Where In The World Is Sum1?

Messin' Around Mesa

Locale:  Mesa, Arizona, a suburb on the SE side of Phoneix.


Places Visited:  Mainly restaurants of course. I was in Phoenix six years ago, and did visit two places that I love.  One had been on my bucket list for a while, the other, a new interest of mine.

http://meteorcrater.com/  This was the bucket list item.  I first learned of the Meteor Crater back in 1970, and always wanted to visit it.  When class was over that Friday, I drove like a crazy man to get there before it closed.  It was a 3 hour drive to get there, but I worth every minute if you ask me.

http://www.dbg.org/    I've always loved the SW deserts, and the Desert Botanical Garden is so beautiful it makes my head swim.

While I did not visit the Meteor Crater this trip, I did go back to the Desert Botanical Garden.  It's a place you really have to visit.  I know, most of you will say, "What, it's all cactus!"  Yes, but unless you've lived in the Southwest, you can't really appreciate what it's all about.


Restaurants Dined At/Meals:

         Blue Adobe Grill  http://www.originalblueadobe.com/    I found this place on Monday quite by accident.  The sign says they serve New Mexican food, and since I grew up in Albuquerque, it was only natural I stop there.  For lunch on Monday, I had Green Chile Corn Crabcakes, and Green Chile Corn Chowder.  Why all the Green Chile?  I think you might have to be from New Mexico to really understand.  Was it good?  Well, I went back for lunch AND dinner yesterday.  Does that answer your question? 


Other Tidbits for this trip: It's been hot here this week, but not unbearably so, at least not for me.  When I got off the plane on Sunday, it was only 119 F.  It definitely felt hot, but being so dry, once you are out of the sunlight, it's not that bad.  At least not to me.

         There was one thing that happened on my flight here.  The flight was overbooked, and I volunteered to give up my seat if needed.  Well, they didn't need it, and told me to board the plane.  I boarded immediately after a woman who had just been assigned a seat.  Her children (about 10 and 12 years of age) had boarded long before her, and now she was getting a seat.  I found my seat and sat down, and saw her come back from the back of the plane and stand by the first class section.  I knew then that they had miscalculated, and there was no seat for her.  There was no way she could remain behind, so I was asked if I'd still give up my seat.  I did, and received $300 in travel vouchers from United as a result.  But, I also had to fly to San Francisco, then on to Phoenix after a 2 hour layover.  I would originally have arrived here about 11am, but ended up getting here at 6pm.

         One other small thing, but to me it was somewhat of a minor annoyance, and caused me to change hotels.  I'm a Hilton man, I stay there because of the treatment I received while in Kuwait for classes 11 years ago.  I had a room reserved at a Hampton Inn in Scottsdale.  It's a brand new hotel, looks really great.  Just has one small inconvenience.  There are no dressers in the room!  Yes, there's a place that has pull out baskets, much like you see in IKEA.  Scarcely a foot wide, maybe 18 inches deep, 4-5 inches high.  It might have been enough room for me, but man, I didn't like it one bit.  So I changed hotels, told them exactly why I was changing, and that I wouldn't stay at a Hampton Inn again if they were all going to look like that.  Now I'm in a Hilton on the south side of Mesa.  Funny thing is, Hampton Inn has a policy written on the horizontal section of the front desk.  "If you're not satisfied, you don't pay!"  I could call their corporate headquarters about it, but I won't.  Still.....


         I head home to Chicago Friday, and will be home for 36 hours before heading off to Cary, NC to deliver a radio programming class.  Til then, y'all stay cool in the coming heat.  And of course, be good, and write!