travel

Oklahoma City, OK

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Once I crossed the border into Oklahoma (which I did not even realize because there is no grand announcement or large sign like many other states) I immediately saw Windstar Casino which is quite the vision – look it up! I did a double take.

After digesting it, I was struck with the wide open space on both sides of the highway. Wind turbines were present (another unexpected sight) and the air smelled so sweet and fresh. I took a quick detour to Turner Falls but could not walk it because no dogs are allowed (even though AI told me the opposite). I am learning AI cannot be trusted. I have found so many inaccuracies as I have used it during my travels.

My senses were alerted to all of the unexpected glimpses of Oklahoma. I love how travel can oh so quickly dispel the false notions of what is my head about a place! The surprises continued as I reached downtown. The city is beyond clean (like Singapore clean). Just wow!

I am visiting Oklahoma City because my mentee asked me to and I am so glad I did. We met for lunch as soon as I arrived in Norman, Oklahoma. Norman is the cutest town with University of Oklahoma as its main tenant. After a meeting, we met at the dog park. Needless to say, Pete was thrilled to meet all the fun-loving Oklahoma dogs! We then went to dinner in an area called the Paseo Arts District.

After dinner we went downtown since I wanted to see the Clara Luper Sit-In Memorial. I did not know about Clara or what she did. Her bravery was incredible and the bronze life-sized statues were impressive. Afterwards, we went to Tellers. It is a restaurant, hotel, bar and apartments in an old bank building. The bar is in the vault and we had a drink, of course. I also learned that Oklahoma has a sinners tax so be prepared for your liquor bill to have a 13.5% tax on top of the 8.5% sales tax! Thank goodness the building was beautiful, historic and so cool.

The next morning I visited the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, which was a sobering lesson in the Oklahoma City bombing. We walked the site with the ranger and he explained all the thoughtful details that went into designing and building the site including leaving the building wall with its damage exposed and the chairs in the garden that represent all the folks that were killed, including five lined-up chairs that represent the five people outside the building on the street that lost their lives.

I then drove to Myriad Botanical Gardens. Although this is not its prime season, it was still pretty and has a lot of great elements such as the ponds, children’s area, a stage and downtown as its backdrop.

I also drove through Bricktown. Needless to say, the weather has been amazing. My introduction to Oklahoma has been educational and surprising. I am really enjoying this part of the country. Tomorrow I will see Tulsa!

Saguaro National Park East

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Today we ventured to the east NP. This park has an 8 mile one-way loop that takes visitors through the park. There are plenty of lookouts and parking to do some short hikes. This park felt a little wilder with lots of greenery and cacti of the desert (not just saguaro cacti) but not as groomed as its west sister-park. Together visiting both east and west creates a great experience of the Sonoran landscape.

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort

Posted on by Seniye Groff

We were fortunate enough to stay at the Loews resort the week of Christmas. The grounds were beautiful and well-maintained. A short trail led to this amazing natural waterfall (yes, in the desert). Apparently when the resort was built in 1984 it was a priority to leave intact all the saguaro cactus in their original locations and so the resort built around all the natural fauna.

The service and food were great and Carli and I visited the gym daily and even attended a group fitness class – the instructor was excellent. We also took advantage of a tennis class. Prosecco and Pickleball on Friday night was a hit!

A large Koi pond was next to the check-in desk and food to feed the fish was provided. The koi know exactly when someone shows up to feed them and wait patiently for the food to be tossed.

As usual, Pete received a lot of attention wherever we went and Pete was quick to uncover where he would receive treats and directed his daily walks on the routes that were guaranteed for treats!

Sonoita and Elgin

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I did not realize that Arizona had a wine region but they do! At about an elevation of 5000 feet (for reference Tucson is at about 2500 feet) the vineyards are plentiful in this beautiful area of grasslands, rolling hills, Santa Rita Mountains and ranches (both cattle and horses). I stopped at Sonoita Vineyards and the Elgin Winery and Distillery. I tasted a few wines and bought a bottle. The wines were very good (to my unsophisticated palate).

The drive took about an hour each way and was beautiful. Cactus gave way to yucca plants and grassland was plentiful. The vineyards often couldn’t be seen from the road but once I drove up the dusty driveways, the rolling hills with vineyards emerged.

Tumacacori and Tubac

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Tumacacori and Tubac are an easy 25 minute drive from where I am staying so I ventured south. I visited Tumacacori Mission first, which consisted of a church and planned community near the Santa Cruz River. There was a church, convent, cemetery, plaza, orchard and large garden area. It was peaceful and interesting. The grounds were lush and the remaining buildings were well-preserved. I really love the adobe structures.

Three miles north is Tubac. Tubac is historical and artsy in the cutest way. I started at the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and Museum but didn’t spend too much time there. I then walked the streets of Tubac starting with the Tubac Center of the Arts. A juried competition was showing and the art was impressive. I then meandered the three streets filled with art, jewelry and other things you didn’t know you needed! The village boasts being founded in 1752 and the arts and crafts were impressive. I especially loved all the garden art.

Tucson Surprises

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Similar to running into an old friend that I didn’t realize I missed, Tucson continues to surprise me. A few years ago after Tucson came onto my radar, I joined a few Facebook groups focused on the city. I figured it would give me a little insight into the culture, pluses and minuses and some secrets, too. I do this for any city I’m visiting if it is remotely a possibility as “the place”. As expected, some comments are negative but mostly the tidbits have been positive. As I am exploring, I find Tucson has a lot to love about it and I am enjoying discovering its nooks and crannies.

Tucson is clean. There is no garbage littering the downtown area or any other place I’ve explored so far. I found a dog park last night and even that was spotless. It is impressive.

Food is important here and I sense a certain amount of pride with the offerings at the various restaurants I’ve visited. I found a fantastic market called Time Market. It has fresh grocery items but also an attached cafe and bakery offering morning pastries, pizzas, salads and sandwiches. Artisan bread comes out of the oven at 7 a.m. and I suspect it is worth getting up for! My croissant was delicious.

Next to the Tucson Museum of Art is the Presidio neighborhood. Since the museum was not open when I arrived, I walked the hood. It was another charming, historical area with some stunning homes – not ostentatious or large – but instead with character and details worth observing.

I visited the Tucson Museum of Art, which although is small, has an impressive collection of varied art. The collections include ancient Americas, contemporary Latin American, Indigenous, Latin American Folk Art and Modern Art. The size of the museum makes all of this digestible and three other buildings outside the courtyard add more to see.

I then walked about 13 minutes to Barrio Viejo and along the way this beautiful plaza appeared! I also landed on an ice skating rink with holiday music and kids skating and smiling. Wandering is the best way to be surprised.

As I headed to my short-term rental I stopped at University of Arizona to check out the turtle pond. I found it, but no turtles, just large goldfish.

Tucson offers so much variety and beauty. Tonight I will attend an opening at the Etherton Gallery. Today is my fifth day in Tucson and she has been generous with her gifts of warmth, beauty and accessibility.

Mount Lemmon Scenic Highway

Posted on by Seniye Groff

The cacti scream for attention on this 27 mile climb to reach an elevation of 9000 feet. At about 4000 feet, the cacti disappear and evergreens begin to take over. And finally at 8000 feet snow and ice pave the road. The rock formations are golden colored with pink, red and orange hues but as the elevation rises, grey takes over. This drive is the equivalent of beginning at the Mexican desert and ending in the Canadian forests (in just 27 miles!). There were plenty of vistas and the most mesmerizing was the Windy Point Vista but I stopped at almost every turnout because the views kept changing.

First Day in Tucson

Posted on by Seniye Groff

It’s December 3rd and the weather is a sunny, mild 62 degrees (but actually feels warmer in the sun). The sweltering days of Tucson’s 100 degree plus temperatures are over and so I can see the allure of a winter home here. I decided to check out the multiple neighborhoods on my list to see. Tucson is easy to navigate with it’s wide, grid streets. One thing I notice immediately is how clean everywhere I go is with not a speck of trash anywhere. It’s impressive. The second thing I observe is murals are plentiful and tell the story of the rich culture in Tucson.

I start at Barrio Viejo. This is a neighborhood of post Civil War adobe and brick homes. They are small, simple and gorgeous. This neighborhood is walkable and right next to downtown.

I then see Menlo Park/Mercado San Agustin and the MSA Annex. This is another cool area that is a new development but built to look old and fits in nicely to the Tucson aesthetic.

I also drove to the Sam Hughes neighborhood, Blenman-Elm and West University areas. Beautiful, historical homes that I love.

Lunch was then in order so I stopped at Boca Tacos. I tried three tacos, a boca ball and a salsa flight which included a garbanzo bean option, basil black bean and an avocado version. They were all excellent.