Hello, Summer…

Here in the Valley of the Sun, we’ve skated through Spring and are heading straight into a sweltering summer, leaving us plenty of time to enjoy the sunshine by the pool. Luckily, our apartments boast a beautiful pool!

I wanted to take a second to share a few photos of it’s sparkling deliciousness with the rest of you that might still be getting the tail end of some winter weather to assure you, warmer days are ahead! And if they aren’t, come visit Arizona, we have only two seasons, Summer and that month where you can wear boots!

Enjoy!

Mothers Day in Cave Creek, AZ

With Mothers Day rapidly approaching last week, I couldn’t help but wonder what I would be getting this year… My fiancé isn’t very good with surprises since he, himself is so excited he tends to spill the beans just so he has somebody to relish in the excitement with. He openly admits I have everything and shopping for me is impossible, even when I’m there, because I will say, “That’s cute!” while walking by just about any store front. When he does shop for me, we usually get about 4 stores deep before he buys me something he swears I’ll look good in just to end the trip. Ooooh, men…

So, this Mothers Day, I wanted to DO something, after, we um, went shopping *hides guilty face*… Our little man is big enough to really enjoy little adventures to see things and do stuff, so I figured we’d head to Cave Creek, get out of the heat, enjoy the small town atmosphere, see the sights and get some drinks and lunch. I’m also pushing for us to buy a house in Cave Creek, so it was a perfect opportunity to go check out the area. I’ve been up there quite a bit, but my better half hasn’t made it much outside of Tempe and now Scottsdale, so it’s all new to him.

The drive up there is beautiful. You get off the 101 at Scottsdale Road and drive North. That’s it, just go North. You run right into this little Western town as the road curves left…

(Please forgive my horrible photography, I had no intention of blogging this little adventure and just snapped away for shits and giggles. Had I stopped the car, maaaaybe just once, we’d have something incredible to work with… Guess I’m just lucky the scenery’s ah-maaazing.)

Once you get into town, there’s not much of it. Scottsdale turns into Tom Darlington and that’s the main road, everything jettisons off from there.

The town itself has a neat little vintage feel. Everything is either in the 50’s style, Western themed, actually as old as the wild west itself, or a biker establishment of some sort. If it doesn’t fall into that category then it’s newly built, beautiful and blends into the landscape. (That’s an amazing thing about Arizona architecture, commercial buildings do a great job of NOT standing out here and letting the natural beauty of this area shine, despite being in the middle of a bustling city.)

When we got into town we realized we had more time than we thought relax before our reservation, so we stopped at the tamest looking place we could find for 2pm on a Sunday… (The area is very biker friendly, so their Sunday Funday was in full effect up there! NOT toddler friendly, but very fun for Mommy and Daddy!)

We ended up at Tap Haus, because their patio is big, they looked like a place we’d want to check out for a later putt and they had a boat in the back I had to know a little more about…

It turns out that boat is an old piece that they picked up and re-did. They had a custom wrap put on and I can only imagine the staff perks that come with that bad boy. Check out their Facebook for a ton of photos from bike week and beyond. They host parties with fashion shows, bike stunts, Harley shows, bike washes and everything in between. I don’t know about you, but this is our kind of place! The beer was cold, the waitresses were friendly, they offered up some key information about moving to the area and of course, ate our mini man up! The waitress there also needs to get some mad credit for suggesting the Pollo Fundito at our dinner destination as well. Superb recommendation, my lady.

After two cold ones, at an unbeatable price, it was off to El Encanto Mexican Restaurant just down the street.

I’ve driven by this place before, a while ago and wanted to go there, because the outside looked beautiful. A few weeks ago we took a trip to hike up in Spur Ranch and passed it again, I snapped a photo, because sometimes, that’s the only way I remember anything. I take a picture. Work schedules, phone numbers, grocery lists, everything.

Anyway, when I was asked if I had any special places I’d like to go for Mothers Day, I spit out, “EL ENCANTO!” So fast, it made his head spin. 10 minutes later we had reservations at the most romantic restaurant in town. Seriously, check out their website, because I got absolutely no pictures of anything except what my focus was on: My son, my burrito and my tequila. And my handsome Spanish Stallion of course, sitting there across the table with his honey brown eyes and sexy face. I love my man. See? Told you this place was romantic! It was voted “Best Place To Pop The Question” a few years back and I can really see why… If we weren’t engaged already we would have been after that meal. Hehehe… (I need to post about our actual engagement one day before we tie the knot, it’s really such a sweet story…)

Anyway, like I said, the pictures don’t do this place justice…

I loved, loved, loved the ambience of the restaurant. They have a duck pond, an area to feed them, multiple rooms and the place really seems to go on forever. You FEEL like you’re in Mexico.

I ordered the pollo fundito and a margarita. I have to say, the margarita was a bit weak, BUT I had already started at Tap Haus (Hey, it’s MY Mothers Day, right?) and they’re pre mixed, so I ordered shot on the side so I didn’t hurt anybody's feelings. Other than that, it was absolutely delicious!

The food was incredible. I can’t even stress HOW incredible it really was. Juicy, delicious, cheesy, flavorful, authentic and amazing. I can’t say enough good things about the food. The service was quick, friendly and competent (no hot plates in front of the baby, ect…)

We wanted to walk around a bit but the baby was starting to get a bit sleepy, it was getting late and the restaurant was getting crowded. Otherwise, I’d have more pictures of the interior which is why I can’t stress enough to check out the website for yourself!

If you’re ever up in the area, I suggest you try it out, if you’re not, bug your man to take you there, men, take your lady there. Just GO!

Oh, and as always… Enjoy!

Happy Mothers Day!

Almost three years ago, the day after my 25th birthday, I was blessed with a beautiful little baby boy that would change my life, forever.

He couldn’t have come along at a better time and I credit him often with saving me, setting me on the right path and making me try harder, every day. He makes me want to do better, know better and be better, for him. I’ve spent hours, days, months and years researching “baby stuff” to make sure that I feel I’m doing the best I can, for him, every day. I home made baby food for months to make sure he had only the best. When he has nightmares, I sleep in his room, on his floor, next to his bed since he won’t sleep in ours… For DAYS on end sometimes. I loose sleep, sanity, patience, “me time”, youthful freedom and an endless list of things I don’t miss in the trade off. I love him, over protect him, wash his hands too many times a day, follow him needlessly around the playground and cry when he falls. I kiss boo-boo’s, hold hands, kiss noses, sing songs, cut hair, change diapers, read books, give baths and answer never ending barrages of, “Whas dis?”

He’s my best friend, my mini me, my only child, my baby boy… My son… Mama loves you.

Happy Mothers Day, Mamas!

Papago Park & Hole In The Rock

After a hard night of work last night, my wonderful fiancé not only let me sleep in, but informed me when I woke up, that I could go on a baby free adventure, with my puppy.

The weather was perfect, puppy was excited, so we took off to Papago park, right on the border of Scottsdale and Phoenix.

It’s been one of my favorite spots for a quick little mini-hike and I haven’t been there since the weather warmed up… It was nice to trip around and take a few photos, take my time and not wrangle a toddler away from cactus that actually comes to YOU. Yes, I know, the stuff of nightmares.

Anyway, enjoy some of the sights I caught while out there!

These are called “Fairy Dusters”. I’m obsessed with them. They’re everywhere and not the most elusive of the desert flora, but I love them none the less.

I didn’t even try for this, I just took the same picture twice and the focus was opposite each time. I don’t have the most amazing camera, so this one made me happy.

The trails are beautiful, well maintained and super easy to navigate. Total beginners hike, but not much shade at all. Welcome to Arizona.

After finishing the loop, I walked down the trail to the base of Hole In The Rock.

The hike takes you around the back to get up to the top.

From the top you can see the South Mountain, Phoenix and everything in between. I’m really sorry about the horrible photo quality, this one was from my phone. Oops.

It’s a truly beautiful hike, takes only about 20 minutes and is really easy, it’s all ages appropriate for sure.

The park also features the Phoenix Zoo, the Phoenix Botanical Garden, the Oakland A’s spring training facility, the Hall of Flame which is a firefighting museum, and Papago Golf Course. See their website for more information.

Happy trails!

Cinco De Mayo ‘Ritas

Coming from a long history of college partying on Cinco De Mayo, my Frat Daddy fiancé and I couldn’t really give up one of the best “party” holidays just because we were parents, however, we don’t exactly “party” these days… We wanted something kid friendly, by the pool with a few of our close friends and their little ones. Well we got it! Thanks to the not too hot Scottsdale weather, we threw a nice little fiesta at our beautiful pool!

I wanted to make some margaritas, but I didn’t feel like there was enough effort going into this cocktail sesh, so I figured I’d try to make my own simple syrup. It went SO well, I wish I’d taken more pictures of the process, but I was in SUCH a hurry I had no time to photograph a process that was going much slower than I needed it to anyway. BUT, it’s worth blogging about, because this can be made with most any fruit, I feel like, and could be used in a bunch of different ways!

Plus, it’s too easy!

As you can see, I wasn’t working with the fanciest tequila, that’s why the mixers must be tasty enough to conceal that, um, taste.

For the simple syrup all you do is combine sugar and water in equal parts, on the pot over high heat, boil until the sugar is dissolved. (I whisked away for a little while longer, hoping for a syrupy consistency, which worked, a little) Then, in my food processor, I combined about a cup and half of strawberries and obliterated them, seeds and all, because those little bastards don’t really bother me. If they aren’t your cup of seedy tea, then run your final mixture through a fine strainer to remove the seeds. But you’ll still end up with some in your ‘rita, cuz you’re putting fresh strawberries in there, so you’re really fighting a loosing battle…

Anyway, let the sugar water mixture cool completely before combining it with the strawberries either in the food processor or the blender. You should use just the blender, but I like to make a mess, so I used a food processor and a blender. Mix that shit up, real good, pour in a jar and set aside.

NOW, we’re ready to assemble some dranks.

I didn’t have any Grand Marnier this time, but I really prefer it in my margarita so my recipe calls for it.

This is for one margarita, just double, triple, whatever you need!

2oz Grand Marnier
2oz Tequila
2oz Lime juice (I use the premade stuff, juicing that many limes isn’t for the faint of heart.)
2.5oz Simple syrup
(Depending on your tolerance for the hard stuff, you can add a little Sprite to the mixture which makes your batch of ‘ritas go further and not pack such a punch. Messing with the recipe messes with the taste, keep that in mind. If this isn’t hard enough, or you just had a rough day, don’t be shy about adding some moscato. Don’t drink too many, because you will have a noticeably worse hangover than you can remember having for a long time. Obvi, wine, fire water and the Marnier aren’t friends, but they taste splendidly together.)

For the garnish and rim, keep some sliced limes and strawberries on the side as well as a little receptacle for a sugar/salt mixture for the rim.

You can either rim the glass with a lime wedge and dip into the salt/sugar, but I find that’s not sticky enough and I often fill the other half of my “’rita salter thingy” with lime juice.

Either combine everything in a blender with ice, or in a shaker with ice and serve!

Enjoy and happy margarita making!

New Facebook Page!

We blog browsers know, that Blogging isn’t a very interactive thing, unless you’re “linky partying” or whatever the ladies with FAR more time to do this, do. I do not understand this “linky” and don’t really LIKE the idea of such a flat feeling blog. I wish I could combine the aspects of Facebook into Blogging, but then you get something like Google+ and I’m not much of a fan of that either.

So, I took to Facebook to set up the Good Life a little page it can call it’s own. I wanted to promote my blog, but didn’t want to shamelessly promote it to my friends, via FB, because I have quite a few friends that don’t have children, don’t cook and simply don’t read. Juuuust kidding, no illiterate homies in my contacts.

Um, anyway, getting to the point, we’re now on Facebook. Yay!! That means things like comments, messages and updates! No more lost emails trying to clarify recipes, no more feedback going unpublished in the form of emails I can’t just copy and paste for my own selfish satisfaction… Self promotion is a shameless game, but I have boundaries, people.

I would like to invite all of my regular readers, pinners, followers and friends to head over to www.facebook.com/GiveInToTheGoodLife and “like” the page! I’ll be sharing links to posts and a much, much more!

Enjoy and as always, thank you for your support of The Good Life and me, ChiChi.

Isabella’s Kitchen at Grayhawk Golf Club

Today we had a family birthday celebration and had the opportunity to go to lunch at a new spot called Isabella's Kitchen. I am completely impressed!

It’s spacious, interestingly decorated, swanky, delicious and wait for it… Kid friendly! Hey, oh!

This is the view from where we sat, nestled next to the sprawling arms of a 150 year old Saguaro cactus. You’re looking out on the Grawhawk Golf Course, here in Scottsdale, off Thompson Peak, from a beautiful, 8 person wooden table in a secluded corner of Isabella’s Kitchen. A new Italian addition to North Scottsdale, Isabella’s opened in October of 2012 and offers upscale service, food and surroundings for South Scottsdale prices.

Those colorful bits in the grass are pieces of hula-hoops brought by thoughtful parents who know Isabella’s is the place to let the kids play while you relax, soak up some sunshine (or not, as there is plenty of indoor and shaded seating available) and take in the view.

The menu was simple and easy to understand, beer is served in frosty mason jars and for being at an upscale golf club, the vibe is noticeably laid back. Wide open floor plan and picnic table seating in some parts, couches in others, and even rocking chairs give you a relaxed “down home” feeling, while the details really are the icing on the cake. Check out the photo above, the sweet little bottles they bring extra water to your table in. It’s adorable!

I indulged in a generic brew because my little angel was fast asleep and after being at Build-a-Bear for a birthday earlier in the day, in which he was a bit of a stinker, Mommy needed a little Rn’R. I’m usually a wine girl, but daytime is too early for a glass of wine, for me and the glasses start at $7, which for a lunchtime buzz, is a little much. Beers start at $3 for a Pabst on tap and don’t go past $6 for a craft on tap. They don’t have a happy hour menu as of yet, but one could only hope that would be in the works soon!

Oh, did I mention the food? Yep, you guessed it, delicious, distinctive and budget friendly!

We got the 12” pepperoni pizza and I added ricotta, it was only $12 and split between two people, was just enough. I could have used an appetizer, but I was absolutely starving and we were in a bit of a rush, which is why I don’t have more pictures. The crust was crunchy, thin and had a great taste... Everything was fresh, flavorful and unique, which is often a difficult task to accomplish when making pizza.

If you’re in the area, go check this place out for lunch, dinner, anything. Or, if you’re playing a few holes at Grayhawk, I saw a little cart zoom off, so I know they feed the golfers near and far!

Enjoy!

Isabella’s Kitchen is located at 8623 East Thompson Peak Parkway, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. 480-502-3100
Check out their Facebook for more information, as well.

Green Chile Carnitas Tacos

So, if you live in Arizona, you  may have been to a Food City. If you have, you know what incredible deals they boast on produce, meat and pretty much anything else. I go for the produce and meat, but it helps that they have the essentials, if I don’t want to stop at more than one store. At first approach, you feel like you should just go somewhere else to shop, but I assure you, press on. They’re part of the Basha’s and AJ’s Fine Foods family, so you’re getting the best food for your dollar. Also, Food City is more than willing to tell you where and who their meat and produce comes from, so you’re never left wondering exactly how many different chickens went into one flat of breasts.

Anyway, I didn’t take a picture, BUT, I got 8lbs of picnic roast for only $7.65. I used a little over a pound to make these tacos, making about 8 tacos out of it. You can see how this kind of purchase goes a LONG way. Since the beans and rice were home made, they cost literally pennies. Ah, the satisfaction I get from feeding my family something delicious and health conscious that costs less than a dollar a plate! #winning

I’ve said it before, but it begs repeating, I cook my beans and rice in advance and freeze them in portions. I cook up POUNDS of pinto beans, because my darling son loves to eat “Bees wice” (refried beans and spanish rice, mixed) almost every day. I either remove half the beans from the crock pot, before they’re cooked to super soft refry ready status, and freeze them after they’ve cooled, or I cook them in separate batches. Those I use for chili while the others I refry for the boy and freeze.

 

INGREDIENTS:

For the tacos:

Picnic roast, or another large, well marbled cut of pork
3 Anaheim green chiles, sliced into strips
Bell peppers, about 2, I like red and green, you can use whatever color you like, sliced into strips
1 white onion, sliced
Oregano, cumin, chili powder, thyme
Corn tortillas

Rice and beans:

I’ve posted before how I make these… You can find the instructions for the beans here and the instructions for the rice here.

INSTRUCTIONS:

I roasted the pork in the oven, at 350, covered, for about an hour, before I hacked off a chunk to shred, leaving the rest of the roast to finish while I finished cooking. Obviously it’ll take a different amount of time, depending on the size of your roast.

I shred and/or dice the rest of the roast, using the shredded meat for tacos and chili and the diced meat for chile verde/colorado. This one roast makes about 4 dinners, each with it’s respective leftovers for the following day and sometimes the day after that. We’re a BIG leftover family, Daddy takes them with him to work, because the man needs to eat ALL day long. I rarely find time to eat during the day, but it provides a great little buffet of food for a picky toddler!

Meanwhile if you are making your beans and/or rice from scratch, get those cooking!

 

Next, sauté those veggies while you’re shredding the pork.

Add the shredded meat to the veggies and cook a little longer until the veggies are soft to taste.

To heat your tortillas, use a flat iron or a large skillet on the stove. You can even throw them into the oven, if it’s still warm, for a few minutes to get a little crisp. Avoid the microwave when heating tortillas, please, you’re not helping the taste or texture and flour tortillas become rubbery when microwaved. No bueno.

 

 

 

Now, just assemble and enjoy!

Keep an eye out for a adobada taco post where I use the rest of this roast and slow cook it in some homemade red chile I made! I’ll post the chile as well, because it’s AMAZING. I made almost 20 cups, and ran out in less than 2 weeks, neighbors won’t leave me alone, Cinco de Mayo is upon is and I MUST make more (as I sit here using chips as a salty segway to shovel the last bit I hid for myself, into my fat face, smh).

PEACE!

Take me out to Spring Training!

It’s Spring in Scottsdale and if you’re vacationing or a native, you know what that means! We get to go outside! Joking, we have the best winters in ‘Merica, haha.

Spring time means spring training! Here in Arizona 15 MLB teams have their spring training facilities which makes us the home to the most teams in the country, come spring time. We have the Diamondbacks, Cubs, White Sox, Reds, Indians, Rockies, Royals, Angels, Dodgers, Brewers, Athletics, Padres, Giants, Mariners and Rangers. Phew, that’s a BUNCH a baseball!

This season, I had the absolute financial pleasure of bartending for one of the MANY new facilities here in the Valley of the Sun.

Opened in time for the 2011 spring training season, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale is brand spankin new and absolutely beautiful. And I can’t stand baseball!

I’ve worked at almost all the sports complexes in the valley and I have to say this one is by FAR my favorite. It’s easy to get to, clean, has lawn seating galore and of course, is completely over priced. Come on, you can’t have everything!

Spring training games there are awesome. I can’t imagine any other stadium would be better. We have the most lawn seating out of any, the demographic is so eclectic that weather you want to people watch or make friends, you’ll have an easy time and since it’s Scottsdale, they keep it sparkling clean! If you’ve never been to a spring game, ladies, I’m talking to you, I would suggest it. Your man can enjoy some time with the boys, you get to tag along and you’re not stuck in those shitty stadium seats. You can bring a few girlfriends, kick off your shoes and relax in the grass on a blanket! Most people go to the Goodwill next door, buy a few big blankets and camp out for the afternoon. It get’s hot, but they’re considerate enough to provide complimentary sunscreen, awwww. Don’t be a fool and try to get your bronze on, straight out the gate, in late February. Opening day found me burnt to a crisp under the jumbo tron for well over 6 hours. It snowed a few days later. Smh. Don’t try to sneak in a flask or get fancy, it’s the AZ heat we’re talking about, you’ll die red faced in a puddle of your own spilled vodka, because your body will be too dehydrated to throw up. For realsies. If you’re gonna smuggle anything in, avoid the $6 price tag on a bottle of Aquafina and find a way to sneak in some hydration. Word to the wise.

Anyway, I wanted to post a few pictures I took of the place, because it is pretty incredible!

Enjoy!

 

 

Fly over on opening day. I was setting up my bar and didn’t know they were going to do this, so I snapped a pic as quick as I could!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The view from the VIP area – The Pepsi Patio

Looking out from the Pepsi Patio to the main entrance of the facility

Salt River Fields also hosts a ton of events for the city as well as personal events, like a wedding rehearsal dinner I bartended last weekend! I thought it was strange at first, but the views are incredible, it’s completely private, nobody could complain about noise and they’ve got everything you need!

Check out their website here for more information.

Local Love…

I’m happy to announce that while I’m busy writing and planning blogs, I’ve started a new page up there at the top, called, “Local Loves” which will serve as a handy little list of all the posts that feature things to do around the Scottsdale area! Everything from restaurants, splash pads, attractions, museums, bars, road trips within the state, everything that has to do with the Valley of the Sun and experiencing all it has to offer!  
I’m excited about it, because I love this town, it’s a “Yuppie” paradise for sure, but when you look closer, there’s endless things to do, see and experience. That’s what “Local Loves” is all about.
Weather you live in town or are planning a trip, I hope you find it useful, or at the very least, entertaining.