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 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 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

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”!

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.

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 is early December here is Arizona, and it feels like its Spring when you step outside. It has been holding in the mid to upper 70’s for the past week and a half, and now they say it may reach 80 degrees this weekend, in December! No complaints here….

It is definitely above average weather we are having. This is the ideal time to enjoy beautiful Arizona home rentals from Arizona Lodging Experts. Arizona Lodging Experts are a Phoenix Rental Property Management company with rental listings in many locations in Arizona, including Anthem, Carefree, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Goodyear, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Phoenix and Scottsdale. ALE (for short) excels in offering the best lodging available, with the most knowledgeable staff to assist you. Now is the time to enjoy a relax vacation in sunny Arizona in a furnished Scottsdale rental. With weather like this, the choices will go fast, so call today!

Arizona Lodging Experts
www.arizonalodgingexperts.com
866-785-2350
602-404-2982