Sedona and Drive-in Movie

Last Sunday, we loaded up the rental car with snacks, a thermos of coffee, lots of water, blankets, wine, and sunscreen and set out for Sedona.

On the way, we spontaneously stopped at Montezuma Castle, which is the ruin of a pueblo built by the Southern Sinagua (Spanish for without water) people. The Southern Sinagua inhabited the Verde Valley from about 700 AD to the early 1400s and were skilled farmers. Situated in a cliff recess 100 feet above the valley, the original pueblo was five stories tall and consisted of 20 rooms. Early settlers who thought the ruin was of Aztec origin mistakenly assigned the name Montezuma to it.

In Sedona, we hiked the Boynton Canyon Trail in the Coconino National Forest and the Red Rock Ranger District. The trail was mild, which I appreciated because the backs of my knees and legs are still injured. Parts of the trail were positively beach-like with thick white sand, and I was amazed at the extent of the forest.

Afterward, we had a snack at the Enchantment Resort's Tii Gavo restaurant. The restaurant has a stunning view, and the prickly pear mojito was marvy, but the cactus fries resembled mushy green peppers. The cornmeal crust offset the texture somewhat, but they were still rather bland and greasy.
For dinner at the Heartline Cafe, we shared pecan-crusted trout with grain mustard sauce, seared polenta and braised pork with roasted pepper sauce, and quail in a port wine demi-glace.

After dinner, we drove up Airport Road to watch the sunset and then walked around the Tlaquepaque shopping district before getting back on the road.

On Tuesday night, we went to Scottsdale 6, a drive-in movie theater, to see Shrek 3 and How to Train Your Dragon. I'd never been before, so it was a hoot.

Just Deserts?

There's lots to love about Phoenix: funky architecture; geography, flora, and fauna vastly different from the Midwest; a vibrant vibe; marvelous restaurants; great hiking; and tons more. One thing that concerns me, though, are the lawns and the golf courses. Lush, artificial environments requiring lots of maintenance and resources (read: water) should not be plunked in the middle of the desert.

Water has always been a major issue in Phoenix, but massive population growth (one figure said the city has grown 77% since 1980) and a persistent drought over the past two decades has made it even more pertinent. Phoenix receives its water from four sources: the Colorado River (34.5%), surface water (from lakes, streams, and rivers other than the Colorado)(17.2%), groundwater (35.8%), and effluent water (water mixed with waste that can be reused (12.3%). The drought particularly affects the surface water levels. To sustain surface water, the area relies on precipitation. Melted snow from the northern part of the state and rain feed surface water suppliers such as the Salt River and the Verde River.

And where is the water being used? According to the Phoenix Department of Water, the majority of usage is not for drinking. Instead, 2/3 of water is used for residential purposes, including landscape irrigation, and more than 60% of Phoenix' overall demand is for outdoor water uses, mainly landscape irrigation.

Doesn't xeriscaping make more sense? Xeriscaping is a portmanteau of xeros (Greek for dry) and landscaping. It's defined as utilizing plants that require less water, especially in arid ecosystems. Here, that means rocks and sand as filler instead of grass and plants like yucca, cacti, agave, and a host of others.

Why do people insist on having grassy golf courses and green lawns? My guess is status. As in temperate climes, a manicured lawn is a marker of status among certain groups. And using an inordinate amount of resources is also a way that many groups express social dominance.

Read It and Weep

I've landed in Phoenix and am settling into the desert sun and heat, and the relative languor of vacation. This morning, I picked oranges, grapefruits, and lemons from the backyard and did my physical therapy exercises and some strength work on my legs and abs.

I've spent most of the rest of the day reading Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief outside (in the shade, of course) and consuming massive quantities of sun tea and water. Riordan's book is an entertaining young adult read that postulates that titans, gods, and demigods walk among us in the contemporary world.

After the pool cools down (we washed and removed the insulating cover a bit ago), I'll take a swim.

Let's see. What else? Last night we went to RA, a sushi joint up the street, for happy hour, played with the Wii (according to which, by the way, I suck at most physical tasks :)), and watched a movie.

I also wanted to mentioned the book I read right before this one. It's called The Help by Kathryn Stockett, and I was so enthralled that I burned through it in about four days. It's set in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi and is told through the voice of two African-American maids and one white woman. The white woman is writing a book about the maids' experiences, which was a dangerous and subversive act during this volatile period. Read it and weep, literally. It will make you cry, it will make you laugh, and above all, it will make you think.

Happy Cinco de Mayo + The Green Owl Cafe

Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone! I did nothing to celebrate. Not a damn thing. But I don't think I've ever celebrated Cinco de Mayo. Maybe next year.

Last Saturday was the state event for history day, so I spent a chunk of my day asking kidbots about their historical research process and such. It was a good day, but I was tuckered out by the end of it.

The night before, L. and I went to dinner at The Green Owl Cafe, which is a funky, newish vegetarian restaurant at Schenk's Corners. I had the barbequed jackfruit* sandwich with kale crisps, and L. had the Middle Eastern platter with hummus, muhammara, and baba ganoush served with toasted pita wedges, olives, and pickled vegetables. The jackfruit sandwich is their take on a pulled pork sandwich and was surprisingly successful. I must admit that I was a little skeptical about jackfruit. I'd never had it before, and the notion of a fruit even approaching the texture and taste of pork seemed doubtful. I mean, it didn't taste like pork, but it was a satisfying substitute, and the vegan slaw on top of the sandwich was a delicious contrast. Oh, and the kale crisps rocked, too. L. was also pleased with her platter. After dinner, we shared a slice of spectacular lemon-poppyseed cake. I'm a lemon-poppyseed fan to begin with, but this defied expectations. The cake itself had the consistency of a delicious pound cake, and the glaze was citrusy and rich. We were both quietly moaning at our table, and the cake vanished way too rapidly.

Afterward, we saw Broom Street Theater's production of Multiple O: Women on Top, for which I wrote a review for the Isthmus (http://bit.ly/dpO5io).

*I was curious about jackfruit, so I looked it up. Here are a few highlights:
     -species of tree in the mulberry family
     -national fruit of Bangladesh
     -native to southern and southeast Asia
    -its fruit is largest tree-borne fruit in world
    -fruit can reach up to 80 lbs. in weight