Mystery Castle

If you are a fan of touring unique and unusual place you would definitely be entertained with a tour of the Mystery Castle. It can be found near our Phoenix vacation home rentals. The history of this building is very enchanting. The Mystery Castle is located in the heart of the South Mountain foothills. This castle is no typical fairy tale castle but more of an odd shaped dwelling that was erected in 1927 by a man named Boyce Luther Gulley. Gulley built this entire castle out of recycled materials and this may even be the first recycled home ever built in Phoenix.  Gulley had built this eclectic structure as a gift for his daughter. The materials used to construct this building were stones, old auto parts, mineshaft rails and beat up telephone poles. The building was held together with goat’s milk, calcium and cement, which were made into a mortar.

The castle was made up of 18 rooms on 3 different levels. The daughter resided in this castle all the way until her death in November of 2010. The building never had any electricity or plumbing until the year 1992. The tour of this castle is incredible. You can tour this facility for very cheap and make quite a day out of it. This is a great excuse to pack a picnic lunch and have a picnic right at South Mountain Park Reserve. The price to view the castle is $5 for people age 8 and older. If you are under 8 years old the price of admission is free.

Mystery Castle Address:

800 E Mineral Road

Phoenix, AZ 85042

(602) 268-1581

Phoenix Open History

The Phoenix Open first started in 1932, but there was not a lot of local support for this event so they cancelled the tournament after the 1935 season. Bob Goldwater brought this tournament back to life in 1939. Bob Goldwater was a great golfer and encouraged his friends who were members of the Thunderbirds organization into chairing the event. He had been very persuasive to his fellow Thunderbirds that they decided to support and revive the tournament and once again the Phoenix Open was reborn in 1939.

Most of the work had to be done by Bob Goldwater because he still had a lot of persuading of the Thunderbirds in his path. When Bob was committed to a plan he stayed committed and never once backed down. Some of the responsibilities that Bob Goldwater achieved all on his own included having a printer make up tickets, selling to sponsors, and making sure they could use the Phoenix Country Club as the venue. He also invited a handful of celebrity friends such as Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Ben Hogan.

In the 1939 revival of the Phoenix Open a young man named Byron Nelson won the first prize, which at the time was $700.00. The second place winner was Ben Hogan who received $450.00. Due to the revival by Bob Goldwater of the 1939 Phoenix Open tournament the Thunderbirds sponsored every tournament in its history with the exception of one tournament in 1943 and that was because there were restrictions during wartime.

Some of the players that have taken first place in the tournament over the years include Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Billy Casper, Jimmy Demaret, Gene Littler, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller, Miller Barber, Vijay Singh, Lee Janzen, Mark Calcavecchia, Phil Mickelson, and also Kenny Perry.

During the last 75 years the Phoenix Open has gone by several different names based on who the biggest sponsor of the event was at the time. Some of the names include Arizona Open, Western Open, The Phoenix Open, The Ben Hogan Invitational, The Waste Management Open and The FBR Open. The tournament started out at the Phoenix Country Club but has been played at the TPC Scottsdale for the last 23 years. The 2011 tournament will mark the 24^th year that the tournament has taken place at the TPC Scottsdale. The TPC Scottsdale hosts the most TPC tournaments on the PGA TOUR with exception to the TPC Sawgrass.

Because this event has become so fan friendly the course at the TPC Scottsdale attracts the biggest variety of all the golf tournaments in the world. When the Phoenix Open used to be held at the Phoenix Country Club its biggest turnout was in 1986 at 186,000 people. The biggest turn out at the TPC Scottsdale was 550,000 in 2008, in one day alone attendance reached 186,000 people.

The spectators have grown immensely through the years of the Phoenix Open and the grand purse prize has also grown to over 1 million dollars. Back in the 1930’s the grand prize was $700 and look to where that number has risen! In the 1991 Phoenix Open that was the first time the tournament had seen a million dollar purse. That 1991 Phoenix Open tournament was won by Nolan Henke and he went home with almost $200k.  The leader in monetary winnings from the Phoenix Open is Phil Mickelson who has taken over $2.5 million over 20 tournaments. The second highest monetary winner of the open is Kenny Perry with $2.1 million in 22 Phoenix Open appearances.

Contact one of the select property management companies near Phoenix, Scottsdale or the surrounding areas to rent vacation rentals that are up to par to stay for this event.

2011 Waste Management Phoenix Open

Calendar of Events

Monday  January 31^st, 2011

PGA Tours practice rounds

10am – TPC Stadium Course and Pro-Am

10:30 am –  Foundation for Dream Day Activities put on by the R.S Hoyt Jr. Family

Golf clinic for Junior Golfers which is sponsored by PING and it takes place on the TPC Championship range.

 Tuesday February 1^st,2011

PGA Tours practice rounds

11am – CBS hosts Special Olympics Open

                This event takes place at the TPC putting area, and the event features 10 athletes from the Special Olympics, 10 celebrity athletes, and 10 business leaders from around the local community. This event comes with your general admission entry fee and is the event lasts for around an hour.

6pm – Waste management Phoenix Open Invitation Only Opening Party.

 Wednesday February 2^nd, 2011

8:30am – Xerox / FBR Pro Am Tournament at The Players Club Scottsdale

10am  – Celebrity Scottsdale –AM takes place at the Grayhawk Raptor Golf Course.

3:30pm – The Shot at Glory Tournament takes place at the Tournament Players Club Scottsdale – During this event two golf fans with a little luck on their side along with local news personalities, and tournament legends will do a charity event where they tee it up and whoever gets closest to the pin wins. This competition usually features 30 players and takes place right after the FBR / Xerox tournament. All ticket holders are invited to the event which takes place at the TPC Scottsdale. This year all the proceeds raised will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project which gives assistance to families of war heroes. There will many war veterans here for this event.

3:30pm Opening Day of the Coors Light Birds Nest.

Thursday February 3^rd,2011

7:30am – 1^st round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open

3:30 – Birds Nest opens

 Friday February 4^th, 2011

7:30am – 2^nd round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open

3:30 – Birds Best Opens

 Saturday February 5^th, 2011

9:45am – 3^rd round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open

3:30 – Birds Nest Opens

 Sunday February 6^th, 2011

9:45am – 4^th round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open Tournament 

The Barrett Jackson Collector Car Event takes place January 17-23, 2011 and

 takes place at West World in Scottsdale, AZ

You can watch live auction coverage on the SPEED Channel.

 Schedule of Events:  

Monday January 17, 2011  

8am         – Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

8am-3pm -  Cox Communications hosts Family Values Day

8am-3pm -  Entertainment provided by Radio Disney

10am       – The Tilted Kilt Patio opens

12pm-3pm – Appearance by Cox Communications on digital

7pm-11pm – Event Opener Gala *This Event Requires an Invitation

9pm-10:30pm – Fashion Show hosted by Dillards and makeup artist from CHANEL

 Tuesday January 18th, 2011  

8am-close -Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

10am – The Tilted Kilt Patio opens

9am-2pm Automobile Memorabilia Auction

2pm-close – Barrett Jackson Auto Auction

5pm – Auction for Twilight

5pm-10pm – Auction is live on the SPEED channel

7pm-9pm – Celebrity Fashion Walk Show

 Wednesday January 19th, 2011  

8am-close -Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

8:45-10am – Automobile Memorabilia Auction

10am-Close – Barrett – Jackson Car Auction

10am-12pm – Women who are into Speed panel

5pm – Twilight hours Auction

5pm-10pm Auction is shown live on the SPEED Channel

 Thursday January 20th, 2011  

8am-close -Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

10am – Tilted Kilt opens their patio

10am-11am – Corvette Seminar for the Sports Car market

8:45am-10am – Automobile memorabilia auction

10am-close – Barrett – Jackson Car auction

5pm – Twilight hours auction

5pm-10pm – Barrett Jackson Auto Auction shown live on SPEED channel

 Friday January 21st, 2011  

8am-close -Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

8:45am-10am – Automobile Memorabilia Auction

10am – Tilted Kilt opens their patio

10am-close – Barrett – Jackson Car auction

10am – Car polishing Seminar

11:30am – tips on restoring your classic car seminar

2pm – Dynacone wheel polishing seminar

3:30 – How to remove polishing swirls seminar

5pm – Twilight hours auction

12pm-11pm – Barrett Jackson Auto Auction shown live on SPEED channel

 Saturday January 22nd, 2011  

8am-close -Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

8:45am-10am – Automobile Memorabilia Auction

10am – Tilted Kilt opens their patio

10am-close – Barrett – Jackson Car auction

10am – Car polishing Seminar

11:30 am – How to restore headlights seminar

2pm – Dynacone wheel polishing seminar

3:30 – How to remove polishing swirls seminar

5pm – Twilight hours auction

12pm-11pm – Barrett Jackson Auto Auction shown live on SPEED channel

 Sunday January 23rd, 2011  

8am-close -Gates open and Vendors and Sponsors open their booths

8:45am-10am – Automobile Memorabilia Auction

10am – Tilted Kilt opens their patio

10am-close – Barrett – Jackson Car auction

10am – How to remove polishing swirls seminar

12pm-4pm Barrett Jackson Auto Auction shown live on SPEED channel

The Arcadia Farms restaurant is nestled into the downtown area of Scottsdale and features a very French provincial feel. The owners name is Carolyn and not only does she have a flair in the kitchen but she has a real eye for detail as well. The interior has a design of an old French country theme done up with seating made out of wrought iron, chinz china and colorful pots and crocks.

Arcadia Farms is a great place for lunch from Monday – Saturday. On Sundays they feature a wonderful brunch with an additional menu if your appetite is on the lighter side. The additional menu features many different sandwiches and tasty salads as well as a complimentary pastry or bread selection. The menu is offered at 11am.

The springtime is a wonderful time to visit Arcadia Farms and have either a mimosa or also a kir royale to sip on while you look over the menu. The drinks with champagne are $6 each. They have a handful of sandwiches offered on the menu like a favorite is the herb roasted chicken n on top of a freshly made baguette roll which has been smothered with goat cheese, artichokes and pesto. The price of this selection is $12. You only have the choice of a couple sides but whichever you choose you will surely be pleased. You have a choice between the raspberry vinaigrette drizzled field greens or potato salad made with red potatoes. Some other favorite sandwiches are the ham with mozzarella and onion chutney atop of a fresh baked baguette for $11 or the Tuna salad sandwich which has been made with scallions, jicama, and pecans and smothered on sunflower wheat bread which is also $11, or if you prefer salad as your entree you cannot go wrong with the strawberry chicken salad for $13, the chicken cobb for $13 or the grilled vegetable salad for $13 as well. If you do not want meat in your meal you would be wise to choose the vegetarian tart that is made with goat cheese, mushrooms, and spinach and is served warm for $13.

In addition to the downtown Scottsdale location, (if you happen to be out looking for property management in Scottsdale, Az.) there is also a location in the Desert Botanical Gardens, The Phoenix Art Museum, and also The Heard Museum. All of these locations offer similar menus and pricing. The company also owns a bakery in downtown Phoenix called City Bakery where you can purchase many delicious homemade pastries, and a couple sandwiches decorate their menu. This is a great stop while on the art walk or during your museum tours.

Watch a vide here: Arcadia Farms

Locations:

Arcadia Farms Cafe

7015 E. First Ave., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 (480) 941-5665

Arcadia Farms @ Desert Botanical Garden

1201 N. Galvin Parkway., Phoenix, AZ 85008 (480) 481-8106

Arcadia Farms @ Phoenix Art Museum

1625 E. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85004 (602) 257-2191

Arcadia Farms @The Heard Museum

2301 N Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85004 (602) 251-0204

City Bakery at The Bentley Projects

215 E. Grant St., Phoenix, AZ 85004 (602) 253- 7200

The Barrett Jackson

The Barrett Jackson started between two car enthusiasts back in the mid 1960’s and has grown to be one of the biggest and most prestigious auto auctions in the world. It all started in Scottsdale, AZ back when Scottsdale was just a Wild West town that had yet to establish its own identity. The founders were Russ Jackson and Tom Barrett and they came to know each other by a car advertisement. Tom Barrett had been selling his 1933 Cadillac V16 Town Car and the most interested buyer happened to be Russ Jackson. A deal was never struck between the two men but a lifelong friendship had been created by these two car enthusiasts.

The initial meeting of these two car guys is what became the foundation for the legacy that would become the Barrett Jackson auto auctions. In 1967 Russ Jackson and Tom Barrett hosted their first car auction which was called “Fiesta de los Elegantes.” The Fiesta de los Elegantes was initially started as a fundraiser to donate to local charities, which included the community arts and the Scottsdale Public Libraries.

In 1971 Russ and Tom joined their talents to present the company’s first car collector auction, which featured classic autos from the two men’s private auto collections. The big headline featured a Mercedes 770 Phaeton that was priced to sell at $153k and this got the attention of auto collectors from around the world.  The sale of this rare vehicle set the Barrett-Jackson name into motion around the world.

In the 80’s there was a massive growth in the car collector business with prices reaching unbelievable heights and also the participation among enthusiasts grew to numbers the industry had never known. The Barrett- Jackson team refused to just ride the popularity wave and instead set the standard for the entire collector car show industry.

Tom Barrett by all means had the rarest and best vehicles in the auction and he earned himself the name “Grandfather of the Collector Car Industry”, and Russ Jackson had the talent of finding the vehicles and restoring them to “cherry” status. At this point Russ found that he would be able to be more successful by bringing his two sons into the mix and their names are Brian Jackson and Craig Jackson and also his wife whose name is Nellie for she ran all of the inner office management operations.

The company continued to change through the 1990’s and grew bigger and bigger each year. Russ Jackson died in 1993 and his son Brian also died of cancer in 1995. Barrett decided to retire in 1997 and died seven years later. In 1997 Craig Jackson took the company to a new level as he had been involved very early in the game and had all the necessary talents to take this company to new heights.

Craig Jackson and his many talents lead the Barrett-Jackson to growth they had never known by a big expansion and state of the art innovations. The auction started to have live appearances on the SPEED channels in 1997. In that same year you were also able to place auction bids online. The 1998 auction brought 65% increase in sales, a 17 million dollar sale, and over 100,000 spectators came to the auction from all over the world. 1998 marked this event as a major cyber success over the World Wide Web. This year also brought about the introduction of a world-renowned fashion show.

Through the next few years the Barrett-Jackson became more famous for offering more Hot rods and muscle car categories. In 2005 the Barrett- Jackson became one of the first auction houses to offer cars for bid with no reserve pricing which translated into the winner of the car was the highest bidder. This concept brought Barrett- Jackson to even newer heights with the sales totals in 2006 reaching above $100 million. In 2007 they saw an increase to $112 million, and then the recession hit and numbers began to slide a bit like in 2008 they saw revenues of $88 million, 2009 saw $63 million and $68 million in 2010. The business model Craig Jackson used worked and showed immense profits and success. Although the dollars may have been down the attendance in the years of 2008-2010 reached over 400,000 people.

Due to all the success that has taken place in Scottsdale, AZ they even started an auction in the eastern US. The first auction on the east coast took place in 2003 in Palm Beach, Florida. Not only did they show up but they also enjoyed a tremendous success in auction sales and high numbers in attendance from spectators. In the 2009 auction they had earned over $20 million in revenue from the Palm Beach auction. These numbers were reached by the sale of 480 vehicles and the admission of over 1,000 bidders. In 2009 Barrett-Jackson first endorsed Collector Car Insurance, which was policies created specifically for car collectors.

Over the last fifty years Barrett-Jackson have brought a simple love of cars to a thriving and very successful business that continues to grow with each passing year. They had seen a slump in sales from 2008-2010 and were not going to rest on the fact that the economy was sluggish, instead they took more aggressive measures to grow the company in a vertical direction. They teamed up with an equity firm and have continued to grow their shows to the Las Vegas, Nevada area where they hosted the show at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. This Las Vegas show saw profits of over $24 million which was the direct result of 533 auto sales and 50,000 spectators from around the world came to watch and bid.

In 2009 the owner of the company Craig Jackson decided to make an open commitment to bring the show to Orange County, California in 2010. In that show alone they were able to move 358 cars and had over 58,000 guests come to attend and watch the auction. The SPEED channel now has the auction on 18 hours a day of which all the coverage is live which brought profits to a level never seen before.

With all the changes and innovations this family run company makes they continue to strengthen their position on the worldwide stage. Because of the innovations made by Craig Jackson this sport can be enjoyed by more than just the ultra-wealthy and dealers but also by families and average auto enthusiasts. Every year marks a new success in the Barrett-Jackson legacy. 

Here is a cool drifting video we shot last time we went to the Auction.  Drifting at Barrett Jackson

If you like moderately priced Mexican food with a very family friendly atmosphere you should check out the Ajo Al’s which has four locations throughout the valley of the sun. “Ajo” in Spanish means garlic and that is what you will taste when eating at any of their restaurants. The salsas are blended with lots of garlic as well as chilies and cilantro.

     The atmosphere inside the restaurant is very warm and inviting without being obnoxious. You can choose from a comfy booth or a high top table in the bar area. The chips here are homemade and are very light and not too greasy. If you would like you can also sip on freshly made mango margaritas or choose from a large selection of Mexican beers. If you go to the Ajo Al’s located on 16th Street you even have the option of eating in the outdoor patio.

     Once you take your seat you will be greeted by a very friendly waiter or waitress that will treat you with the utmost respect and importance. If you are watching your carb intake the Salad Carbon is a wonderful option and it goes for around $9.00. What makes this salad so tasty is the ranch dressing with a jalapeno zip to it. If you are more in the mood for a spicy soup you would be very happy trying “Miguels Papa Chowder.” The soup is a mix of corn and potato that has been topped off with onions and jalapenos. This soup makes for a wonderful comfort food on those few chilly days we see in Phoenix. If you are really hungry you should try the “ugly enchilada” which features a mole sauce made with black beans and mixed up well with cheese and chicken and then smothered with a red sauce. It is not the prettiest presentation hence the name but the taste is out of this world. If you like coleslaw make sure you try the cilantro slaw which is a must have for those who love cilantro.

     The lunch menu has items ranging between $6-$10. They also have a kid’s menu that features many kids’ favorites like fries and burgers. As far as desserts there are not many but the ones they do have are delicious to the last bite. By far the best dessert option is the flan and the price is under $4. Be sure to order your own flan though because you will not want to share this yummy treat. Ajo Al’s also does delicious to-go platters for parties or events.

Locations:

7458 W. Bell Road., Glendale, AZ 85308 (623) 334-9899

5101 N. 16^th Street., Phoenix AZ 85016 (602) 222-9902

6990 E Shea Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85254 (480-998-1734

9393 N 90^th Street., Scottsdale, AZ 85258 (480) 860-2611 

I think there are many of us who are happy to put 2010 behind us. It was quite a year indeed. I have a good feeling about 2011 already, especially with such a strong start at work as our phone are ringing off the hook with calls from people who want to enjoy a vacation rental in Scottsdale, Arizona. That’s where we come in! We are Arizona Lodging Experts, and we manage over 50 premier properties in Arizona in all the top areas, like Phoenix, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Cave Creek. We have an experienced, knowledgeable staff ready to help you plan a wonderful Scottsdale Arizona vacation. We have been involved in Arizona home rentals for over 10 years now, so don’t waste time looking on your own, just call the experts today. If you want one of our Scottsdale rentals, or any other area in the valley that we might offer, we will do our best to find a great place for you to stay. “It’s what we do”!

We would like to remind all of our winter visitors that there are a ton of great activities and events to enjoy in town during your stay in a relaxing home rental in Arizona. Many people visit Arizona year-round due to the great weather, and many of these activities go hand in hand. You can enjoy the Insight Bowl and Fiesta Bowl, Barrett Jackson and the Arabian Horse Show, concerts and plays and so much more! They predict a warm winter for us, so we recommend you come and take full advantage of it. To begin, you need to contact the experts at Arizona Lodging Experts and find yourself a great property to rent. ALE (for short) offers Phoenix Arizona property management, rentals in Scottsdale, Phoenix, Goodyear, Anthem, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Mesa, Paradise Valley and Carefree. They excel in customer service and attention to detail to ensure you find a great property to rent. Call the experts today at 602-404-2982 and 866-785-2350.

It’s my favorite time of year. According to the Farmers Almanac Arizona is posed to have a warm winter for 2011. With a multitude of upcoming outdoor events this is a good thing. My two favorite events are Barrett-Jackson Car Auction and Russo and Steele Car Auction. Not everyone thinks to rent a vacation home when they come out for these events, or maybe your only planning on staying for 1-2 days in which case a vacation home wouldn’t be a good fit. However if you are planning your family vacation around these two auctions and you plan on being in town for more then a week or two a Scottsdale Vacation Home would help make your stay in our town a relaxing and fun one. In  Scottsdale Arizona vacation rentals you have the option of cooking your own meals, or grilling out on your patio or even being able to pack lighter knowing you have access to your own private washer and dryer are all a plus. Whether you’re looking for an ultra high-end luxury vacation home or something a little more modest, we have everything from 1-bedroom condos to larger furnished townhomes that can sleep up to eight. Arizona Lodging Experts has it all.

Some people that are new to vacation homes or even just people that are new clients often ask, “How do I know if it’s safe to book with your company”

Arizona Lodging Experts is a fully licensed Real Estate Brokerage. We operate a trust account in accordance with Arizona Real Estate Law. We are also registered with the Arizona Department Of Real Estate, Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau and have been in the Property Management Business for over 10 years. In that period of time we have earned the trust of hundreds of vacationing families and have many clients that come back year after year. We look forward to having you as our customers and hopefully you will make Barrett-Jackson and Arizona Lodging Experts your annual family tradition for years to come.