Here is a beautiful and colorful sunset in Scottsdale, Arizona framed by a Saguaro cactus. Scottsdale is known for its spectacular sunsets.
Orange Sunset – Scottsdale, Arizona
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Where to Eat in Scottsdale AZ: Eddie V’s
**UPDATE: Eddie V’s has closed the DC Ranch location and will be reopening at the Scottsdale Quarter near Kierland**
One of the mainstays of DC Ranch’s Market Street in Scottsdale, Arizona is Eddie V’s. Eddie V’s has been at DC Ranch for many years and remains a popular place to go for upscale seafood and steaks.
The decor of Eddie V’s is elegant with low-lighting and there are many b0oths spread among the tables. Service is efficient, professional and friendly. Your server is always happy to walk you through the various offerings on the menu as well as the specials. If you are a wine-drinker, Eddie V’s has a great list to choose from.
The menu at Eddie V’s is lengthy with plenty of options for seafood lovers as well as non-seafood lovers. Some of the standout appetizers include the Colossal Shrimp Cocktail that comes with amazingly fresh, and potent, horseradish, Kung Pao Calamari, and the Maryland Lump Crabcake. If you are in the mood for a soup or salad, we really enjoy the Lobster and Shrimp Bisque and the BLT Wedge salad.
The entree list is equally long. One of my top picks is the Lemon Sole in Parmesan Crust. For an additional charge, they can also add a healthy serving of lump crab meat to accompany the fish. Everyone who has had the Hong Kong Style Steamed Sea Bass raves about it. and the ahi steak is impressive as well. For people not looking for seafood, there is a large selection of prime steaks and a delicious roast chicken breast on the menu.
Side dishes are served family style and once again, there are plenty to choose from. We often order the sauteed spinach and crab-fried rice. The Brabant potatoes are another tasty and decadent choice.
Desserts are also a treat at Eddie V’s. There is a molten chocolate cake that is delicious and they make a bread pudding that people are always raving about.
If you are interested in a less formal dining experience, Eddie V’s has a large bar area to enjoy drinks and items from the menu. There is frequently live music being performed for the patrons. One of Eddie V’s great features is its Happy Hour menu where you can get healthy discounts off of select menu starters and drinks. So, if you are in the mood for a snack, versus a full meal, this is a great deal to take advantage of.
More Information:
Eddie V’s at DC Ranch
20715 North Pima Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
480.538.8468
Eddie V’s website
– Opens daily at 4:00 PM
Sculpture at Silverstone – Scottsdale, Arizona
This is the sculpture that graces the traffic circle at the new Silverstone development in Scottsdale, Arizona. This parcel was formerly the site of Rawhide at Pinnacle Peak and Scottsdale Roads.
Scottsdale in the Summer – Interested in Lowering Your Energy Costs?
As we all know, Scottsdale, Arizona and Arizona in general get pretty warm during the summer months. And with the increased temperatures come higher electrical bills.
I took the time this morning to look over a program being offered by APS, a major local utility vendor, to reduce energy costs. I am guessing many of us have one or two appliances that we’ve owned for a number of years that are probably very costly to run. To assist with this, APS has a new program called TURN IT IN that recycles older refrigerators/freezers that don’t meet the new efficiency standards.
APS is offering free pickups and a $30.00 rebate to any homeowner who wants to be part of their effort to lower utility costs.
To qualify for the program, there are a few criteria:
- You must be a current APS customer
- You must own the appliance
- The appliance must be in operable condition – i.e. capable of maintaining a cold temperature
- It must be of a standard size between 10-30 cubic feet
- It must be plugged in, empty and cold inside
- There must be a clear path for pick up and removal
- Someone over 18 years of age must be present to sign and release the unit
To find out what your savings would be, go to www.aps.com/turnitin. They even provide a chart for you to get an estimate of the cost savings over a 5 year period.
For instance, I have an older refrigerator/freezer in the garage for cold drinks and extra storage. Based on the chart I would save $255 over a five year period. Replacing the refrigerator/freezer in my kitchen would save me over $500 in a five year period. While these numbers represent modest savings over multiple years, both of these units are over 10 years old and if I were thinking of replacing them – this would be a great time to do it.
If this of interest, look into it for any refrigerators and freezers in your home.
Kashman’s Place – A North Scottsdale Favorite Has Closed Down
Sadly, at the close of business on Father’s Day 2010, Kashman’s Place in Scottsdale, Arizona shut the doors at both of its North Scottsdale locations.
During its ten year run, Kashman’s was a North Scottsdale go-to place for breakfast and lunch. In the mood for a delicious, authentic bagel or even a full breakfast? Stop by Kashman’s. Want a delicious salad or sandwich? Kashman’s… Looking for lox or authentic latkes on the weekend? Kashman’s again.
One of my favorite things about Kashman’s was the outdoor dining, (pet-friendly no less,) and the staff who took care of you getting set up with you your table. Year-round the tables were packed with residents and visitors enjoying the beautiful Scottsdale weather.
Hopefully, Kashman’s will reincarnate under new ownership and come back to North Scottsdale. We are definitely sorry to see it go.
UPDATE 7/11/2010: It looks like the Pinnacle Peak location (Scottsdale Road and Pinnacle Peak) will now be JJ’s Delicatessen and will also offer fresh bagels baked on-site. It is slated to open this month.
UPDATE 7/26/2010: JJ’s Deli is now officially open at the former Kashman’s location at Pinnacle Peak Road and Scottsdale Road.
Where to Eat in Scottsdale AZ: Binkley’s Restaurant
Update: Binkley’s is now closed
Looking for a phenomenal dining experience in Scottsdale, Arizona? Scottsdale is home to many, many excellent restaurants. One of the area’s standouts is not actually located in Scottsdale, but just north of Scottsdale in Cave Creek.
Tucked away in a nondescript, small shopping center in the heart of Cave Creek, Binkley’s is one of our absolute favorites. It serves some of the best, most creative food we have tasted and we try to get there as often as possible.
Binkley’s is headed by Kevin Binkley who honed his skills in restaurants like the French Laundry and The Inn at Little Washington. He brings this high-profile talent to everything he and his team prepare at Binkley’s. The creations that come out of the kitchen are astounding visually and the taste and smell live up to the visual imagery. (Click to see examples of Binkley’s dishes.)
Diners have the choice of ordering a la carte or they can order from a series of tasting menus that start with four courses and go up to six courses. We have always done the tasting menu as it allows us to try as many of the culinary creations as possible. Along the way, diners are treated to a series of amuse bouche that are playful and delicious at the same time. The menu changes daily based on seasonal availability of the ingredients, so every visit is a new food experience.
The most memorable dish we have had was the white truffle risotto. Huge slices of white truffle were shaved into a mouthwatering risotto. This particular dish was on the menu for a short period of time so we ended up making a return trip just for the risotto.
If you are interested in wine, you can do wine pairings chosen by the sommelier who is very creative and knowledgeable in his selections. He is also very happy to talk about the particular wines and their history if you ask.
The dining experience usually takes a couple of hours. However, if you are looking for a less formal meal, they do serve dinner in the bar area. Every time we have been there, we have found the service to be professional and friendly.
Overall, this is one of our top picks for dining in and around Scottsdale.If you have an opportunity to visit Binkley’s, we highly recommend it.
More Information:
Binkley’s Restaurant
6920 East Cave Creek Road,
Cave Creek, Arizona 85331
(480) 437-1072
Binkley’s Website
– Open Tuesday through Saturday for Dinner – 5:00 – 9:30pm
– Check for summer hours
The Epicurean Palette – Scottsdale, Arizona
UPDATE: This business has closed.
The Epicurean Palette located in North Scottsdale at the intersection of Scottsdale Road and Pinnacle Peak is a cook and entertainer’s dream. Epicurean Palette offers a huge assortment of kitchen tools and gadgets as well as carries top-of-the-line dinnerware and serving items in a welcoming atmosphere.
Forest Highlands and Flagstaff’s Schultz Fire
FLAGSTAFF, FIRE AND FOREST HIGHLANDS – Flagstaff Arizona is making the national news coverage due to two forest fires that erupted this past weekend, June 19 and 20th. I don’t think you can grasp the power of a forest fire out of control without actually seeing it. I happened to be in the town of Flagstaff on Saturday and saw one small plume of white smoke. Within an hour, it was huge and out of control. This fire was brought under control, and the local authorities have a man in custody who allowed his campfire to get out of control.
On Sunday at noon, I was again in town and saw another small plume of white smoke. As of this writing, the Schultz fire has burned over 8,000 acres and still spreading. So far and thank goodness, no homes have been involved at either location, but hundreds of homes have been evacuated. Again, it seems a campfire left unattended was the cause.
I took the attached photos standing on the driving range of the Canyon Course of Forest Highlands Golf community. This is what the Schultz fire looks like from our viewpoint. It is not close enough to cause damage, but it is a grim reminder of what could happen.
Forest Highlands is a gated, golf community, located on Highway 89A heading south to Sedona from downtown Flagstaff. In the past, residents have had “red” alerts when there have been fires in the canyon, so I have personally experienced wondering what I would take from our cottage in the event we had to evacuate.
Forest Highlands is surrounded by state forest land and the state has taken measures to insure our safety in the event of a forest fire. In the last three years, the state has done heavy thinning of the trees in the forest around the property and heading down the Canyon toward Sedona. The purpose of this thinning process is to have the trees far enough apart that fire can’t jump from one canopy (top of the tree) to another. A fire can get close, but this method allows the state fire service to isolate and stop the spread of the flames more quickly.
Within Forest Highlands, residents have to keep their trees thinned out. In addition, homeowners are required to rake up and bag pine needles and other debris that has accumulated during the winter months. You know it is spring when you drive into the community and see the huge piles of baged pine needles awaiting pickup by the homeowners’ association.
