Monday, May 26, 2008

Memorial Day Weekend: Phoenix Trip

Ryan has been to Phoenix a number of times in the last few years on business. Each time he has returned, he tells us of it's beauty and goes on and on about how much he wants to take us. So with a holiday weekend, great Marriott discounts, and a family who was eager and ready and willing, we embarked on our adventure.

We left on Friday afternoon and stayed until Monday at the JW Marriott's Desert Ridge. We had tons of fun at the pools and the waterslide and especially the lazy river. This was one of the nicest hotels we have stayed in and we could have stayed a few more days and never left the property, there was so much to do. But since this was our first time, we had a few other things on our agenda.

One place that Ryan knew I would love was the Arizona Biltmore Hotel.

The only existing hotel in the world with a Frank Lloyd Wright-influenced design, The Arizona Biltmore has been an Arizona landmark since its opening on Feb. 23, 1929 when it was crowned "The Jewel of the Desert." The resort was designed by Albert Chase McArthur, a Harvard graduate, who had studied under Frank Lloyd Wright from 1907 - 1909 in Chicago.

I am a bit of a Frank Lloyd Wright/Arts & Crafts movement junkie, so the minute Ryan saw it, he knew he would be bringing me back. When Ryan visited, his boss, who loved the hotel, would take him to eat at the Biltmore (it was out of the budget range for the expense account to stay there, as it was for us as well) but they had dinner at Wright's. The hotel was beautiful and I loved showing the girls features and admiring the details. I loved the fact that everything in and around the hotel is an homage to Frank Lloyd Wright.

We went to Amazing Jake's with friends. When we had announced our intentions to visit Phoenix over Memorial Day weekend, in front of Brigham's dad, he enthusiastically suggested that Brigham come out also and the three of them play golf. Brigham and Jenn were considering it, so it was a done deal when a social event was planned. We would hang with the Curran clan.

Ryan, Brigham and Steve played golf that morning and met the rest of us (Jen & Rell, Brigham's mom, sister with husband and 4 kids, and brother-in-law with two kids) at Amazing Jake's for rides, games, and all-you-care-to-eat pizza. There was birthday cake for Rell (our second time celebrating the blessed event.) There were many laughs and good times. Maya did not care for the Frog Hopper (predictable) but Madison only crashed her go-cart once ( a marked improvement from the eight times at Legoland five years ago.)

It was fun hanging with everyone. Brigham's parents treated us. They are so generous to us. It is one thing for parents to treat their own children (that is fairly normal.) But to treat someone just because they are friends with your child? That is exceedingly generous. My dad would do that with me and my friends, so having someone take care of us like that was very special to me. I love being with people who treat you as members of the family. I love generosity as a character trait. I hope I am always in a position to treat my children and their spouses and children to dinner and shopping and vacations. I hope that I can take their friends out too.

Kierland Commons was recommended by Kodi, our resident expert. We loved it all and had quite the experience. (Note to all readers: the following is a graphic representation of an actual event. Those with a sensitivity to violent descriptions should skip to the next paragraph.) I assigned each big girl to each older girl, because there were too many pretty things to see. They had a Crate & Barrel that was the biggest one I had ever been to. It was two stories with the second story having all the wonderful, beautiful furniture that made me covet, covet, covet. Is that a sin? You bet. But I paid the consequence for it. I sent each group of children down the escalator. I was a tad delayed. While I came down, Maya and McK were come back up - just for kicks an giggles. So Monterey decided that she wanted to follow. Let me interject that Monterey has serious escalator issues. So I got down, only to realize that McK and Maya had gone back up and Monterey was getting on. Madison did not quite get to Monterey in time as she stepped on the up escalator. Monterey turned to catch Madison's hand, freaked that she was alone, causing her to fall backwards and roll in somersaults down those hard, metal, moving steps. I am freaking. Madison is running up to rescue her. Everyone else in the store is divided between looks of shock and concern for poor Monterey and looks of shock and disgust toward me. Madison rescued her, took her to the elevator, and rode that down while I got down and McK and Maya joined me. We left rather abruptly. Luckily Monterey was okay physically, only a little redness and scraping on her arm. Emotionally, I am not sure. She had issues before. I don't even want to deal with the next time. I see a lot of elevator riding in our future.

The Mesa Temple was our Sunday activity. We walked around the grounds and took pictures. We spent some time in the Visitor's Center looking at the "Reflections of Christ" photography display. It was beautiful and moving. I really liked the pictures of the ten virgins and the photos showing the preparation for the Crucifixion. They were reverent and brutal at the same time - not easy to achieve.

That night, Ryan decided we should go to Roy's. He knows that it is my favorite place to eat EVER. He had scouted it out the night before and was very specific in the location he wanted us to sit in and the time: 6:30, just enough time to enjoy the light, sunset, and the dark, surrounded with the torches and firepit and beautiful lakes. It was a plus that Kodi had helped to design it's interiors AND that Lillie had put into my mind that I had to eat the butterfish. When we arrived, they took the girl's names and gave them all their pineapple drink cups. Roy's does a terrific kids' menu. So I had to order the trio of butterfish, Ahi (as long as it's rare) and salmon. Maya, after tasting the butterfish, told the waitress that it should be on the kids' menu. Everything was so good and so beautiful with perfect weather and perfectly behaved children. When they brought out the kids' desserts, they wrote their names in chocolate. This was quite thrilling for the big girls 'cause they could actually read their names and ate each letter with sheer pleasure.

Was my description of perfect children nauseating to all of you? Well, give me a minute. Monterey complained of a tummy ache and was quite mellow and did not eat much. (Note to all readers: the following is a graphic representation of an actual event. Those with a sensitivity to gross descriptions should skip to the next paragraph.) When we got back to the room, while she was getting ready for bed, she proceeded to throw up AND have diarrhea, at the same time, while she was naked, all over the bathroom floor. So much for the perfect weekend. Someday, we will get through a vacation without any disgusting episodes. Someday.

Overall, we had a great time. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then having the experience is worth a thousand pictures. I love that now I know where Mesa is in relation to Scottsdale. I loved the details of design that were present in everything from the freeway retaining walls to the landscaping. I am a saguaro cactus nut. I love that I can now understand why so many people love Arizona and the Phoenix area. I am sold. I even went so far as to tell Ryan that if he were to get transferred to the area that I could be happy (in the past, I told him within 30 minutes of ocean was a mandatory requirement for my happiness, so this is a really big deal.) I love my husband and all the efforts he made to make this a glorious weekend. I love that we could spend time as a family. We all loved Phoenix.

11 comments:

Kyle said...

What a great trip! I'm dying to get away! You have an amazing husband! I love how he planned all these great things for you to do. I loved reading about all the crazy things that happened. I had a similar thing happen on an escalator in the Denver Museum of Natural History. I swear that escalator was unusually steep. I lost my footing because I was holding my 2 and 4 year olds hands and couldn't hold the railing (going down!) I got all scraped up and to this day prefer the elevator!!! Also, it's good that Monterey at least had her sickness all over the 'bathroom' floor and not the actual carpet or in the car!! Why does it always have to happen on vacation?! (we had two kids throwing up in the car on a trip to Disneyworld once--yuck!!) I really need to eat at Roy's now... I've been hearing about this place for a while now and it sounds soooo good.

Holly said...

Your weekend looked fantastic. I am so glad for you that you got to enjoy so many great things. (sans the throw-up, ect.) I love it when you get to do these neat things because you document them so well that the rest of us can enjoy them vicariously through you.
Steve and I are a bit of Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiasts ourselves...Huge surprise right?
p.s. I love all of the great pictures. Good job capturing the moments.

Audry said...

Sounds like you guys had fun, poor Monetery sounds like she had a couple of traumatic things happen. Good luck getting her on another escalator.

Hoskins Family said...

Lisa, this is Daleen Hoskins. I have been following you blog since you sent it to me. I love your writing. Sounds like you had a great time in Az. We were thinking of going to the Westin in Scottsdale this summer. I just might after reading what fun you have. I took an architecture class in collage...I did my report on FLW, love him too! I am going to get your email from Lisa P. so I can send you a link to my blog. You and a few other friends have inspired me, so I started one too. luv, daleen

Shannan said...

What a fun weekend! I have always wanted to go to Phoenix, since it isn't too far. The hotel you stayed at sounds so great. And now we know a lot of great things to do when we go. Too bad it couldn't have been totally perfect!

Taryn said...

You know coming form Arizona I never really aprreciated the cactus and desert and the great sunsets. But going back for visits it really does amaze me how really beautiful it really is. Glad you had a good time and were able to get away for a fun long weekend!

Dayna said...

What a great trip! I don't know which part sounds more fun; though the go karts looked rather appealing.

Lillie said...

What a fun fun trip---- diarrhea and vomiting aside--- SOOO glad you experienced the butterfish. I crave it every time I think about it.

Mark and Stefani McCune said...

What a great & fun weekend! I took your advice and skipped the gross paragraphs, but was then too curious to not know what you talked about. So had to go back & read... My uncle used to tell me that when he was little, the escalator would suck him up and he'd go up the under side and come back up at the top! He's a big joker. Surprised that I'm not afraid of them. Glad everyone's OK. We're big FLW fans too. How fun to see the Biltmore! We actually moved here because of the architecture. Loved going to Albert Frey's house in Palm Springs a few years ago.

AB said...

How nice that you got away to Phoenix, which is only a 3 hour drive from Show Low. We would have loved to see you guys. Maybe next time you're this close, let us know and we'll come to you.

Being an employee of Marriott is far greater than anyone can imagine. I guess the employee can get rooms when "family" can't. I've never been able to go online and book at the Marriott in the Phoenix area. Good for you guys.

You go on such amazing getaways, you guys have a great family closeness. Thanks for sharing.

Hugs
AB

OlsenFam said...

Fun trip- I love the Biltmore and the JW looks awesome- we'll have to try that one out next trip to AZ.