A day in Phoenix: The athlete

9 months out of the year, Phoenix is an amazing place to be sporty. There’s hiking, biking, kayaking (sort of) usually under clear, blue skies.

Here’s a sample day in Phoenix for those who need to be outdoors. If you’re planning a trip, get a bike map of the city to get a feel for your routes.

7:30 a.m.
Get up early (I try not to do this, but I hear some people like it), and head to Echo Canyon and climb Camelback Mountain.

9 a.m.
Have a post-hike coffee and breakfast at La Grande Orange. If it’s a nice day, sit outside and read the paper.

10:30 a.m.
Drive to nearby Scottsdale and rent a bike at Bicycle Haus ($30 for 4 hours or $40 for 24 hours) and ride along the canal and Indian Bend Wash to Tempe.

12 p.m.
Lunch at veggie and carnivore-friendly Pita Jungle.

ALTERNATE ROUTES

1:30 p.m.
Either take your bike onto the lightrail and travel west to the Center Parkway and Washington station

OR

Ride your bike through Tempe, down Mill Avenue and do a little window shopping

OR

If you’re feeling super energetic, go to the Tempe Town Lakes park, rent a kayak and take a spin around the lake.

3 p.m.
Ride through Papago Park and then take the greenbelt back to Bicycle Haus.

4 p.m.
You’ve got to be exhausted. Why don’t you take a quick nap. After all, you’re on vacation.

6:30 p.m.
Designate a driver and head to Central Phoenix to enjoy a margarita and a giant burrito at Via De los Santos. Get a cheese crisp too, you’ve earned it!

Shopping Etsy: Think geek

Nerdy stuff that’s so cool…

1.) Storm Trooper Cuff Links, $19.99
You know you want ‘em

2.) Floppy Disc Silver Charm, $22
Don’t you miss floppies?

3.) Vintage 60s/70s Nerdy Glasses, $14
Look like the janitor from middle school

4.) Vintage Chemistry Beaker, $8
I think they make great bud vases

5.) Calculator Boobies T-shirt, $15
My calculator always said “BOOBLESS”

6.) Temporary Barcode Tattoos, $4.50
Your number is up

7.) Snow’s Revenge, $14
You go Snow! Makes me want to buy a laptop

8.) Color Changing Rainbow Mason Jar Night Light, $17.99
So nerdy it’s cool

9.) Heroes of the Rebellion Pattern, $10
So cute, makes you want to watch the movie for the 26th time

10.) Ctrl, Alt, Del Pillows, $58
I’m a Mac gal, but can still appreciate

Creepy crawlies

What’s Cracking Good — Bittersweets

I’m flipping CRAZY about the earthworm bracelet and vampire teeth rings and (strangely enough) maggot charms I saw in Bittersweets’ shop.

Sick, sick, sick…but I love it!

A little herb

While my vegetable garden is limping along, my herb garden is flourishing!
I cut off the tops of all my basil and made a quick-and-easy pesto sauce:

Pesto Sauce
2 cups of basil leaves (packed in)
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (which I don’t put in because I’m dairy challenged)
3 tablespoons of pinenuts

Introducing clockwise basil, thyme, lavendar, mint and rosemary.

Phoenix things to do: June 19-21

FRIDAY

Shop the Kate Spade sample sale online
Handbags, shoes, clothing, jewelry…everything is 75% off! Even better, they are taking $5 off shipping.

Tribe vs De La @ Hidden House
Tricky T & Pickster One will spend the night playing classic Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. That’s an evening I wouldn’t want to miss (but I will…I won’t be here).

Hidden House
607 W. Osborn
Phoenix, AZ
Music starts at 9 p.m.
21 and over
$5

Skate Night @ Great Skate
Strap on some skates and take a spin on the wild side at Great Skate’s Friday Night Skate Night.

Great Skate
10054 N. 43rd Ave.
Glendale, AZ 85302
8 p.m. – midnight
$6.75 for adults (there’s a $2 off coupon on their website)

SATURDAY

Twilight viewing party @ Big Surf
Big love deserves to be watched by a Big Surf. Revel in the immortal love of Belle and Edward by the moonlight, in the sand, surrounded by kids.

Big Surf Water Park
1500 N. McClintock Drive
Tempe, AZ 85281
June 20th
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., movie starts at 8:30 p.m.
$15 per person

SUNDAY

Happy Father’s Day!!!
Take Dad somewhere nice…like Mission for brunch:
From 2 p.m. – sundown they serve all you can eat pork tacos for $16. The pork looks freshly roasted, carved in front of you. There are a multitude of toppings. The atmosphere is nice…and even better if you order a drink called the Primarita — Partida, lime juice, and agave syrup.

Zip-a-dee do dah!

I got this Elizabeth and James t-shirt at the beginning of the season with a neck hole that’s a zipper (if you can’t picture it, click). Needless to say, I love it…and have been going gaga over zippered things ever since. Here are a few more I like:

1.) Double Zipper Dress, $276.50
2.) Jagger Heel, $24.99
3.) Silence & Noise Side Zip Tunic, $19.99
4.) McQ Alexander McQueen Zig Zag Zipper Sweater, $428
5.) J.J Winters Suede Zipper Bag, $416
6.) Emma Cook Platform Sandal, $190
7.) The Athena Zipper Sandal, $55

Check out even more great zipped up items in my Spinning Wheels blog >>