Love Sedona

Thanksgiving for Sedona Visitors

It’s November, which means it is time to focus on Thanksgiving.

Here are some tips for Turkey Day in Red Rock Country.

First, beware of weather changes. Late November is typically pleasant (sunny & dry, with temps in the 60’s), but an early winter storm can change things dramatically. To get the best forecast, avoid national weather websites and the Weather Channel on TV if you’ve already arrived. These offer data from Flagstaff, Prescott or Phoenix, all of which are tremendously different. Instead, we recommend www.sedonaweather.net

Second, beware of crowds. Thanksgiving Weekend visitors come as overnight visitors but also as day-trippers from the Valley of the Sun. This means that things go from quiet to busy around 11am. Our advice: Get outside before that. 

Third, make a restaurant reservation. Fortunately, the day-trippers tend to leave around 3pm, so restaurants are crowded, but not mobbed. Nonetheless, call ahead or your chances will shrink to get into Sedona’s best spots.

Fourth, think carefully before considering a Grand Canyon visit. The year’s longest lines can be found at the entry gate, full of cars from Phoenix and Las Vegas. Nothing is more discouraging than driving for hours only to sit and wait for hours. However, you do have an advantage if you’re headed there from Sedona, which is only 2 hrs, 15 minutes away (as opposed to Phoenix and Las Vegas, which are 4 hours away).  Still, plan to leave early, or the sun may go down before you ever see the canyon.

As for activities, most jeep tours will be available, but exclusive, private outings such as those of Sedona Private Guides require advance reservations. Check the website for details. www.SedonaPrivateGuides.com

 

Fine Dining for 15 Years: Andrea DiLuca & Lisa Dahl

With last night’s Sedona Private Guides Happy Hour at Cucina Rustica on Hwy 179 in the Village of Oak Creek, it’s worth noting how far its founders have come. According to Chef Andrea DiLuca, he and Lisa Dahl opened their first enterprise, Dahl & DiLuca Ristorante, nearly 15 years ago.

 

I can think of at least a half dozen restaurants on the same block of Hwy 89A in West Sedona as D&D that have come and gone over that time, from Samba to The Sage. Yet D&D and its sister restaurant, Cucina, endure. Lisa and Andrea’s diligence allows us to relax, knowing at least three things can be counted upon.

 

First, the staff will be professional. There are no teenagers with bad attitudes working here. These are adults, and they take pleasing their customers seriously.

 

Second, the atmosphere will be splendid. In all the ways a man doesn’t notice but a woman does, Cucina Rustica is tricked out. Textures, fabrics, colors and lights have been chosen by Lisa Dahl with no expense spared. (Years ago, when it opened, Andrea DiLuca told me, “If-a de place looksa like a million dollars, itsa because thatsa whata she spent!)

 

Third, the food will be simple, of the highest quality and delicious. Don’t underestimate the formula: It’s anything but common in Arizona’s most transient culinary community.

 

With innumerable restaurants, I have to “recommend with asterisks.” So I recommend a place, but only certain items or only at certain times. I recommend a place if you’re lucky enough to get a certain server, or in hopes that the chef who the establishment is named for will actually be there. With Cucina’s fine Mediterranean cuisine, we advise only that you be thoughtful of which seasons you eat your shell-fish, but that’s true anywhere you go.

 

Beyond that, this is asterisk-free fine dining! Cucina is great for a date, for a family gathering, or for meeting friends. It’s fun for an occasion, or to meet after work. What’s more, there’s something about the founders’ flair that makes you feel you’re not missing out by visiting our small town. Instead, you feel as if you’re eating in an exotic big city.

 

There’s something great about spending your day in Sedona, but your evening in the Mediterranean!

 

Instant Review: Elote Café:

We’ve given full details of our thoughts on Elote Café in Sedona: The Essential Guidebook, but two stops on consecutive nights have allowed us to update our opinions. Up front, let’s remind you that we support Sedona, not its businesses. We receive no advertising and no freebies in exchange for what we write.

 

 First, we recommend Elote as strongly as ever. The Kings Ransom hotel where Elote is located doesn’t make the grade in our accommodation reviews, but the inside of the restaurant is finally starting to feel alright. Even better, the construction on the adjacent Hwy 179 has simmered, so the outdoor view is no longer of a storage depot for construction equipment.

 

 Luckily, the food overcomes the ambience: It is simply delicious. Well made, well displayed and well delivered, this is upscale Mexican food made by a chef who succeeded first in Scottsdale before moving to Red Rock Country. On Friday, we sample hors d’ouevres, and on Saturday, a new group tried the entrees. Everyone loved the food, particularly the Carne Asada and Smoked Chicken Enchiladas.

 

However, having seen some 45 plus people waiting on Friday night and a bit of line on Saturday, it’s time to plan ahead. But how can you make a plan for a restaurant that only accepts reservations for 5 or more? Option 1: Go early. Visitors from big cities tend to eat later, but Sedona’s restaurants are happy to serve starting at 5pm. Option 2: Bring friends. Elote accepts reservations for groups of 5 or more. If you’re visiting Sedona, why not grab other couples from your B&B or timeshare?  

 

 Elote is located on Highway 179, about 1 mile south of the “Y” intersection. 928-203-0105.

Top 7 New Products at Sedona Starbucks

#7   The Vortex Venti. Twenty ounces of subtle energy.

#6   The “I’m Seeing Visions” Latte. Caffeine-induced hallucinations, guaranteed!

#5   The Sedona Barrista Divination. He draws a symbol in your foam, and you figure out what it means.

#4   The Enchantment Resort Espresso. So rich, it costs $495 a cup.

#3 The Center for the New Age Blend. We psychically predict you’ll order it.

#2 The Mr. Sedona Mocha. A caffeine-free burst of awareness…of Sedona trivia.

 

And the #1 new product at Sedona Starbucks:

#1  The Sedona Private Guides Private Blend. Eye-opening, with a nice body -- available daily. Order now, before supplies run out.

Hiro’s Restaurant: So Far, So Good

Sedonans ask two questions about a new restaurant in town. “Is it any good?” and “Will it last?” If it isn’t good, there’s no need to worry, because it doesn’t stand a chance. But good restaurants are also not guaranteed to last, because of Sedona’s highly seasonal tourist economy.

 

 In the Japanese food category, there is Takashi, on Jordan Road in Uptown, and Minami, located in the Village of Oak Creek (VOC), across from the Prime Outlets mall. I have to give props to Minami, where owner/sushi master Yoshi served us in spite of our late arrival for lunch. We were at least 30 minutes past closing time, but he cranked out a delicious meal of California and crab rolls. Minami has always been good, but it has served a divorce among the owners, and a move from the west side of town to the VOC. It is good and it has lasted.

 

Hiro’s, newly opened in Uptown’s Hyatt Pinon Pointe Plaza, will face the same two-part challenge. We Sedonans consider the location as alternately auspicious and foreboding. The views of Snoopy Rock and the Schnebly formations are great for outside diners, and those indoors near the windows. Yet we Sedonans mind our feng shui and note the failure of prior eateries Bice and Bistro Bella Terra in the same place.

 

On my first try, I found the interior exciting, the menu varied and the service decent. I enjoyed an excellent California roll, while my date only slightly dented the ample chicken teriyaki.

 

 So far, Hiro’s looks good. Now, let’s hope it lasts.

September 19th: Fair Yes, Jazz No.

After more than a quarter-century of annual events, there will be no Jazz on the Rocks Festival this September. Apparently, it wasn’t even close: The JOTR folks announced the shut-down not long after last year’s festival. Internal restructuring is underway, and the jazz folks say they’ll be back in 2010.

In its place comes the one day Sedona Community Fair. A modest, locally-flavored production, this event includes a number of goodies. First, lots of entertainment, showing off Sedona’s talented musicians. Second, wine tasting, with contributions from the area’s vineyards. Third, a classic car show. An unexpected attraction is a “Metaphysical Tent.” Palm readings? Aura cleansings? One way or another we’re glad that mainstream Sedona and New Age Sedona have come together under the same roof…or in this case, tent. Gates open at 9am, entertainment begins at 10am on September 19th. While we’re not thrilled about the location (the airport; turn north onto Airport Road off West Hwy 89A), we’re pleased that the parking is free.