FIESTA DEL TLAQUEPAQUE

Celebration of Mexico's Independence day at Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village.  The Village is unique and beautiful.  This is Sedona's official gathering place and a true destination of the area.  Los Abrigados, the resort/health club we belong to for the month is also located in the middle of the arts village.

OLD TOWN COTTONWOOD

Historic Sundial Motel on Main Street

A wonderful day by myself in Cottonwood, but I wasn't ever alone.  I met so many people.  Had a wonderful quiche at the Old Town Cafe which used to be owned by 2 sisters from Switzerland 15 years ago.  They eventually had a falling out of sorts and sold the business and their incredible recipes to 2 other sisters and there it is today with incredible food and cheap prices.  See the photo.  Then I found the Jail Trail.  Who was to know Cottonwood had a trail.  In the woods by a creek, but a trail!

Old Town Cafe (Breakfast)

Stronghold Winery Tasting Room (1 of 2 Wineries on Main St.)

Larry's Antiques & Things (2 acres)

Glitter and More Glitter. 

On to the Art Institute Glitter, which is the world's largest whole seller of creative glitter, some of which is used on the runway for the Victoria Secret Runway Show on TV.  They have classes and have a mail order business which rivals the best and a huge warehouse. Others down the way on Main don't even know the details.  Cottonwood.  Cowboys.  Tumbleweed.  Quiet.  Relaxing.  Fun.

UPTOWN SEDONA

Another great area to shop, uptown, where most of the tourists congregate, shop and eat!  located in uptown is the Sedona Arts Center, a not-for-profit arts organization of area artists of all medias.  A great place to purchase art including jewelery!

YOGA AT PAGE SPRING CELLARS

Gayle, the Yogi

Protecting the Grapes with Netting.  Harvest Time.

Savasana

Namaste

Ahhhh, the smell of wine.

It's 7:30am on Friday morning and Gayle, who owns Page Spring Cellars, invites me to yoga among the vines.  We workout next to Oak Creek that flows with a heavy current.  Vinyasa flow for us though.  The sun came up and on our shoulders at 8:15.  What a workout.  Thanks Gayle. . .

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

I love the house.  Beautiful, quaint, and peaceful. . .

THE CRATER IN METEOR CITY, ARIZONA

OK, the famous crater.  It is a huge, massive place.  NASA used it year's ago to train astronauts for the moon and mars since the surface is so similar.  In the very center is a figure of an astronaut with an American flag.  Pretty, pretty cool. . .

STANDING ON THE CORNER-WINSLOW

The rock group, the Eagles, made this place famous with their song, "Standing On the Corner in Winslow Arizona"  Just a corner on Route 66.  2 tourists shops and a hippie coffee shop is all, and I mean, all that is there.  Winslow is a barren and old town.  It is very remote.  At one time, it was scheduled to be a thriving town due to the train's main offices being located at La Posada (where we stayed).  The offices were mostly redesigned as the artist studios' of Tina Mion.

LA POSADA-WINSLOW ARIZONA

Tina Mion's "Suicide" painting

Tina Mion's "I Only Have Eye's For You"  See Ronnie in her eyes?

Daryl Rocking and Waiting for a Train to Pass at the Hotel

The Turquoise Room

Handmade Wooden Bed in Diane Keaton Guestroom

Gift Shop At La Posada

Martini Lounge & Bar

Daryl & I in the Martini Lounge

The Gardens At La Posada

The nicest and most unique place we have ever stayed. Only one of two remaining train hotels in the US, the other in Needles, CA, which this couple is remodeling also. 32 rooms, each named after a famous person that stayed at the hotel, most back during WWII and just after.  Some of the celebrities included Roosevelt, Temple, Clark Gable, John Wayne, Amelia Earhart, and many many more!  We stayed in the Diane Keaton room, who has also been there.  100 trains travel next to it each day. There is only one other hotel like it in the USA, in Needles, CA, which Tina Mion also owns!   At one time, 4000 troops were fed Spam sandwiches daily during WWII.  Main train stop in the USA at one time.  Now, just a whistle stop for Amtrak but occasionally, people come from Flagstaff arrive at 5:45am and from the other direction at 7PM.  Furniture in the rooms all made on-site.Owner, Tina Mion,  has all her art at the Smithsonian and the entire property is just fascinating.  Please check out her website @ http://www.tinamion.com/. Rooms starting at $109 per night. Conde Nast rates their restaurant #2 in the USA.  Best salmon for dinner and best and most unique poached eggs in green sauce with polenta and roasted tomatoes!  Cosmopolitan was wonderful.  http://www.laposada.org/

WALNUT CANYON NATIONAL MONUMENT

This is home of 300 cave homes of the Sinagua Tribe.  We hiked down the canyon and into the caves.  These people lived in the mountain sides, as you can see and hiked water and food up to their domains.  Beautiful and unique place on earth!