Family Time in Phoenix

 After a beautiful Christmas spent celebrating with Mom and Dad, Clay, Alex, Sophia and Fiona, we returned home to pack for our trip.  A few months ago when we first contemplated whether to take a trip during our school break, a few different options emerged, but Arizona quickly rose to the top.  While we officially checked Arizona off our United States bucket list when we visited the North Rim of the Grand Canyon during our summer vacation, we couldn't honestly say that we had experienced the state itself.   By the time we head back to Florida in the new year, we will have definitely remedied that concern. :)

 

We will be staying four nights in Phoenix in the gorgeous, historic Arizona Biltmore before moving on to Sedona for the next four nights.  Even though we gained two hours when we arrived in Phoenix, we opted not to be too ambitious today.  By the time we had our rental car and were heading out of the airport, it was 2:00 Arizona time (4:00 back home), and we hadn't eaten lunch.  First stop was a recommended burger bistro at the beautiful Phoenician resort before heading over to the Biltmore to explore our home away from home for the next several days.  

Built in the 1920's, under the supervision of Frank Lloyd Wright, the resort soon became a destination for everyone from Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe to every President since Herbert Hoover.  Walking through the gardens, past the fire pits, around the villas, it's easy to imagine the various celebrities and dignitaries roaming these same grounds throughout the decades.   We took a dip in the hot tub and had it entirely to ourselves, as I guess everyone else finds the lovely weather too cold.  Now we're planning a late dinner here at the resort before turning in for the night.  The next few days we will visit Wright's famed Taliesin West, hike our way to Petroglyph sightings and explore downtown Phoenix and Scottsdale.  As we drove in from the airport, I thought of Tempe and Raising Arizona - can't believe we didn't watch the film again to get in the spirit!  Regardless, you know I'll be quoting it throughout the next week or so :)

 Since Irving Berlin apparently wrote "White Christmas" while staying here, it's appropriate that they go all out for the season, with a gingerbread village in the lobby and a giant Christmas tree on the front lawn.  While it's not a white Christmas here in the desert, it is definitely a chilly and festive one.