It is another beautiful day here in sunny Arizona and travelers from all around the world are coming to our beautiful state to enjoy our Scottsdale Arizona vacation rentals that are offered through Arizona Lodging Experts, the absolute best property management in Scottsdale and Phoenix. Arizona Lodging Experts (ALE for short) pride themselves in offering premier Scottsdale rentals, Phoenix rentals and many surrounding cities as well. ALE has been offering lodging in Arizona for over 14 years now, so they have a ton of great insight about the best restaurants, activities, seasons, ect.., so you can trust them to guide you in the right direction each and every time.

FYI: It is 85 today and windy, absolutely perfect….!

Call Spencer, Susan and Shea at Arizona Lodging Experts today.
602-404-2982
866-785-2350

My wife and I had a wonderful Easter weekend, which included homemade Fish Tacos and a visit to Scottsdale to dine with our Compadre Spencer. Spencer is the manager at Arizona Lodging Experts, the best property management in Scottsdale, Phoenix and the surrounding area. Spencer offers seasonal rentals in Arizona in premier Arizona Home & Condo rentals, and has for over 12 years now. He is the AZ Expert!

The weekend really started to shape up when my lovely wife Lolis came up with the idea to make homemade Fish Tacos on Saturday, so off we went to the grocery stores to get the ingredients we would need. We decide to go with 2 different types of fish, Tilapia and Cod, and we also decide to make our homemade Cole Slaw, which only seems to get better and better each time we make it.

In addition, Lolis made delicious homemade Chips, Salsa and Guacamole, and a Chipotle Mayonnaise, which wasn’t too spicy “even for a wimp like me”. My wife Lolis and Spencer both swear up and down that the tacos were pretty darn good, and they even told me we MUST add the recipe to our monthly gathering.

On Sunday, we headed off to Scottsdale to help our Compadre Spencer move his Tv stand from his old apartment to his new Pimp Bachelor Pad, then we had lunch at Zipps Bar & Grill on Camelback. It was a really nice weekend from beginning to end, if I do say so myself.

My wife and I went to Arizona Mills this past weekend and enjoyed a day of window shopping and lunch at Johnny Rockets, our favorite burger joint!

As we made our way around the mall, we came upon the Rainforest Café, which is described as a “Wild Place to Shop & Eat”.  We have had lunch at the Rainforest Café twice before and we love the tropical rainforest setting with indigenous creatures all around you, but the best feature in our opinion is the large fish tanks at the entrance and in the dining room. This is a great place to take the kids.

So the next time you are enjoying one of our premier Vacation Rentals in Ph0nix, AZ that you reserved through Arizona Lodging Experts, you can make plans to visit the Rainforest Café and have your own wonderful adventure. If you want to secure your own Scottsdale Arizona vacation, just call the experts at Arizona Lodging Experts at 602-404-2982 and 866-785-2350. They offer premier Arizona home rentals in many areas in the valley of the sun, including Phoenix and Scottsdale.

My wife and I had the pleasure of trying our friend Spencer’s homemade Seafood Spaghetti Sauce this past weekend, and we both agree, it was 100% delicious, not to mention the simple ingredients. It consists of Onions, Garlic, Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, Sea Salt, Cracked Black Pepper, Heavy Cream, Mushrooms and Fresh Parmesan. All ingredients were blended accept for the mushrooms. They were added after blending so they could become soft in the reheating of the now creamy sauce. Trust me when I say “It was a work of art.” It was like watching a great chef in a famous restaurant show you how it’s done by making this amazing dish look about as easy as making a box of Mac and Cheese. Lucky for you, I documented the entire process with photos that can be seen in the following slideshow. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 Sweet Yellow Onion
6 Cloves of Garlic
12 Roma Tomatoes
1 Lb of Shrimp
6 Large Scallops
1 Lobster Tail
1 Package of Sliced Mushrooms
Heavy Cream
Fresh Basil
Salt & Pepper

We hope that you might find the time to try one of our many recommended recipes while enjoying a wonderful vacation rental in Arizona provided by Arizona Lodging Experts. Arizona Lodging Experts has been offering premier property management in Scottsdale, Phoenix and the surrounding area for over 12 years now. Contact them for all your rental needs in Arizona.

I love to cook for my beautiful wife Lolis whenever possible, and there are several reasons why. We save money overall by not going out to eat, plus I feel that I can “whip up” a pretty darn good meal when I get the cooking itch! Case in point: This past weekend when I made Spicy Pork Chops with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Coleslaw and Sweet Corn. Total cook time took about 2 ½ hours and everything turned out very, very good.

I started by cooking the pork chops, since they need to cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours at 325. This way they can cook slow and easy and come out tender as can be. In our large casserole dish, I added a little extra virgin olive oil and about a ½ inch layer of beef broth, so the chops don’t dry out during cooking. Then I mixed the spices for the pork chops, which included the following ingredients:

Black pepper
White pepper
Kosher salt
Chipotle powder
Chorizo powder
Garlic salt
Season all
Lawry’s season salt
Mrs. Dash lemon pepper
Ground Coriander seed
California chili powder
Cayenne
Paprika
New Mexico Chili Powder

Nothing too heavy, all in moderation and light on all salty spices, so the perfect balance. Cover every pork chops front and back with the great spice mixture and put in the oven for the first hour. Set the timer. Once the timer goes off, you want to take the chops out of the oven for a moment, grab a spoon and “spoon” some of the juice in the pan over the chops to marinade even more, then put back into the oven for another 30 minutes to an hour. Make sure your chops DO NOT dry out. You can add more beef broth if needed. At this point, you would begin the additional sides you intend to pair with your pork chops so everything it finished at the same time. Here are our finished pork chops that cooked for 2 hours at 325 degrees. Doesn’t that look good…?!

My goal is this. I am hoping that one day, maybe a rental guests who might be staying in a wonderful rental in Arizona provided by Arizona Lodging Experts, the premier property management in Phoenix, AZ, Scottsdale, and many other areas, might see my blog and try one of my meals and give me some feedback. I know my wife Lolis likes my cooking, and so do my sister Acacia, my niece Caitlin and my Papa Rick, but I am dying for some outside feedback, good or bad. That is my wish for 2011.

Spicey Pork Chops

Cooked To Perfection

Pork Chops, Coleslaw, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Corn

This past Saturday, March 12th, it was 87 degrees here in Phoenix Arizona, so my wife and I decided to visit Desert Ridge Mall. Desert Ridge is less than 10 minutes from our apartment, so getting there was a snap! We decided stop by the Rock Bottom Brewery and have a cold beer before making our way to Fatburger for lunch. It was so nice to sit outside on the patio and enjoy a cold Pilsner beer with my lovely wife Lolis, while watching all the people “out and about” enjoying this amazing warm weather. I imagine all the visitors from out of state that are here enjoying a great rental property in Arizona are happy with this above average weather, especially our Canadian visitors. It has been a cold winter for many people. Many visitors that come to enjoy one of many Arizona home rentals do so because of the weather, so we welcome you with open arms.

After enjoying a few cold beers at Rock Bottom, we did a little window shopping as we past each store on our way to Fatburger. We like Fatburger more than In-N-Out burger, and of course a lot more than McDonalds and Jack in the Box. No comparison. Fatburger has well cook, made to order burgers which have a great flavor and fresh ingredients. I am glad we have a Fatburger so close to home.

If you have plans to enjoy a beautiful Phoenix or Scottsdale rental anytime soon, then contact the experts at Arizona Lodging Experts and they can assist you with your search. ALE “for short” can also help you with restaurant ideas, shopping ideas, you name it! They are the best at what they do and have proven so for over 12 years now. They are one of the only Phoenix Property Management Companies that can boast this.

Fatburger at Deset Ridge Mall

Great Burgers!

As long time residents here in Arizona, my wife and will go out on occasion to find a bite to eat, but we soon found that we were running into a routine and going to the same old “haunts” over and over. We wanted to find a way to expand our search area of good places to eat around the valley. With the help of our Compadre Spencer, who works at Arizona Lodging Experts, the absolute best company offering rentals in Arizona and Scottsdale property management, we found a fantastic resource that has done just that! He turned us on to UrbanSpoon.com, which is a website dedicated to restaurant blogs from critics and food bloggers alike. These can be restaurants in your very own backyard that you never knew even existed! Thanks to Urban Spoon, my wife and I have found a wonderful variety of food in our general area that we wouldn’t have found on our own. We have tried Thai food and Vietnamese food recently, and we loved them both very much. We found a little café just minutes from our home that offers a great breakfast for a very affordable price. We have also taken the time to blog about the places we have eaten over the years, and if we enjoyed them or not. Urban Spoon is a great resource to expand your meals choices on your next night out on the town.

Pho Thanh

Saigon Crepe at Pho Thanh

Spicy Grilled Beef Salad at Thai House

Crispy Fried Shrimp with Sweet -n- Sour Sauce

My wife and I had lunch with our good friend Spencer at the Thai House Restaurant in Mesa, Arizona, located on the N/E corner of Power & Southern. Spencer and Lolis have had Thai food before, so I was the “Thai Virgin” I guess. I know I can speak for all three of us when I say we have a wonderful meal and we would definitely recommend the Thai House to everyone we know. The portions were very generous, the taste was authentic Thai and the service was very good as well. The Mesa location was rather small with 5-6 tables and a small bar, but well worth the stop. You can have a sweet and savory meal made with coconut milk, or try a spicy meal from level 1 to 5 with some amazing Thai spices, “if you have the guts”.

For dessert, we do recommend that you try the delicious Fried Bananas, which we all found to be unique and tasty treat.

Below is a short video we made, so you could see how delicious everything was.

Thai House YouTube Video

If you find yourself staying in a wonderful rental home in Mesa, Arizona, you might want to try the Thai House during your stay. It will be a wonderful experience for your taste buds. The Thai House has 3 valley locations, so there might even be a Thai House close to you..!

If you need assistance finding lodging from experienced Scottsdale or Phoenix property management, contact Spencer, Susan and Shea at Arizona Lodging Experts at 602-404-2982 and 866-785-2350. They have over 20 years of personal experience combined offering premier Arizona Home Rentals and they are ready to assist you today!

The MIM (Musical Instrument Museum)

If you are staying in a rental from a Phoenix property management company, this wonderful place is not far away. The MIM is located in the Northern Phoenix area on the corner of Tatum Blvd and Mayo Blvd. The MIM is a couple blocks to the south of the AZ Loop 101 freeway.

Address: 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. Phoenix, AZ 85050

Phone: (480) 478-6000

The MIM’s Hours of Operation

Mon-Wed from 9am-5pm

Thurs – Fri from 9am-9pm

Sat – 9am-5pm

Sun – 10am-5pm

Admission

Adults ages 18-64 – $15.00

Senior Citizens age 65+ – $13.00

Kids ages 6-17 – $10.00

Kids under 6 – Free

The Vision of the MIM

Music is shared by people of all ages and backgrounds and can give a level of comfort to your life. Music brings people together and is used to celebrate many of the wonderful things in life. Music is something that all people in some way, shape, or form have in common.

The MIM stands for a celebration of all these moments and experiences we share. Music is a gift created by humans and way to celebrate our diverse cultures. People are invited from all cultures and nations to come to celebrate and share this common love of music. The MIM shares the diversity and beauty provided by musical instruments that have originated from all over the world. The MIM tells the tale of each instrument and the sounds they provide tell a story all of their own.

The Mission of the MIM

The MIM has exhibitions for the young and the old. The MIM gives each music lover the chance to experience the museum in their own way. Within the MIM you will find a very diverse selection of music and the instruments used to create it.

The MIM prides itself on displaying and showing artifacts of musical instruments from all the countries in the world. This is the only place you will really be able to capture the gift of music for generations to come. The displays and exhibitions are told by very high technology systems allowing video and audio so that you can see and hear the sounds like they are to be experienced in each of their individual cultures.

The MIM even has live performers from around the globe. This gives the visitor the opportunity to hear the music as it was intended to sound with the awesome acoustics, and super comfy atmosphere. Come hear the music of the world at the MIM.

Sunset at the Grand Canyon

You really cannot see a bad sunset; however you owe it to yourself to see the sunset from the Grand Canyon at least one time in your life, as it is absolutely magnificent! There is no comparison to a sunset seen from the Grand Canyon. You will have to see it for yourself with your own eyes, as it is one of the world’s Seven Wonders. This beautiful canyon has inspired many artists to create works based on this experience here.

When you come to the Grand Canyon you will be able to see just how the sunset morphs into different shapes as it lingers by the massive buttes as they stretch in many different directions. When the sun changes its position the sky turns into a palette of so many different colors even Crayola could not keep up. The sunset creates many unique and unusual shadows over the buttes and canyons. If you happen to be at the Grand Canyon during a storm season you will be able to see how the clouds turn into mirrors to the sky flooded with sunlight and you will be able to view prism like rainbows in 3D and you will not need 3D glasses for this. Before or after the sunset you can walk on the many paved walking trails and get up close and personal with the canyon. While you are walking you will see the light from the sky dances and creates quite a show of light and shadows.

If you choose to visit the Grand Canyon it would be best if you arrive a couple hours before sunset. You should bring plenty of water and snacks with you. Make sure you wear comfortable clothing and shoes. Hiking boots are strongly recommended. You should wear warm clothing even in the summer months because the canyon temperature drops very low even when the temps in Phoenix are in excess of 100 degrees. It would be smart to bring a flashlight because if you are there to watch the sunset the trail will be dark when you return to your vehicle.

If you wish to go you will need to purchase a $25 permit for your vehicle, and if you choose to enter on foot, motorcycle, or bike the charge is $12 per person. If you have children age 15 and younger the price of their admission is free.

Location Address:

Hwy 64 North

Grand Canyon, AZ 86023

(928) 638-7888

Hours:

You can visit the South Rim Area 24 hrs. a day every day of the year

You can visit the North Rim Area 24 hrs. a day between the months of May-October.

The next time you are looking for a Phoenix vacation property management company to rent property near the Grand Canyon, call Arizona Lodging Experts.