May 29, 2018

NEW ORLEANS: LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

New Orleans: Let the Good Times Roll! The Big Muddy. The Big Easy. The Mighty Mississippi. The Mardi Gras City. What can you say??????? GOOD TIMES, GOOD FOOD AND GREAT MUSIC, that’s what!!! More than Bourbon Street (although you just HAVE to go there!), NOLA is a kick in the pants, a cultural experience, and a place no one should miss! Hotel We were lucky enough to stay at the AC Hotel New Orleans Bourbon at 221 Carondelet Street in New Orleans. A block from Canal Street where we crossed into the French Quarter, the location was perfect! The hotel does not have a restaurant but who cares? New Orleans…

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written by Stuart - Posted in 2018, Blog, Louisiana, Travel, Trip Planning

May 29, 2018

HOW TO TOUR TUCSON

How to Tour Tucson     Touring Tucson is unexpected! From palm trees and oleander to saguaro cactus and 117 degree days! We loved Tucson! It is tucked into a valley surrounded by mountains that are breathtaking with restored mansions in the El Presidio Historic District and the adobe row houses of the Barrio Historico. The University of Arizona looms large with shops, eateries and lots of action!     Saguaro National Parks (west side and east side)     We started in The Saguaro National Parks (both west and east sides). The dirt roads and saguaro cacti standing at attention like a large army is so different than what…

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written by Stuart - Posted in Arizona, Blog, Travel, Trip Planning

May 29, 2018

8 TOP RESTAURANTS TO VISIT IN TUCSON, ARIZONA

Foodie Alert!  Tucson has it all!   Explore America via food. A great city to start in is Tucson!   Tucson is an unmatched destination for mouth-watering mom & pop delights regardless of budget! Prices are extremely reasonable everywhere. Eat lunch at some of the more famous restaurants and you will pay less.     RESTAURANTS IN TUCSON Our favorites include: Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort (haciendadelsol.com) An historic and beautiful respite located at 5501 N. Hacienda del Sol Road in Tucson, for those looking for an equestrian and spa experience. Hacienda was a girls’ boarding school at one time and still boasts the suite where Hepburn and Tracy…

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written by Stuart - Posted in 2018, Arizona, Blog, Travel, Trip Planning

May 29, 2018

ARTIST, “TED” DeGRAZIA’S GALLERY in TUCSON, ARIZONA

ARTIST TED DeGRAZIA Tucson is home to the Ettore “Ted” DeGrazia Gallery, maintained by the DeGrazia Foundation. We were thrilled to get to visit the historic site where the artist lived, worked and built a chapel!     Opened in 1965, the gallery has more than 15,000 DeGrazia originals. His oil paintings, watercolors, ceramics and sculptures are housed in six permanent collection rooms:     I. Padre Kino II. Cabeza De Vaca III. Papago Indians IV. Retrospective V. Yaqui Easter VI. Bullfight     De Grazia hand built the adobe brick buildings on the 10-acre site. The Mission in the Sun was built in 1952 in honor of Father Kino…

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written by Stuart - Posted in 2018, Arizona, Blog

May 29, 2018

SAGUARO NATIONAL FOREST VISIT IN ARIZONA

Saguaro Cacti are only found in a very small portion of America. They are found exclusively in the Sonoran Desert so you can only find them in southern Arizona and western Sonora, Mexico. It is estimated that these soldiers of the desert can live to be as much as 150-200 years old.     Amazingly, Saguaro grow very slowly -a 10 year-old plant may only be 1.5 inches tall. However, the cacti we saw were between 40-60 feet tall! A fully-grown Saguaro can weigh as much as a ton! Don’t miss seeing these wonders at the Saguaro National Forest (nps.gov/sagu/index.htm)!      

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written by Stuart - Posted in 2018, Arizona, Blog, Travel, Trip Planning, Video

May 29, 2018

HOW TO EXPLORE THE GRAND CANYON

  Explore the Grand Canyon with us. Our days at the Grand Canyon were more than magical-they were breathtaking!!     We’ve written about our first impressions upon seeing the glory of the Canyon and we’ve attempted to post photographs that are representative of the majesty of this place (which, by the way, is impossible to capture although Stu has produced incredible photos!).     But, there is SO much more to talk about! 1)  People visiting here are from all over the world. We’ve talked to visitors (in 2 days)  from China, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Spain, New Zealand, France-we could go on. Those we spoke with were shocked…

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written by Stuart - Posted in 2018, Arizona, Blog, Travel

May 29, 2018

THE PUEBLO LAGUNA, New Mexico

Stu and I talked a lot driving backroads through the southwest about how schools we attended completely left out Native American history, culture and religions.     Exploring one backroad in New Mexico close to old Route 66, we stopped for some Indian Fry Bread (if you’ve never tasted it, you are missing amazing food). Take a backroads trip to Pueblo Laguna in New Mexico and learn what we were never taught in school.       PUEBLO LAGUNA HISTORY     Pueblo Laguna is the largest of the Keresan pueblos, covering four large counties and six villages. The district was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973….

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written by Stuart - Posted in 2018, Blog, New Mexico, Video

May 29, 2018

EXPLORE THE GRAND CANYON: OUR FIRST VIEWS

Neither of us expected what we saw. We didn’t know you can’t see any of The Grand Canyon until you reach the rim.  Just like millions, we’d seen thousands of photographs, descriptions and documentaries about The Grand Canyon.   We actually both gasped when we saw it. NO photo, no description and no documentary prepared us for the utter magnificence and grandeur of The Grand Canyon.  

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written by Stuart - Posted in 2018, Arizona, Blog, Video