The Most Perfect Time to Visit Arizona

I consider the 2 most perfect months here in Scottsdale to be October and March. The weather is truly perfect, not too hot and not too cold. It is the reason we live here…for the weather in these 2 months. Now, this is not to say that September, November, February and April aren’t pretty damn near perfect. And December and January are nice but can be a little cold (by Arizona standards).

When I moved out here, I really made a promise to myself to do Arizona type things and take advantage of this spectacular weather. I went to Ballet Under the Stars (a fantastic experience if you like the Ballet), tubing down the Salt River and eating on the patio as often as possible. The Arizona State Fair is 3 weeks in October/November and there is always lots of great BBQ and good musical acts. It’s all good and life doesn’t get any better than this.

This is the perfect time to come out and visit this beautiful state. There are many outdoor fairs and festivals and of course, there is always lots of golf…spectacular golf.

Come out to Arizona and spend some time here.

Here are some ideas for things to do and festivals to enjoy:

OCTOBER

9-11: Arizona Dance Festival: Individual dancers and a variety of dance troupes, from emerging to professional perform. Guests include Conder Dance and Desert Dance Theatre. Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway. FREE. 480-962-4584, desertdancetheatre.org.

9-11: Greater Phoenix Greek Festival: Food, wines, pastries, a village market, art, music, jewelry and Greek dancing. James A. Speros Community Center, 1973 E. Maryland Ave., Phoenix. $2. 602-264-7863, holytrinityphx.org.

9-10: Route 66 Cultural Heritage Days: Route 66 photo-journal exhibit, Taste of Williams. Downtown Williams. $25-$30. 928-635-4451, williamsarizona.gov.

9-11: Tucson Film and Music Festival: A celebration of the work of independent filmmakers and musicians of the Southwest with music and featured films. Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. $40. 520-622-8848, tucsonfilmandmusicfestival.com.

10: Fly-in and Classic Car Show: Static air show, aerobatic exhibit and pancake breakfast. Wickenburg Municipal Airport, 3420 W. Wickenburg Way. FREE. 928-684-6579, outwickenburgway.com.

10-11: Italian Street Painting Festival: SanTan Village, 2361 S. SanTan Village Parkway, Gilbert. FREE. 480-898-0228, shopsantanvillage.com.

10: Tour de Fat: New Belgium beer, parade, costumes, live entertainment, bike showcases and vendors. Tempe Town Lake, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway. $5 for beer tokens. 480-350-8625, newbelgium.com.

10: Fiesta Glendale: Hispanic music, dances, food, crafts, fine art and a fiestas patrias ceremony. Downtown Glendale. FREE. 623-930-2299, glendaleaz.com.

10: Phoenix Old World Oktoberfest: Beer garden, Bavarian bands, German food, dancing and contests. Margaret T. Hance Park 1134 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $5; free for age 12 and younger. 602-534-2406, phoenixoktoberfest.com.

10-11: Railfair: Railroad displays, demonstrations and concessions. McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, 7301 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale. $2 train rides; $1 carousel rides; free for age 3 and younger with adult. 480-312-2312, therailroadpark.com.

10-11: FallFest in the Park Arts & Crafts Show: Holiday arts, crafts and vendors. Montezuma and Gurley streets, Prescott. FREE. 928-445-2000, prescott.org.

16-Nov. 8: Arizona State Fair: Live music, home arts, booth games, livestock, rides and food. Closed Mondays. State fairgrounds, 19th Avenue and McDowell Road, Phoenix. $6-$12; free for age 5 and younger. $7 lot parking. 602-258-6711, azstatefair.com. | Live music: State Fair lineup

17-18: Fall Plant Sale Festival: A variety of arid-adapted plants are for sale. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. FREE. 480-941-1225, dbg.org.

17: Community Street Faire: Clowns, pony rides, dunk tank and a rock-climbing wall. Resurrection Lutheran Church, 4930 E. Greenway Road, Scottsdale. FREE. 602-971-7979, rlc-scottsdale.org.

17: Third Annual Harvest Festival: Food, cornhusk dolls, face painting, live music and sale of arts, crafts and antiques. The Rosson House features the “Mourning in Victorian Times” exhibit. Rosson House Museum, 115 N. Sixth St., Phoenix. FREE. 602-262-5071, rossonhousemuseum.org.

22-29: The Great Pumpkin Festival: Hayrides, pumpkin patch, hay-bale maze, petting zoo and country music. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. $2-$17; free for age 3 and younger. 480-941-1225, dbg.org.

22: Black Crowes: Band performs hit songs such as “She Talks to Angels,” “Jealous Again” and “Hard to Handle.” State fairgrounds, 19th Avenue and McDowell Road, Phoenix. $15 reserved seating. 602-258-6711, azstatefair.com.

23-24: Mesa Storytelling Festival: Vendors, live music and storytelling by Bobby Norfolk, Motoko, Mary Gay Ducey and Dovie Thomason. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St. $15 per day; FREE on Saturday. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.

23-25: Taste of Greece: Three-day festival features Greek cuisine, live entertainment, folk dancing, games, activities and raffle prizes. $5 or 5 for $20 for raffle tickets. St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church, 10320 N. 84th Ave., Peoria. $2; free for age 11 and younger, military and students with ID. 623-486-8665, peoriagreekfest.com.

23-25: Tucson Bluegrass Festival: Workshops, contests and music from the Gibson Brothers, Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike, Goldwing Express, the Brombies, the Headline Bluegrass Band and Jam Pak. Desert Diamond Casino, 7350 S. Nogales Highway, Tohono O’odham Reservation. $30 for weekend pass; $20 Saturday and Sunday; FREE Friday night and for age 16 and younger. 520-294-7777, desertbluegrass.org.

23-25: Fine Art and Craft Show: Southwestern decorative and handcrafted art. Frontier Town, 6245 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. FREE. 602-789-7222, dixiegreenpromotions.com.

23-25: Mesa Powwow: Intertribal Native American gathering and dance competition. Pioneer Park, 526 E. Main St. FREE. 602-799-0260, cityofmesa.org/parksrec.

24: World Water Day Festival: Hands-on water-related activities, presentations, magic tricks, recycling games and hiking. Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area, 2439 S. Central Ave., Phoenix. FREE. 602-262-6863 or 602-262-6713, phoenix.gov/riosalado.

24-25: Anthem Autumnfest: Arts and crafts, food, kids zone and dance performances. Anthem Community Park Amphitheater, 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway. FREE. 623-742-6050, onlineatanthem.com.

24: Gilbert Family Halloween Carnival: Frankenstein’s Fishing Hole, ghost bingo, pumpkin decorating, inflatable bounces and slides, food and beverages, and live entertainment. Freestone Park, 1045 E. Juniper Ave, Gilbert. $4; free for age 3 and younger. 480-503-6200, ci.gilbert.az.us.

24-Nov. 1: Sedona Plein Air Festival: Live open-air painting sessions, demonstrations, workshops, guest speakers, a public exhibition and art sale of work from Sedona plein-air painters. L’Auberge de Sedona, 301 L’Auberge Lane. Prices vary. 928-282-1661, lauberge.com.

31: The Arizona Irish Festival: Irish music, dance performances, food and live entertainment. Halloween costumes encouraged. Irish Cultural Center 1106 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $10; $1 for ages 6-12; free for age 5 and younger. 602-258-0109, azirishfestival.org.

31: Trunk or Treat Festival: Trick-or-treating out of car trunks, bone garden, phantom fun house and canine-costume contest. Desert Mountain Park, 22201 S. Hawes Road, Queen Creek. FREE. 480-358-3700, queencreek.org.

NOVEMBER

1: Great Cajun Cookoff and Food Fest: Amateur Cajun gumbo and jambalaya cooking contest, samples, and live music. Historic Heritage Square, 115 N. Sixth St., Phoenix. $25-$40. 602-262-5071, greatcajuncookoff.com.

1: Knock Out Parkinson’s Jazz and Blues Festival: Live music, buffet and silent auction. Scottsdale Plaza Resort, 7200 N. Scottsdale Road. $75. 480-595-6890, parkinsonaz.org.

5-8: Arizona Classic Jazz Festival: U.S. and European bands perform. Crowne Plaza San Marcos Resort, 1 San Marcos Place, Chandler. $35-$95. 480-620-3941, azclassicjazz.org.

6-8: Fine Art and Wine Festival: Wine, live entertainment and crafts from more than 160 artists. Carefree Town Center Amphitheater, 101 Easy St. $3; free parking. 480-837-5637, thunderbirdartists.com.

6-8: Tucson Celtic Festival: Beer garden, jumping castles, crafts, storytelling, petting zoo, life-size board game, Celtic dancing and food, historical re-enactments, sheepherding demonstrations, bagpipe bands, and athletic and musical competitions. Rillito Raceway Park, 4502 N. First Ave. $5-$12. 520-807-9509, tucsoncelticfestival.org.

7-8: Litchfield Park Festival of the Arts: The 39th year of the Litchfield Park Festival of the Arts features music, artists, wine tasting, and a book and antique sale. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Downtown Litchfield Park. FREE. litchfield-park.org.

14-15: Chiles and Chocolate Festival: Chocolate and salsas samples, cooking demonstrations, dance instruction, children’s activities, music and vendors. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. $5-$15. 480-941-1225, dbg.org.

14: Phoenix Faerie Festival: Crafts, fantasy artists, authors, music, dance performances, live performance theater, storytelling and masquerade ball. Estrella Mountain Regional Park, 14805 W. Vineyard Ave., Goodyear. $10. 623-932-3811, westerngatesfaerierealms.com.

20-22: Thunderbird Artists Fine Art and Wine Festival: Wine tastings, live music and art displays, boutiques and specialty stores. CityCenter at CityNorth, 5515 E. Deer Valley Drive, Phoenix. $3. 480-837-5637, thunderbirdartists.com.

27-28: Glendale Glitters: 1.5 million lights illuminate 12 blocks of downtown Glendale. Entertainment, food booths, handcrafted holiday gifts, children’s winter wonderland, horse-drawn-carriage rides, shopping and visits with Santa Claus. 5-10 p.m. Downtown Glendale. FREE. 623-930-2299, glendaleaz.com.

DECEMBER

3-30: Las Noches de las Luminarias 2009: Each year during the holiday season the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix lines the paths of this extraordinary desert garden with thousands of luminarias for Las Noches de las Luminarias. Combine the evening desert glow, with the unique environment of the Desert Botanical Garden, entertainment, food, wine, and snacks, and Las Noches de las Luminarias is an event that you won’t want to miss. 480-941-1225, dbg.org.

4-6: Tempe Festival of the Arts: Art, gifts, hands-on kids activities, food and entertainment. Mill Avenue District, Mill Avenue and University Drive. FREE. 480-355-6075, tempefestivalofthearts.com.

12-13: Holiday Art and Music Festival: Live entertainment, art, kids activities, food and artist demonstrations in glassblowing, metals and ceramics. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St. FREE. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.

Lots of Stuff Going On in Martha’s Vineyard

There is lots of excitement on the island right now.

 

First, there was the warning and worry about the possibility of Hurricane Bill arriving on the island this weekend.

 

Second, there is the excitement (or dread, not sure which one) about the arrival of the president and his family for a weeklong vacation on the Vineyard.

 

I am happy to see that Hurricane Bill did not cause big problems for Martha’s Vineyard. I was sad to hear the news about the young girl in Maine who died as a result of the hurricane. Thankfully, we are not hearing news like that about the Vineyard.

 

Video of beaches up and down the East Coast, including Martha’s Vineyard:

http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?clip=15134&from=36hr_outlet_video

 

The Obamas have arrived! I guess it’s always exciting to have the president on the island. Hopefully their visit won’t disrupt vacationers’ (and our renters’) fun and planned activities. And hopefully the general public won’t disrupt the plans of the first family and allow them some privacy. Knowing the folks on the island, I think Martha’s Vineyard has proven itself to be a good place to go and allow famous people to go out and about without issue.

 

I read on Twitter, this past week, about 2 new island restaurants. If both restaurants are open during my fall visit to the island in October (for the wine festival and closing of our home for the season), I will make a point of trying both of them.

 

One of them, the Chilmark Tavern, is one I have heard about from my cousin. She had mentioned it and said it was good. Then I read this article in the Boston Herald, which confirms my cousin’s assertion.

 

I hear business has been tough on the island this summer season, so please go out and try these new restaurants and the ones I spoke about in my last posting.

 

State Road Restaurant

http://stateroadmv.com/

 

Chilmark Tavern

http://chilmarktavern.com/

 

Enjoy the week on the island. Eat, swim, bike and have a great vacation!

New Restaurants and Old Stand-Bys on Martha’s Vineyard

New Restaurants and Old Stand-Bys on Martha’s Vineyard

I have let the busy-ness of life and work get in the way of posting to my blog. I MUST get out of that habit and get into a good habit of posting regularly.

When Ed and I were in Martha’s Vineyard prepping the house for the summer season, we tried some restaurants we had never tried before. Some were new restaurants and some were new to us but have been around for a while.

I also went to one very mediocre bar/tavern type restaurant in Oak Bluffs while I was on the island by myself and before Ed arrived. But I don’t want to mention the ones by name that aren’t worth mentioning. I will only name the ones we enjoyed.

Jimmy Seas, Oak Bluffs

We were in the mood for Italian but we had heard very mixed reviews on this restaurant. One of our friends absolutely loves this place while another thinks it is just “ok”. Our neighbor also thinks it’s just “ok”. But we really enjoyed it although the restaurant is very small. They serve extremely large portions (much like Carmine’s in NYC), like family style. For the two of us, we only ordered salads, 1 appetizer and 1 entrée and we still had a lot of food to bring home. You MUST like garlic because they use a ton of it on all their food. We ordered the roasted garlic appetizer, which was great. It’s big cloves of garlic in olive oil. Yummy! And we found the prices to be reasonable.

The Atlantic Fish & Chop House

While I was still by myself and eating out by myself before Ed’s arrival, I ate at the bar at Alchemy Bistro. The bar and wait staff told me that they had just gone to the opening of the Atlantic, the night before, and they were raving about it. So Ed and I decided to try it and we LOVED it. There’s a lot to love about this place. First, there is the spectacular view. The restaurant is right on the docks at the end of Main Street in downtown Edgartown. The food was excellent. If you like Lobster Mac and Cheese, you will love theirs. The steaks were great. The lobster was great. We also enjoyed the pub atmosphere. It’s an upscale pub atmosphere. We ended up going here twice within one week, we liked it so much. It’s not inexpensive, but it wasn’t more than any other place that’s considered fine dining.

The Wharf Pub

This place is a place I discovered in May 2008, when I was by myself. Ed could come to MV last year to help me prep the house due to a new job. So while I was exploring “new” places by myself, I came across the Wharf Pub, which I had seen a hundred times but had never gone in there. I was so pleasantly surprised by their food. It is a very casual place but the food is quite good. I have never been disappointed when I have gone. They have very good seafood dishes and even good pasta dishes. I found this restaurant to be reasonable priced and it’s a fun place to watch a baseball game. I took Ed here in October 2008 and we went here again this past May twice, once with friends.

Alchemy Bistro

This is also a place I discovered in May 2008, when my dear friend Joyce came up to MV to help me prep the house because Ed could not come that year. She and I tried this restaurant and really enjoyed it. I took Ed here in October 2008 and he also enjoyed it. I went here by myself before Ed arrived on the island and it was as good as ever. I had a wonderful seafood pasta dish and this restaurant is always busy, even when others are not. It’s worth going here. It’s not what I would call inexpensive but it is in line with pricing for fine dining. Their desserts are great too and they give you healthy portions. I had to take home half of my dessert, which was a yummy chocolate and cream cake.

David Ryan’s

This was a restaurant I hadn’t been back to since my best friend’s wedding rehearsal dinner in 1998. We have passed it a million times since then and just hadn’t stopped back in there, for no particular reason. I went there by myself (again) this year and had the absolute best fish and chips. They were great. And their spicy fries were also wonderful. The locals at the bar were quite entertaining. This restaurant is nicer than just a pub menu and the food was enjoyable. I also found it priced reasonably. It is located right in downtown Edgartown.

Lookout Tavern

This is a very casual place in Oak Bluffs. In fact, if I remember correctly, they serve you with plastic forks and knives. The lobster was good but this restaurant is strictly for the location. There is no better view of the water than at the Lookout Tavern. It is facing the water, right near the Oak Bluffs ferry. It’s the perfect place for a beer and a quick bite right before you board the ferry. On a sunny day, there is nothing better than that view. I am told the sushi is very good here and I have heard that now on several occasions. I am just afraid to try sushi at a pub but I am told it’s great. I’ll stick with the lobster. The prices are reasonable here.

Mediterranean

We went here with a group of friends and enjoyed our meal. I think I enjoyed this restaurant more than Ed did, but I liked their menu. They had quite a choice between tapas, appetizers, entrees and light meals. The desserts were good too, and large in size. The pricing was in line with the pricing of fine dining.

John’s Fish Market/Sandy’s Fish and Chips

Ok, so this is not exactly a restaurant but they make the BEST lobster roll sandwiches on the island, in our opinion. We have now tried several lobster roll elsewhere and we always come back to John’s. Unfortunately they close at the end of September so we won’t be able to go there when we head back to the island in October. Their seafood is awesome too. We often will buy lobsters to grill from them. They crack it for us and all we have to do is throw it on the grill. Delicious! They are located on State Road in Vineyard Haven.

Offshore Ale Co.

Located in Oak Bluffs, we first found this place a few years ago. It’s pub food but good pub food. How many pubs have you been to that have Truffle Parmesan Fries? They are delicious. Overall, we really like this place. You have a good choice of homemade brewed beers and the prices are reasonable. We go here every time we visit the island. This place is one of the favorites of my friend Joyce.

Plane View

This is a very small restaurant located at the Katama Air Field. You can watch planes come and go if they happened to be scheduled while you are there. There are also small planes just there at the airport for all to see. This restaurant is known for its great breakfast and we really enjoyed it. It’s very busy and chances are, you will have a wait. The prices are reasonable and we enjoy going here.

I will try to go back and think about other restaurants we enjoyed during other visits and post them. We will be visiting the island in October, to close down the house, and we definitely want to try other restaurants we have not yet tried. And we will have to continue our quest to find other delicious lobster roll sandwiches since John’s will be closed when we go back later this year.

Martha’s Vineyard Rental Season Prep Week (actually prep two weeks)

I am now in Martha’s Vineyard getting the house ready for the 2009 summer rental season. This is a combination of both, fun and hard work. I am cleaning, scrubbing, laundering, ironing, vacuuming, shopping for rental supplies and mopping all day while fitting in some real work (you know, the kind that pays the bills) and trying to enjoy the change of scenery. As much as I love Scottsdale, the desert and the sunshine every day, I ALWAYS enjoy coming to this beautiful island. There’s just no other place like it. 

I consider myself a very lucky person. I live in paradise and I get to come to another paradise for vacation (even if it is a working vacation on many different levels).  My husband, Ed and I have often talked about our ideal scenario. We hope we can get to the point in our lives, someday, where we can “winter” in Scottsdale and “summer” in Martha’s Vineyard. But that’s down the road…in the future. For now, we will continue to rent our lovely home for the summer rental season.

 

I am happy to say that we are booked for the entire summer, from June 20 through September 30. We usually get 2 more weeks in June booked, but considering the hard times we all are facing and the recession, I am happy with what we have booked this year.

I am also happy to say that we have 7 repeat renters this year. This is our highest number of repeat renters. The last 2 years, we have had 6 repeat renters each year. We have been very lucky and have had only great renters at this house and we are happy to welcome our new and repeat renters to our home this year.

I arrived on Saturday evening and was so exhausted from my red-eye flight from Phoenix. I ended up skipping dinner and sleeping for more than 15 hours! I did something different this year, something I haven’t done since we moved to Arizona. I took the ferry, with a car rental, from the mainland to the island. We usually take Cape Air from either Boston or Providence. But this year, we decided we wanted to get back the ferry experience. Both Ed and I feel the ferry is such a great part of the whole Martha’s Vineyard experience and charm. I really enjoyed it and I think I would like to continue to do it this way in the future. Even though Cape Air is an experience in itself, we really like the ferry.

 

I am having a very interesting and fun time, so far. We seem to have a resident rooster, hanging out at our house. The rooster was not here in September, during our last visit. I was greeted, literally, by the rooster when I arrived on Saturday. I actually thought he was a lawn ornament that Holly, our landscaper, put there. But then he moved. I was accustomed to being greeted upon arrival at the house by a group of wild turkeys. That’s what happened last May (2008). And this rooster is a pretty vocal rooster. See the video by clicking on the link below.

http://s179.photobucket.com/albums/w303/annabrice/Rooster%20Video/?action=view&current=MOV02200.flv

I am trying to exercise while I am here, by walking everyday on the beach (South Beach, of course). Sunday was rainy and so was Monday. But the rain did stop on Monday, so I rushed out to walk (even though it was pretty cold). I saw the cutest little fellow (or gal, I can’t tell). It was a seal. He was on the beach but, before I could get close enough to get a good photo, he flopped very quickly into to the water. He was fast. I was running and I couldn’t catch up to him. So the best photo I was able to get was the seal in the water, bobbing his head up and down. See the photo below.

 

I am going to try some restaurants I have yet to eat at and will report on the ones I like. So far, I have gone to 2 favorites, Alchemy and the Wharf Pub. Both are located in downtown Edgartown on Main Street and only about 1.5 miles from our home. The meal at Alchemy (and the Pomegranate Martini) was wonderful, as usual. The lobster roll sandwich (my favorite sandwich ever) at the Wharf Pub was very good. My meal tonight was just OK, really “pub food” and nothing special to talk about at a restaurant I tried for the first time in Oak Bluffs. Still to come, I need to make my usual stop at John’s Fish Market in Vineyard Haven for my lobster roll sandwich and lemonade and drive to the beach to eat it. They make the best one!

Ok, it’s time to get back to folding and ironing. We really like to make our home a great rental house for our renters. We have been very lucky to have great renters and they deserve a great rental. Our house is so cute and really a nice house. We so enjoy coming here.

I will keep you posted on some good restaurants we visit over the next week and a half.

A Word About Customer Service

It’s been over a week since I had a bad customer service experience with Delta Airlines. I wanted to cool down a bit, because I was furious at the time and it’s always a good idea to think things out and not react (or overreact) with an angry head.

 

This is the reason I decided to write about this topic in my blog.

 

With BREO Vacation Rentals, our rental business, customer service is extremely important to us and we are very serious about wanting only happy renters stay with us. A vacation is well-deserved and something we all look forward to with excitement and anticipation. Ed and I try very hard to provide an exceptional product, our rental properties. We also go the extra step, and take the extra effort, to provide the little niceties that we are not really required to provide. We have been very lucky to have good renters, conscientious renters and respectful renters 99.99% of the time. Like I said, this is very important to us and we feel strongly that a paying customer has the right to expect good service and a great product, as we advertise in our rental listings.

 

Our goal is to never have an unhappy customer. I think we have done a good job at that. We try hard. We call every single renter when they arrive to make sure all is looking good at the rental property and they have everything they need. We tell our renters to call us anytime if they need something. We respond quickly if they do need something (like a light bulb needs changing). We listen to suggestions and when it’s a good and logical suggestion, we’ll make the improvement requested. We do not skimp on the maintenance of our properties, whether it’s landscaping or Terminix or carpet/tile cleaning.

 

You would be amazed at how many people are surprised when I call them to check in on them. More often than not, they thank me for calling and tell me how much they appreciate the phone call. I guess we are all conditioned to accept, and expect, mediocre or downright bad customer service. To me, this is pretty basic stuff and as a marketer by profession, this is very low hanging fruit to gaining a happy customer (and perhaps a repeat customer). We now have had multiple repeat rentals at all of our rental properties. I am happy to say, we even have a couple of instances where we have 4 time repeat renters!

 

Back to my problem with Delta. Without getting too technical about the problem I was having, I was trying to book flights to Boston for Ed and me. We need to go to Martha’s Vineyard and get the house ready for the summer rental season (and I can’t wait to get there!). We are taking separate outbound flights, because Ed is joining me 5 days after my arrival. I was booking online on a Sunday evening, at around 9:30pm. There was some sort of glitch in the system where I was unable to book the flights I needed for myself to match Ed’s return flight. When I changed my departure date to the following day (not the day I really wanted), the system was allowing me to match Ed’s return flight. So, I decided to book the next day flight so I could coordinate our return flights together and not risk the flight being sold out the next morning when I did call Delta Airlines. I did try to call the Delta Mileage Desk but the recording said the office was closed. 

 

I had worked in the travel industry for 13 ½ years and I am familiar with what is considered to be a reasonable request of the service providers. My request of Delta Airlines—please waive the $100 change fee that they wanted to charge in order to change me to the original outbound flight I wanted, but was unable to book to coordinate with my husband’s return flight. Long story short—I had to explain my story to 3 different customer service agents and they all refused to consider or budge on the change fee issue. They did not even offer to talk to a superior or supervisor. One agent actually told me that they do not have supervisors, when I asked to speak to one. Really??!! A call center without a supervisor? I do not believe that for a minute.

 

I asked Customer Service Rep #3 to connect me to a supervisor. She was reluctant to do so and advised that a supervisor would not be able to do what I am asking. She only connected me when I insisted that she do so. She actually came back on the line and said “I already spoke to the supervisor and he says that he is willing to talk to you but will not be able to waive the fee”. I decided I had nothing to lose since I was already frustrated (and furious) and now it was just the principle of trying to get some satisfaction.

 

Luckily I was connected to a Customer Service Supervisor who really took pride in his job and wanted to do what he could to have a happy customer, if it was possible and if it was a reasonable request. James Freeman, of the Montreal office, was truly a professional and a terrific example of what customer service is actually supposed to feel like. James listened to me tell my story for the 4^th time and quickly determined that he could absolutely make the change for me and waive the change fee. He apologized for his 3 previous colleagues and lamented the fact that a Delta Airlines customer had to talk to 4 different people before getting satisfaction. He felt that the first 3 customer service agents really did not listen to me when I was explaining my situation because, if they had listened, they would have seen no problem in fixing the issue without a fee.

 

A very frustrating call to Delta Airlines ended with a satisfied customer who was happy she was persistent and continued trying for a resolution. I was so close to making this my last time flying with Delta Airlines. While I was on hold, waiting for Customer Service Rep #4, I had already made the decision that I would never give Delta Airline another single dime of my hard earned money. I take solace in the fact that there are people out there who do want to provide good customer service on behalf of their companies and they also take pride in themselves and in the job they do. Ed and I take our renters’ happiness very seriously and we try hard to do a good job. We really, really try hard and we take pride in that.

 

Isn’t that the way it should be? Should everyone feel that way? And shouldn’t we be able to expect that a customer service representative will provide good customer service, care about the customer and try hard? Am I crazy or should this be “normal”?

 

In today’s economy, I cannot believe that Delta Airlines would be happy to lose a customer over something so silly. Wake up Corporate America! It doesn’t take much to have happy customers. It just takes a little effort and a little respect for people who are giving you money (purchasing your product). And proper training of your employees—make sure they understand your company’s mission and desire for happy customers.

 

(FYI—it is a reasonable request to ask for a change fee to be waived if you have a good reason for asking. Things like change fees can absolutely be waived.)

Add This to the List—the Ostrich Festival

 

 

The Ostrich Festival

I woke up this morning and, while watching the news, I was informed that Arizona has something called the Ostrich Festival. It’s located in Chandler and apparently is a popular event. I can only assume it’s popular because this year’s festival was the 21^st Annual Ostrich Festival. The 21^st! It’s been around for a while, although this was the first I was hearing about it.

 

There’s an abundance of activity at this festival. Really, there’s something for everyone.

The Ostrich Race

 

Ostrich Races— This is the most popular event. At the Ostrich Festival for years, camel and ostrich races continue to captivate audiences with their crazy riders and unexpected animal behavior. I hear it’s something to experience if you have never seen it before. 

 

Sea Lions

Sea Lion Show— Aren’t these just the cutest creatures? This is a new event to the festival. The

“Sea Lion Splash” travels all over North America entertaining thousands of people each year with their spellbinding show. 

 

 

The action of the Demolition Derby

Demolition Derby— Lots of excitement.

Derby Pros destroy each other’s cars in an attempt to be the last man moving.

 

 

Enjoy the Parade

Ostrich Festival Parade—

Some of the attractions that were featured in the past include Ollie the Trolley, antique cars, horses, high school marching bands and creative floats. More than 100 various entries are expected for the parade. People bring their chairs and blankets and enjoy the show.

 

It looks like I need to go to the festival next year and see what it’s all about. I’ll let you know. 

March is the Perfect Month in Scottsdale…and Spring Training is Here!

 

Scottsdale Stadium- The Home of the San Francisco Giants

 March is one of the two most perfect months in AZ. Can you guess the other “perfect” month?These are the reasons I like the month of March.

 

The weather is not cold, like December and sometimes January can be. Please keep in mind, however, when I say cold, I don’t really mean cold (by East Coast and Midwestern standards). December is usually in the 50s and 60s, while January is usually the 60s and low 70s (although we had some crazy January weather this year with days in the 80s). February is usually beautiful but it can have a few surprise days by not hitting the 70s.  But, generally speaking, February is nice, just sometimes unpredictable. (This year we hit 90 on the same day there was a big, huge snowstorm in the Northeast—schools were closed, corporations were also closed.) March is usually perfect—the mid 70s to the mid 80s and no humidity, of course. Never too cold and never too hot…just perfect.

 

Activities are plentiful.

 

Spring Training is here! I love that, although I can’t explain why the biggest baseball fan I know (me) has never been to a spring training game. I came close once, in the early 1990s in Florida, but it was the year of the owners’ lockout and the tickets I had in my hand were worthless, as spring training was cancelled that year. Can you believe that!? Because most games are day games, I find it difficult to break away from work during the week and get to a game. Work always seems to get in the way of life, doesn’t it?However, I don’t really have an excuse for why I haven’t gotten myself to a weekend game. But the winter visitors love it and I know I have had many renters who make a special trip to AZ just for spring training (particularly Cubs fans). It’s a great way to get up close to your favorite team and enjoy the wonderful sunshine during wintertime.

 

Outdoor festivals are popular during this month. Cave Creek just had their Art and Wine Festival last weekend and Fountain Hills is having their Art and Wine Festival next weekend. It’s a great way to get some wine tasting done and stroll past all the different artists’ booths. We enjoy it and try to go to them. Scottsdale also has one. This year it was in February, down in Old Town Scottsdale. And of course there is the big artists’ show, the Arizona Fine Art EXPO, located on Scottsdale Road, running from the end of January to the end of March. Also worth noting is the Scottsdale Art Festival from March 20-22, 2009.

 

If you like Farmer’s Markets, it’s easy to find one. Usually running during the winter months (October-March), you can easily spend your Saturdays leisurely strolling an outdoor Farmer’s Market. We have gone to the one at DC Ranch and there are two in Cave Creek. I know there are others; I just haven’t found them yet. Probably the best Farmer’s Market is the one in downtown Phoenix, the Downtown Phoenix Public Market. It’s year-round on Wednesdays (4pm-8pm) and Saturdays (8am-1pm). Old Town Scottsdale also has one.

 

Don’t forget about golf! You will find the most beautiful golf courses out here in AZ. I don’t think I have been to a course out here yet, that I can call less than beautiful. There are world famous courses, beautiful courses, green and lush courses, desert courses and courses surrounded by mountains. Ed and I like Lookout Mountain at the Pointe Tapatio Cliffs Resort in Phoenix. We like it because it’s a beautiful course with green, lush holes but is also a very desert course on the back nine. It’s like getting two courses for the price of one. It’s also reasonably priced, and at our level of play, it doesn’t make sense to play at those $300 per person courses.

 

There is plenty more to do. In the spirit of not talking on and on for pages, here is a list of things that come to mind.

 

§ Thursday Evening Gallery Walk in Old Town Scottsdale § Arizona Bike Week § Arizona Antique Show § Arizona Touch of Class Miniature Horse Show § Phoenix Zoo § Botanical Gardens § Cavalia § Phoenix Suns § Phoenix Coyotes § Taliesin West § Paolo Soleri Cosanti Wind Bells- see where they are made § Trips to Sedona, Jerome, Prescott, Cottonwood, Tucson, Flagstaff § Hot Air Ballooning § Desert Jeep Tours.

 

 

Now for the other perfect month—it’s October. More to come on that later.

Hello world!

Welcome to my first blog post!

 

This blog is a series of thoughts and reflections about two of my favorite places in the world, Scottsdale AZ and Martha’s Vineyard MA. They are very different places and I love them both for very different reasons. I am hoping to offer insights to both destinations and talk about things to do, places to go, great restaurants, golf courses and must-do activities.

 

My husband, Ed and I have two vacation rentals in Scottsdale and one vacation rental in Martha’s Vineyard, so we are always looking for interesting tidbits to pass on to our renters. We work very hard to provide great rental accommodations and we like to go the extra mile to ensure our guests have a great vacation at these wonderful destinations. Sometimes we learn of a great place from them, when they leave the information in our guest book. (That’s how we found our favorite, wonderful gelato place in Scottsdale, with two Italian sisters and their husbands who own the place.)

 

My first time to Scottsdale was back in May 1993. I would come out to visit four times that summer between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That fact is worth noting because most people who live here, whether native Arizonans or transplants, say that the real test of living and loving AZ is if you can take the heat of the summer. It’s very common for residents to leave during the summer and get to a cooler place. Since my first time here, I have been calling Scottsdale my favorite place on earth. It still is my favorite place. Ed and I even got married out here when we were still living in New Jersey. What a GREAT destination for a wedding. After 13 years of saying I want to live in Scottsdale AZ, we made the big move.

 

What has always struck me, every time I would visit this beautiful place, is the big blue sky. Every day, I would leave the condo or hotel and the sky would be a clear blue with a bright sun. I thought to myself—how could you not be cheerful when you wake up to this everyday? I still feel that way every morning when I take a look outside. It’s truly a desert paradise.

 

My first visit to Martha’s Vineyard was in June 1998. We came to the island for my best friend’s wedding. Never in a million years during that visit did we think we would eventually buy a house there. The wedding was beautiful. We experienced the Martha’s Vineyard ferry for the first time, which is a big part of the whole MV experience. We biked all over the island, including taking our bikes on the tiny Chappy ferry and riding in Chappaquiddick. Of course, lobster and seafood are a must when in New England. It’s truly an island paradise.

 

Ultimately, when we are old and gray, Ed and I hope to be able to spend the winter months in Scottsdale and the summer months on the Vineyard. But that’s a long time away and many more years of working towards that goal.

 

I picked the name, Destination Blue Sky, for this blog because I have seen so many days of big, blue sunny skies in Scottsdale and Martha’s Vineyard. Every morning when I wake up in Scottsdale, there is sunshine   …hot air balloons in the sky…and a beautiful sunset every evening. And there is nothing like walking the beach at South Beach in Edgartown on a bright, blue, sunshiny day…or looking out at the ocean from Oak Bluffs…or pulling off to the side of the road with my lemonade and lobster roll sandwich driving from Oak Bluffs to home in Edgartown just to stare at the beautiful blue/green water under a bright, blue sky.