort District?

Disneyland may be its own world, but it’s at the center of the Anaheim Resort District, a swirling galaxy of hotels, restaurants, and shops. Which means that, even outside of the Park’s hedge-ringed atmosphere, there are a multitude of places to get something to eat.

Whether you’re attending an event at the Anaheim Convention Center (like Star Wars Celebration this weekend) or finishing up a day at the theme parks, I’ve gathered some suggestions to help you navigate nearby options and locate local flavor.

1. Downtown Disney and Disney Hotels

(or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Mouse)

While I’m always on the lookout for quirky independent eateries, there’s nothing wrong with embracing la vita Disney when you’re in Mickey’s backyard. Here are some noteworthy Disney Resort restaurants with no Park admission required.

In Disney Hotels:

In Downtown Disney:

  • House of Blues – Last time I was in Anaheim, we headed over here after a day of Disneyland with a bunch of relatives. It has an entire 2-level music hall inside. More pertinent to that particular moment, however, they serve alcohol.
  • Earl of SandwichSarah’s pick for a quick bite.
  • Catal Restaurant – frequently recommended as one of the best restaurants in Downtown Disney.

Find character dining, menus, accessibility, hours, etc. on Disneyland Resort’s site.

2. Non-Disney Hotel Restaurants

The whole area is practically solid hotels and most (if not all) of them have a restaurant. Or two. Or their own food court.

  • Pizza Press at Carousel Inn & Suites – Paul Barrie of the Window to the Magic podcast recommended this place, which has a build-your-own-pizza concept that sounds similar to Fired Pie here in Phoenix.
  • Chambers Bar & Bistro at Hotel Indigo Anaheim features a “casual gourmet menu” with sandwiches, local produce, and seasonal desserts. (Full disclosure: Hotel Indigo will be putting us up but didn’t ask for this mention. The menu looks good, though, right?)
  • Anaheim Marriott on southwest side of Convention Center has a bar/restaurant called nFuse, a Starbucks, and a Pizza Hut.
  • Hilton Anaheim on west side of Convention Center:
    • Just Grillin’ Express – Burgers, salads, and fries (spicy or not) made from ingredients delivered daily. The main (and I believe only other) location is about 30 miles north in Alhambra.
    • Submarina – a Southern California based sub sandwich chain
    • Baja Fresh Express
    • Sbarro

3. Food trucks

During Star Wars Celebration, at least 15 chef-owned food trucks local to Southern California will be on the Convention Center’s Grand Plaza. They’ll be open until 9pm Thursday through Saturday and until 5:30p on Sunday. Here’s a sampling:

4. Anaheim Convention Center

While concessions are run by food service giant Aramark, the Convention Center takes its sourcing so seriously that it purchased its own herd of free-range, grass-fed cattle raised through Hearst Ranch and Jack Ranch. The result is local, hormone-free, antibiotic-free beef, certified by the Humane Farm Animal Care and Food Alliance.

Food and beverage may vary by event, but here’s what will be on offer during Star Wars Celebration (admission required):

Hearst Ranch Grill – All-beef hamburgers from the Convention Center’s herd (see above), salmon burgers, veggie burgers, and chicken burgers.

Lobby – ecoGrounds / Java City featuring Rain Forest Allianced Certified, USDA Organic, Fair Trade coffee and espresso drinks, along with all-natural fruit smoothies.

Hall A Food Court

  • In-house sausages and gourmet hot dogs
  • Fresh-baked pizzas and stromboli
  • Hearst Ranch prime rib sandwiches
  • Made-to-order sandwiches
  • “Grab-n-Go” stand: salads, sandwiches, fruit cups, yogurt parfaits, whole fruit, beverages, wraps, pastries, hot pretzels, churros, chips

Hall B

  • Moe’s Southwest Grill – burritos and taco salads.
  • Hearst Ranch Grill
  • “Grab-n-Go” stand – salads, sandwiches, fruit cups, yogurt parfaits, whole fruit, beverages, wraps, pastries, hot pretzels, churros, chips.

Exhibit Hall Courtyards

  • Gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches
  • Street taco stand – beef, chicken and pork tacos and burritos
  • Hearst Ranch barbecue stand

Portable stands throughout Halls

  • Soft serve ice cream stands
  • Urban Wok with flavorful rice bowls
  • Candy store – house-made giant cookies, chocolate, caramel-dipped apples and other sweet treats
  • Bars with local craft beers on tap

– More info –

Where do you like to eat in Anaheim?

The Farm at South Mountain

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Have you been to The Farm at South Mountain? It has 3 restaurants, a big grassy field with pecan trees and picnic tables, a handful of shops, a crepe truck on the weekends, and, yes, a small organic farm. It’s a delightful place to spend the day. Phillip and I like to get breakfast from Morning Glory Cafe, or a picnic basket or cup of coffee from The Farm Kitchen, and then wander around.

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The Botanica shop has unique garden and gifty things. On Saturdays, they set up a table in front of their chalk art wall and sell various local foodstuffs, like salsa and honey.

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Maya’s Farm has an organic produce stand and its own CSA. Last time we were there, they were demonstrating simple ways to use more vegetables with samples of this amazing salad and sauteed breakfast radishes.

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About 20 years ago (yikes), my family briefly lived at the base of South Mountain. On the way to school, we would drive down Baseline Road past all these beautiful fields of greens and flowers with little roadside stores selling local produce, sweets, nuts, and flowers. There are still a few left, but most have been replaced by stuccoed condos and strip malls.

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The Farm is a way to preserve some of that open space, to keep the land viable and beautiful, to nourish the community in a way that asphalt and stucco simply can’t.

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