November 13, 2021 - The Grapevine Restaurant and Bar - Scottsdale, Arizona

 

I visited with Peg Hartman on our visit to Old Town Scottsdale.  She ordered the Asian Salad – field greens topped with grilled chicken – six slices of white meat, cucumbers, red cabbage, tomatoes, cilantro, mint and basil over crispy noodles, soft noodles, herbs and orange sesame vinaigrette. 

I ordered the Blacken Bleu Burger – Gold Canyon Signature been patty grilled with cajun spices on a brioche bun topped with blue cheese and grilled onion…delicious..and it was so tall that you couldn’t take a good bite out of it.  I ordered fries with it…and they were also delicious.

 

The Grapevine Restaurant and Bar
4013 N. Brown Avenue
Scottsdale, Arizona 85251
Hours:  Sunday – Thursday  11:00 a.m.- 1:00 a.m.
             Saturday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.

We spent the day in Old Town Scottsdale. We found no trouble parking...walked down Brown to the Old Adobe Mission - Our Lady of Perpetual Help.  Beautiful church...the first Catholic Parish in Scottsdale.

From there we walked down to the  to the Cavalliere’s Blacksmith Shop…it wasn’t open but we were able to take pictures.  I think there are times that it is open.  I have wanted to find these two sites for a long time.

Just a nice day of strolling up and down Brown.  I love peeking into all the gardens that you wouldn't noticed otherwise.  I call them the hidden gardens. I loved the one with the sculptures of the Navajo woman herding sheep.  It was a good day.

 

November 12, 2021 - Arriverderci Cucina Italiana - Fountain Hills, Arizona

 

I visited with my friend, Peg.  We were on our way to the Taliesin West for the Southwest Shakespeare Company production of From Tidwell With Love.

We started off with the hard crust bread and a dipping oil loaded with minced parsley, oregano, rosemary and basil.  It had a really fresh taste to the spices…I hope I have identified all of them correctly.

 

Peg ordered the Orecchiette pasta, rapini, sausage, olive oil, garlic, red chili flakes and parmesan cheese.  She worried about the flakes.  Said it was way too hot but she like the Italian sausage and the broccoli.

 

I ordered the Pappardelle Bolognese – it was very good especially eating it with the hard crusted baguette. The flat, wide pasta was just perfect with the delicious homemade meat sauce.  It was red sauce though and not creamy Bolognese sauce which is what I love.

(I hate this when I rotate and save.  Yet it never is placed rotated.)

Arriverderci Cucina Italiana
12645 N. Saguaro Blvd #1
Fountain Hills, AZ 85268
(480) 816- 5895
Hours:  Sunday – Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
             Friday- Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

The play:

November 11- 14, 2021 is the premiere of the new play From Tidwell with Love by David Barker – a professor at the School of Music, Dance and Theater  - ASU – Tempe Campus

 “At a time of global racial, economic and health crises, producing enormous divisions among people, From Tidworth With Love is a new play that follows the romance of Bill Barker (a soldier in basic training near Baltimore, Maryland) and Mary Giambrone (a nursing student in Norristown, Pennsylvania) that eventually led to marriage, with World War II as the historical and aesthetic context. Bill Barker, my father, wrote hundreds of letters to Mary Giambrone, my mother, starting in September of 1941 after a blind date, continuing through Army basic training, deployment to Europe, and to the end of the war in 1945. This is a two-character romance based on the 93 letters that survived. 

 Ultimately From Tidworth With Love will honor Veterans of Foreign Wars, humanize the WWII experience, and educate a new generation that has little or no tangible connection to a global event in the 1940's that saved humanity from the ideologies and practices of Nazi Germany which are manifest today in racist, fascist and white supremacist groups.”   - David Barker

 A superb performance by Andy Cahoon and Mary Townsend – real-life husband and wife (I thought their kisses were so real.) who were also married in the midst of global unrest, in November 2020.

 We  both loved it…funny…emotional….historical.  It was after 10:00 p.m…when it ended so we didn’t stay for the Talk Back with David Barker…and I would have loved that I am sure.

October 12, 2021 - The Rokerij - Phoenix, Arizona

 

I  visited for the first time with Brandy Kessel.  We chose to sit out in the patio…the weather is so beautiful I like to use the patios every time it is possible…because it is impossible during the hot summer months.

We both ordered the Swordfish special..and each chose the Caesar Salad as our first course.  I chose the Butternut Squash for my vegetable with the fish…Brandy chose Carrots.  The swordfish tasted as if lightly sauteed..and served with tiny cubes of vegetables on top…it was delicious.  I love butternut squash.  I was expecting a tiny piece..or no…they served me one-half of the baked squash…it came with lots of butter and I think brown sugar.  Perfect.

The Rokerij
6335 N. 16 Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85016
(602) 287-8900
Hours:  Monday – Friday 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
             Saturday – Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

It is prounouced (ro-ker-ee).  That means “Smokehouse” in Dutch.

October 8, 2021 - The Duce - Phoenix, Arizona

It was an interesting place.  First of all we couldn’t find a place to park plus there was a street closed.  Mike finally went in and asked. They were about to open in ten minutes even though the website said 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.

 

A little history - once a prohibition era-warehouse anchoring a bustling produce district by day, when the sun set the notorious neighborhood known as The Duce transform into the place to be for great food and fun. 

 

We went in…and there was lots of old things all over the place…pretty cute and very welcoming.  It was huge. Mike and  I went into the Black Orchid Room and looked around.  Apparently there is music starting at 8:00 p.m.  I am happy that we came early. Plus there was another large room on the south side of the Black Orchid Room.

 We each ordered a drink…I ordered a Bloody Mary. I watched the young lady make it but I really can’t remember what she put in it…of course there was a Bloody Mary mix and vodka, a small shot of the pickle juice….she garnished it with an olive….put a straw in it and laid a pickle slice across the top…I think maybe a kosher pickle because it was not a dill pickle.  Poured everything into a squat Mason jar.  Everything here is served in a jar.  I think because of the prohibition history.  I liked my drink..

 

My Bloody Mary

Mike's Margarita

I ordered the Ila’s Brisket Sliders – The Duce Favorite!  These delicious two crusty knot rolls heaped with a very good , sweet tasting brisket.  I really liked these.  I didn’t order any sides because I was saving for dessert plus everything was ala carte…

Ila's Brisket Sliders

Mike ordered the Mason Jar Prairie Pasta – Organic Prairie vodka sauce, chicken sausage and peas.

                                   

Mason Jar Prairie Pasta

                                                                    

Candy and Pat ordered the brisket as I did. Pat added the Homemade Baked Beans…Candy the Homemade Pickle Slaw.  Pat wasn’t crazy about her side…but Candy was happy with hers.

I was the only one to order dessert- Sour Cream Berry Pie Jar…and it was served piping hot and delicious.  I liked the fact that it wasn’t too sweet.

 I really think because most of the menu is Gluten Free, Gluten Free Option, Vegetarian Option and Vegan Option that there isn’t the sugar or processed taste that we are used to eating…and so everything tastes bland to us.  I liked it…and I am happy that went there to eat.  It was one of those places that one has to experience.

 At first I thought all the items were very expensive…but I walked away full…so I know that the servings were just right.

 It was visited by Diners, Drive-in & Dives – the program featured one of their Warm-Ups – The Duce Mac and Cheese Muffins – baked with cheddar cheese, gruyere, goat cheese, panko and parmesan topping.   And -  Chicken Pot Pie Jar 

The staff was wonderful...very friendly...very accommodating.

The Duce
525 S. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ
(602) 866-3823
Hours:  Wednesday 4:00 p.m. – 11:00 p..m.
             Thursday 4:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
            Friday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.
            Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
            Monday – Tuesday – Closed