11 go to Prescott ...!

Hello friends - how are you?  Got all that Christmas shopping done yet?

This week, I went with some of the ladies from Newcomers on a day trip to Prescott to do a spot of Christmas shopping and of course some eating ... and drinking.  Actually it turned out to be mostly eating and drinking as the sum total of my purchases consisted of a large bag of chocolate caramel popcorn and a vintage Christmas ornament!

Gorgeous St Nicholas

We started our day with lunch at The Palace Restaurant & Saloon on Whiskey Row which claims to be the oldest frontier saloon in Arizona and frequented by Wyatt & Virgil Earp and Doc Holliday in the late 1870s.  I also tried Root Beer for the first time.  It tasted a bit like the Dandelion & Burdock we used to have when I was a kid, with a bit of a licorice aftertaste. (we were only allowed 'pop' on special occasions as it was considered a luxury back then, which seems hilarious now when I see it being served like water here, even with breakfast!).   It was slightly odd and not sure I'll be having it again to be honest.  Think I'll just stick with tequila!

Our merry band ... including Booth, Nicole's service dog

It was a really fun day with lots of laughter, notably at the expense of the local candle shop!  Kelly and I, whilst meandering our way towards the next bar meet up **ahem**, thought we would just pop in for a quick butchers (oh sorry, for my American readers that's another Cockney rhyming slang derivative ... butcher's hook = look).  As we had both admitted to being die hard Yankee Candle fans we weren't expecting to be easily converted but we weren't quite prepared for the odd whiff that greeted us as we walked in.   We immediately looked at each other wrinkling our noses.  

"Hi Ladies!  Welcome in!" trilled the over enthusiastic shop assistant (who looked about 12).  "Have you been to our candle shop before?"

"Er ... no" we responded as we passed each other a look that clearly said we wouldn't be coming again either.  As Kelly rightly remarked, usually when you walked into a scented candle shop your senses would be bombarded with all kinds of slightly overpowering scents ... cinnamon, lavender, rose etc.  This was more ... how shall I describe it ... 

"Wax crayons!" 

Thank you Kelly ... that was exactly it!  That set us off giggling like a couple of naughty school girls.  The shop assistant, who was clearly struggling to meet her sales targets for the day as the shop was empty apart from the two of us - can't think why **raises eyebrow sarcastically**, continued,

"All our candles are made from pure essential oils and beeswax..."  Well, I'm not sure where the essential oils were from as we couldn't smell anything vaguely pleasant.  Oil or Olive perhaps? Or maybe Vegetable?

"Turn the candles over and smell the bottom ...". she continued

Kelly and I now standing by a display of drab looking candles each picked one up and turned it over,  and cautiously sniffed as instructed.

"What does yours smell like?" Kelly asked as barely managing to stifle a giggle

"Brown crayon.  How about yours?"

"Blue crayon"

Well that did it.  We could hold back no longer and as we howled with laughter we stole a glance at said shop assistant.  Not even a hint of a smile as she glared at us stony faced.    As we edged our way to the door ... I literally had tears rolling down my face ... Kelly made a desperate attempt to explain our mirth, but sour-faced Sally at the till wasn't having any of it and continued to look like she had several slices of lemon stuffed in her mouth.  

Finally, just as our escape route was in reach, we spotted the display of dog shaped candles. Uh-oh. I can honestly say that that was the first time I have ever sniffed a dog's bottom in public, which funnily enough smelled like ... a dog shaped wax crayon!  Hilarious.

We needed a drink after that and made our way back to Whiskey Row to meet some of the others for a much deserved Margarita at the Jersey Lilly Saloon (I know it should have been Whiskey but I can't stand the stuff) 

Kelly ... my partner in crime

It's 5 o'clock somewhere ... Cheers!

After more drinking ... and a bit more shopping, we piled back in the minivan and headed back to Scottsdale were we stopped for dinner and er .. more drinks .. before heading home.  What a day!  Special mention and thanks also to the other Bev sorting out the van and for driving us all the way there and back again (she's the one in the middle in the photo above ... with the Margarita :D)

On Monday I will be celebrating my 55th birthday (a fact which Ethan is finding hilarious as here in Arizona most of the supermarkets and some other stores also offer a 'Senior's discount' at 55 ... bloody cheek!) and so we started a weekend of celebrations last night with the first of Mr B's organized activities, tickets for Mamma Mia - the Musical at ASU Gammage in Phoenix.  Whilst admittedly, Abba were an extremely popular and talented group in their day,  they were never really my cup of tea.  I was always more of a Blondie, T Rex and U2 fan myself.  Oh but wait ... aren't they one of Mr B's favorites?!  Yes.  Yes they are.  Hmmmmm .....

Mamma Mia indeed!

To be fair, it was a really good show and I had a great time, despite the woman in front insisting on singing along to every single number and bopping up and down in her seat so hard that it made the whole row shake **rolls eyes**.

Well, there is another treat in store today apparently, so had better get my skates on as we are leaving in precisely 4 minutes I have been informed ....

Hope you all have a great week and look forward to seeing you again next time

TTFN
Bev x

Roaming around Jerome ...!

So last weekend was the 4th July (Independence Day ... ahem) holiday weekend.  Given that it isn't really a holiday that us Brits celebrate (for obvious reasons!),  Mr B found himself with an extra day off and as he clearly can't sit still for more than a couple of hours before he starts getting twitchy, he suggested we go off on a daytrip somewhere. 

"Someone said that Jerome is really pretty and a must see in Arizona ... " *post script: when I find out who it was they will be getting a sharp poke in the eye!*

After checking maps and determining it was just over a 2 hour drive from here, we decided it was do-able and that we could also tick off Prescott as well on the way back. 

Obviusly moody teenager was thrilled.  

"Can I just stay here?" he asked hopefully.

"No!"

After the usual sulking and muttering, he resigned himself to the fact that there was no getting out of it and assumed the now familiar 'Mission Control' position in the back of the car - headphones firmly clamped to ears, phone on seat beside him and games console in hand ..

"Help! ... I can still hear them ..."

Mr B and I sang along to classic rock tunes on the radio (which did nothing to improve moody teenager's mood and consequently just made us sing louder, lol!) and after climbing higher and higher along steep mountain roads, we eventually arrived in Jerome, some 5,000 ft above sea level.  

Views on the climb up to Jerome

Jerome 

Once known as the wickedest town in the west, Jerome was a copper mining camp, growing from a settlement of tents to a roaring mining community in the late 19th century.  Four disastrous fires destroyed large sections of the town during its early history apparently, but one noteable section still standing is the “Cribs District" where all the buildings were part of Jerome’s ill-famed “prostitution row.” Lol.  Sadly, the same can't be said for Jennie's Place though ... doesn't sound like she had a lot of luck!

Oh dear ...

Other than the usual array of touristy gift shops and eateries, there was not a lot else to see in Jerome (unless you wanted to tour the copper mining museum ... No? ... me neither). From what I saw, it seemed to be a haven for drop outs, aging hippies and 'new age therapists'.  They clearly did a roaring trade in tie-dye t-shirts and bead necklaces as nearly every other person was wearing one! 

We did manage to find the usual 'treasures' though whilst poking around the shops ...

Camouflage hat anyone? (nice photobomb Mr B!)

and the piece de resistance ... 

Christmas lights made from bullet casings ...

So in true Barlow family outing fashion, half an hour and one ice cream later we were back in the car.  Next stop Prescott.

As we drove into the town square, we discovered a bustling arts & crafts festival in full swing.  Yay!  (Mr B and moody teenager clearly thrilled).  However, (after spending 20 minutes looking for a parking space), closer inspection revealed more 'new age' therapies, sickly smelling hand made soaps, tie dye t shirts, beaded necklaces (ah ... that explains a lot) popcorn and candy floss.  Add to that a host of down and outs with dogs on bits of string lying across the pavements swigging bottles of beer and you could be forgiven for thinking you had inadvertently stumbled into Bognor (OK, maybe a bit harsh ... it wasn't quite that bad).  Hmmmm.  Maybe a spot of lunch then?

You could have knocked me down with a feather when moody teenager passed on the bacon cheeseburger in favour of a chicken ceasar salad, with the comment 

"Well you are always saying I should eat more healthily ... I'm a-dressing the situation ... hahaha!"

Groan.  Sadly that wasn't the end of the pun-fest which he had clearly been working on all through lunch.

"Sorry ... That joke was a bit Cheesy.  Lettuce continue ..." Terrible.  

Once we had all finished and another equally moody teenager had brought the bill ...

"Time to leaf" ... Ok, stop it now.

Before we left Prescott though, I wanted to have a look at the historic Victorian houses in Mount Vernon Avenue, which I have to say were absolutely beautiful.  I would love to live in a house like that.  I could just picture myself sitting in one of the old rocking chairs on the front porch sipping a nice cool drink (although it would NOT be iced tea ... bleugh!).  I did manage to snap a few pictures, however at most of the houses the occupants seemed to be congregated on their front porches with family and friends celebrating the holiday so wasn't sure they would be thrilled at the prospect of some mad British woman lurking in the shrubbery trying to take their picture ...

Later when we got home, I remarked how nice it had been nice to spend the day together despite the disappointing destination.

"Yes..."  remarked now not so moody teenager reunited once more with the wifi "... and we had a nice Rome around after lunch" **rolls on floor laughing**

"What's funny?"

"Caesar salad? .....Rome? Hahahahaha!"

OMG!! And on that note ...

TTFN and see you next time!
Bev x