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!

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.

I woke up to an unusual site today when I step out onto my patio early this morning. We had fog as thick as “pea soup” in Phoenix, which is very odd for the Valley of the Sun.

I bet visitors who are in town enjoying a winter rental in Arizona were a little surprised to see fog on the ground, and I bet they most likely booked their lodging through Arizona Lodging Experts, the premier Scottsdale property management with over 10 years experience in helping people to find great rentals in Arizona.

It was exciting to see the foggy conditions, because it’s so rare for Arizona, but it was also difficult to drive in the fog without feeling a little unsafe, you know what I mean. It all worked out well as the fog lifted at about 9am to reveal the clouds over the surrounding mountains, including Camelback and Mummy Mountain.

We are being told to be prepared for a warm winter, so we are expecting more visitors to make their way to Arizona, and we welcome them gladly. If anyone is looking for lodging in Arizona, all you have to do is contact Arizona Lodging Experts at 602-404-2982 and 866-785-2350. They will do their very best to find you a great rental from one of their Arizona home rentals, condos or townhomes. Call the experts today!

On the recommendation of two fellow employees at our office, my wife and I enjoyed a wonderful meal, complete with drinks, appetizers and great company, at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. It was a wonderful dining experience in every way.

First, we arrived early on a Saturday afternoon, so we beat the late night crowd. We began with drinks at the bar while we waited for our table. Our table was ready within 5 minutes of our arrival, so great service so far. Once we sat down and had a few minutes to look over the menu, we ordered some appetizers. We tried the Fried Calamari, Coconut Shrimp and Crabfingers, which were delicious as each was served with its own signature sauce of some kind. The Coconut shrimp came with some coleslaw is a spicy red sauce, and it was a big hit! Next it was time to order dinner. Lolis ordered the Jumbo Shrimp Brochette (char-grilled bacon wrapped shrimp filled with Monterey jack cheese & a sliver of jalapeno and dirty rice), and she loved it! Spencer went for the Hudson Bay Platter (shrimp brochette, grilled scallops & Caribbean lobster tail, with fresh green beans & dirty rice), and he enjoyed it very much. I decided to have the Costa Rican Tilapia Lafayette (grilled tilapia topped with fresh lump crabmeat, shrimp, tomato’s, capers & basil in beurre blanc with fresh green beans and spaghetti squash), and I am very, very happy with what I ordered. To top off the meal, we each ordered some wonderful dessert which included Crème brelee and Banana wafer pudding. The entire experience was fantastic from beginning to end, and the service from our waiter Ryan was top notch.

I would recommend Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen to anyone who is in Arizona, whether you are a local resident or a winter visitor enjoying a relaxing Scottsdale rental, (or one of the vacation rentals in Phoenix Arizona) and experience it for yourself. I think you will be happy you did. Oh, and don’t forget, if you need assistance finding a wonderful rental in Arizona, then you can call the experts at Arizona Lodging Experts. With over 10 years experience and lodging in many areas in Arizona, they will do their best to find you the best lodging available. Call the experts today at 602-404-2982 and 866-785-2350.

I couldn’t help notice the amazing sunset last night as I stopped by my local Fry’s Grocery Store. It kind of reminds me that Christmas is just 9 days away!

I love the Christmas Holidays because I get to spend time with my lovely wife and my family, but I have another reason to love it so much; my wife was born on December 25^th, so we get to celebrate Christmas and her birthday together, which is a true blessing.

As we make our way to the malls this year to do our share of shopping, we are noticing a lot of snowbird plates in the parking areas, which is nice to see. I think people are seeing the unusual warm weather we are having in sunny Arizona and they are making their way to the valley to enjoy all the fun and festivities as they stay in a comfortable Arizona home rental. Many activities we enjoy each year are outdoors, so this great weather has done its job and brought everyone “out and about”.

If you are not sure how to find a great rental in Arizona, then contact the team at Arizona Lodging Experts. They specialize in property management in Scottsdale, Phoenix and many other areas in Arizona, and they pride themselves on customer service with premium rentals. Call the experts at 480-429-3844 and 877-976-1234 today!

It looks like all of our hard work this year has paid off because my wife and I made enough money to have a wonderful Christmas season, and still have enough money to buy a plane ticket so my honey Lolis can go home to Mazatlan and see our family for the holidays.

It is an annual trip that my wife makes each year when the money is available, and this year we made it happen! We are both super excited, although I will be lonely and bored while she is gone, like always, so I might have to pull out the old PS2 and keep myself distracted until she is home again.

There are a lot of snowbirds in town right now enjoying an Arizona vacation in one of many Phoenix vacation home rentals, and who can blame them with temperatures in the mid to high 70’s and low 80’s. If you are ready to escape the cold and snowy weather in your hometown, then pick up the phone and call the Arizona Lodging Experts. The Arizona Lodging Experts (ALE) offer premier lodging in many areas of the Valley of the Sun, such as a 3 Bedroom/2 Bath in Anthem, a 5 Bedroom/3 Bath in Goodyear and a 4 Bedroom/3.5 Bath in Cave Creek, just to name a few. If you would like to come and enjoy the above average temperatures we are having in December, call 602-404-2982 today!

I found a wonderful gift idea for the holiday, made by a local artist here in Arizona. It is called Refresh Glass “Functional Bottle Art”. The founder, Ray, has taken a green approach combining manufacturing engineering and art to craft a fun product that will make a difference for generations to come. A win-win for everyone. Ray has created an up and coming business by taking old wine bottles, cleaning them, removing the labels, then cutting the bottles into 12oz and 16oz sizes and turning them into art. Ray offers sets of 4 in Amber, Green, Gold, Clear and Antique. The founding story is a good read, so check it out! I think they would make a unique and memorable holiday gift, birthday gift, or any occasion really.

If you are looking for a great Vacation Rentals In Phoenix, with a ton of wonderful activities and events to enjoy, then you will want to contact Arizona Lodging Experts. They have premier properties in many areas in Arizona and they update their website with events and activities constantly, so for rentals in Arizona call the Arizona Lodging Experts today!

My wife and I wanted to share a local restaurant here in Phoenix that we just discovered this past weekend, with the help of our good friend & Phoenix Property Manager, Spencer, at Arizona Lodging Experts. The place is called Uncle Sam’s, and they actually have 3 locations here in the Valley of the Sun. The one we went to is located on Shea blvd, between the 51 Freeway and 32^nd street. On their website at www.unclesamsaz.com they claim to have the only true Cheese Steaks, Hoagies and Grinders “this side of Philadelphia”, and after eating lunch there for the first time on Sunday, I have to agree with them. They have some really good sandwiches and tasty hot wings. My wife had the Mushroom Pepper Cheese Steak and 6 hot wings and I had the All American Hoagie, which has 6 meats and 2 cheeses. We really enjoyed the food very much and we look forward to our next visit. The best part is that Uncle Sam’s is only 15 minutes from our apartment in Phoenix, so we will become regulars in no time at all. So, whether you’re a local in Arizona, or a winter visitor enjoying one of many beautiful Arizona resort condos, we encourage you to stop by Uncle Sam’s and enjoy a great meal with family and friends. Your tummy will be very happy that you did.

“Az Crazies”

Next, put the chicken in the oven (middle rack) and set a time for 1 and 1/2 hours. Now, just sit back, enjoy a cold drink and wait for the magic to happen. For some amazing reason, which I am truly grateful for, the Stubbs sauce breaks down during the cooking process and mixes with the oil and broth to create this amazing spicy oil-juice that you can save and use on other dishes such as “Chef-Shea’s Spicy Chicken Green Chili Cheese Enchiladas”, which I will share with you another time, I promise!

(Sneak Peak)

Spicy Chicken Green Chili Cheese Enchiladas

Once you finally hear the timer go “ding”, it is time to sample some of the best chicken breast you will ever taste!

Spicy Chichen Breast 325 degrees - 1 1/2 hours

You can serve them any way you want to, maybe with a side of veggies and mashed potatoes and a side salad, or maximize your dish and make some tasty spicy tacos or spicy chicken cheese enchiladas. The chicken is fork tender now and full of great flavor. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do, and don’t forget to save the juices in the pan for later use.

Happy Eats Everyone!

And to all of our visitors that are renting our Vacation Rentals in Phoenix Arizona or any of the premier Homes, Townhomes or Condos from Arizona Lodging Experts, we hope you too can enjoy some wonderful home cooked meals and margaritas during your stay “thanks to great blogs like these”!

Wow, the year 2010 has ushered in some fabulous warm and sunny weather. The people out and about on the town are sporting their summer attire throughout the day and at night you can get away with simply a light sweater or jacket. The high today was 73 and as you can probably guess, the phone lines at Arizona Lodging Experts have been ringing off the hook. Some of our renters are reporting temps as low as –5 in Montana and The Canadians that didn’t leave before Christmas are snowed in for the winter. I don’t even want to know how cold the windy city is… brrrrrrrrr chilly!

So then, have I yet tempted you into leaving behind your frosty winter environment and escaping to sunny and warm Arizona? If enjoying the outdoors is your thing and you like stunning landscapes, road trips, golf, spas and 5-star dining then you need to get yourself out here now!

Here is how one prospective renter from Indiana put it to me today.

“We plan to swim in the pool, fry like bacon in the sun, eat out and hang with old friends. I desperately need a margarita by the pool while looking at some aloe plants and a saguaro cactus or two”

I love it, doesn’t that just sounds like the perfect week?

With that being said I wanted to let you know that we are blowing out our rental rates for January and first two weeks of February. Right now we are offering huge discounts on our rental rates. Everything we have available can be rented at special discounted rates. Mid February through March are booking up fast and we are almost sold out for that time frame. January and the first two weeks of February are wide open, not only is the weather warm we also have a lot of activities coming up like the Phoenix Open, the Arabian Horseshow and the Barrett Jackson Auction.

Last weekend the weather was so nice I fired up my motorbike and took a scenic trip to east Mesa were we have a nice vacation home with flat screen TV’s in all the rooms, a heated pool and a billiard table. From the east Mesa home you can be to the Superstition Mountains and on up to Canyon Lake in 30 minutes. Here is a photo I took of my bike after crossing over the first bridge at Canyon Lake.

Canyon Lake offers fishing, boat marina, restaurant and camping. The marina also has boats for rent. If you keep going past Canyon Lake you hit the town of Tortilla Flats with a population of 6! Stop in for friendly conversation and a cold beer at the town’s only bar/restaurant. Or if you happen to have some mail with you stop in at the post office and send your letters out with a post stamp from the Tortilla Flat post office! Here’s a picture of Tortilla Flat.

If you are really down for an adventure keep on going past Tortilla Flat on the Apache Trail. You’ll find some beautiful mountain vistas as you approach Apache Lake, Past Apache Lake you can visit some ancient cliff dwellings that are over 750 years old and finally you will get to Roosevelt Lake and beyond that to the town of Globe, which is an old mining town. My Nona, the daughter of Italian immigrants was born and raised right in downtown Globe were her parents ran a Tailor shop. There is a lot of history in that town. Here you can take the Highway back into Apache Junction and onto East Mesa via the US-60

Growing up in Arizona I’ve had the opportunity to explore all four corners or our state. I never grow tired of taking road trips. I hope you can come out here and enjoy all the great experiences we have to offer.