Smeeks… smeeeeeks! I love to say that word. Smeeks is an adorable little candy/gift shop off of Camelback Rd. in Phoenix, AZ between the 17 and 51, near 7th st. I saw the little candy shop featured in an issue of PHOENIX magazine several months ago and bookmarked it as one of the places I would like to visit someday if I ever had time. Well, I made time for it last week and was definitely NOT disappointed. It was a really friendly and colorful shop painted blue, red, and white. The shop housed tons of different kinds of candy from taffy to candy bars to gum, a lot of which were old fashioned brands you don’t find in the grocery store. They also sell refrigerated old fashioned soda pop and party favors. It is worth the trip, but definitely be prepared to spend at least $30 – $40 on candy! Here is some of the loot I picked up…

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This trip happened several weeks ago, but now that the weather is so nice it felt like the right time to put this post up on my blog. It was a very lovely day, with some very lovely people. It was one of the most quaint, relaxing afternoons I’ve ever had… and I can’t wait to go back again! So, what am I raving about??… tell us… tell us… ok… so this place is called “The Farm at South Mountain”. It’s located off of 32nd St. in Phoenix, AZ. I’m sure many Phoenicians have already discovered this gem, but since I’ve only been living here for 2+ years… I was thrilled to discover it when I did. It is a 12-acre property located 8 minutes from downtown phoenix… it is an “organic oasis” as their website quotes… and they are telling the truth. It boasts, lines and lines of pecan trees, 3 different restaurants (an outdoor patio for breakfast, an outdoor cafe for lunch, and an indoor/outdoor gourmet restaurant for dinner). Menus are seasonal and organic…. they grow a lot of their own produce right on the property in their large gardens. Flowers are in bloom everywhere and there is GRASS.. yes you heard me Phoenicians… G-R-A-S-S… and its green, not brown! It’s a beautiful place of relaxation and, not to mention the most important part for me… their food is delicious! Organic breads, greens, soups.. you name it. I couldn’t believe my turkey sandwich had REAL slices of turkey on it… I believe the very words i described it as was that there was “thanksgiving turkey” on my sandwich! All in all it is a very special place… a place to go and relax and forget that you are in the middle of a dirty, fast-paced city; and just enjoy the simple things in life for a few hours. The sunshine hitting your face, the green grass, the peaceful breeze through the pecan trees.. and a delicious bite of one of those lemon bars that are to die for! You must try one.. you will not regret it. So go…. go to the farm some afternoon and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Here are some photos for you all to enjoy… and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

What we had for lunch…

(pictured above: chicken salad with glazed pecans, goat cheese, and house vinaigrette, fresh lemonade, pecan pie, and a lemon bar)

(pictured above: roast turkey sandwich with cranberry relish, and a chicken Tuscan soup)

the art gallery…

…and the gift shop.

Gelato Spot: The Dessert Lounge of Italy

If you haven’t had a chance to indulge in this delicious dessert… RUN TO IT IMMEDIATELY!!!  DO NOT WASTE ANY MORE TIME!!!  You have definitely been missing out on something extraordinary.  Not only is it more than half the fat as ice cream… ITS BETTER!

So what’s all this hype I have about gelato?  Its just a better choice and flavor compared to ice cream… here are the facts.

1. The fruit flavors are non-dairy, non fat, and made from fresh fruit and fruit puree

2. Cooked gelato is made with 2% – 8% fresh milk, rather than heavy cream that has up to 30%!

3. Gelato only has 20 – 30 % air packed into it rather than 100%… makes for a lot more gelato per bite.. and its really smooth!

Some gelato flavors

The Gelato Spot boasts a posh lounging area with cushy seats or outdoor patio tables to enjoy your savory sweet.  They have a large selection of original and creative flavors that will satisfy the chocolate lover to your exotic fruit cravings.  You can order three sizes of cups, each coming with two, three, or four scoops of any flavors of gelato.

mmm... gelato

The best part is you get a cute little wafer straw with nutella inside!  I love to eat those little crunchy wafer sticks.   Some of my favorite flavors include: Roche chocolate, bubblegum (good for kids or days us adults feel like kids!), chocolate, coconut, passion fruit, strawberry, roasted almond, tiramisu, cappuccino, stracatella, and many more.  So what are you waiting for?!

Some locations throughout the valley include:

40th Street and Greenway (Phoenix)

Scottsdale and Shea (North Scottsdale)

32nd and Camelback (Phoenix)

Scottsdale Rd and 3rd Ave. (Old Town Scottsdale)

Hours are Sun. – Thur. 12 -10 pm and Fri. – Sat. 12 – 11 pm

5040 N 40th St Phoenix, AZ

Sorry it’s been awhile everyone… I was away for a few days, but I have recently been exploring some places I’ve been wanting to share with you all.  This little restaurant called “Chelsea’s Kitchen” was a delicious and splendid way to spend a Saturday evening.  My husband took me on a sweet date to this little place and made reservations (I recommend getting a reservation here as it can get busy and the restaurant is not big enough to hold a ton of people).  If you are familiar with LGO, the sweet little french cafe and grocery based out of California, then you will hands down love Chelsea’s Kitchen as well.  Chelsea’s Kitchen is simply a more formal eatery and sit down restaurant compared to LGO.  It was very tasteful in design and had a well balanced atmosphere to make it pleasant, but not feel overwhelmed.  Simply put, it was quaint and relaxing.

As you walk in the entrance you are immediately greeted by the hostess counter as well as the chef’s kitchen to your right… Yes!  You can see the chefs actually live in action.. calling out orders, see the incredible finished dishes pile up on the pick up counter, and smell the delicious aromas of everything exciting they are creating.  It was really cool!  The decor was very tasteful and simple.  I loved everything from the half booth tables with the black wicker chairs on the other end to the black little pepper mills on each table.  It was a well lighted restaurant, but once it started turning evening they dim the lights to give it a romantic feel.  There was a fresh cool breeze coming in from the over sized windows along the back wall… it was very refreshing and cozy.  The best way to describe the feeling I had sitting in this restaurant was that my husband and I were in a loft apartment having a cozy romantic dinner.

Ok, and now for what you are all waiting for.. the scoop on the food!  I enjoyed everything I tried that evening.  It was abundant with flavor, but nothing too unfamiliar as to surprise the taste buds.  The menu was divided into simple selections of appetizers, steak entrees, hamburgers, salads, taco platters, and several other goodies.  They also have a selection of specials each evening.  We decided to try the chicken nachos, the special of the day (steak kabob with artichokes, peppers, sweet corn on the cob, tomatoes, and jasmine rice), and the steak taco platter.  Each dish was delicious!

Chelsea's Chicken Nachos

The chicken nachos were smothered in a Mexican white cheddar queso, red chiles, pico de gallo, their famous rotisserie chicken, and accompanied by this AMAZING roasted tomato salsa… it was divine.  The nachos are HUGE.. certainly big enough to share as an appetizer between 4 – 6 people.  BEWARE, it’s hard to stop eating these tempting chips!

Chelsea's Steak kabob Special

The steak kabob was equally pleasing.  My favorite vegetables to accompany the succulent steak were the artichokes, tomatoes, and the sweet yellow corn over the jasmine rice.  I didn’t care too much for the yellow pepper… I thought it threw a more overpowering flavor into the mix, but overall the meal was delicious.  The dish also came with a roasted red pesto to dip the kabob in that was very tasty. The meat, vegetables, and rice were all seasoned well and it was a very satisfying meal in both flavor and portion.

Chelsea's Steak Tacos

The Steak Taco platter was incredible to say the least!  The corn tortillas that came with the platter were so fresh and soft.  I was shocked and pleased at how tender the cut of steak was! After piling on some delicious black beans, salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, and some steak strips, I was surprised to find out how easy it was to bite clean through the taco without having to saw through some fat… it was divine!  The best steak tacos I have had so far in my life would be these!  You have to try them!  My mouth is watering just writing about how good they were.

Chelsea’s Kitchen is a pleasing addition to our top restaurant list in Phoenix, AZ.  It was a delight and the food was delicious!

Last weekend around 5:00 pm I found myself headed toward a South American paradise hidden behind mounds of concrete in downtown Tucson, AZ.  This little gem of a place was so simple and secluded that a passerby without knowing what was hidden inside would simply walk past the secret.  Luckily, my husband and I had some insiders who have been there before.  Our friends invited us to dinner at Cafe Poca Cosa last Saturday and asked us what we were in the mood for, so we said something ‘authentic’.  They immediately came up with the idea of taking us here… and I am SO glad we went!  I was very impressed with the food, presentation, and atmosphere I simply had to share it with you all on my blog.

The restaurant was decorated in darker, richer tones such as deep reds, grays, blacks, and dark browns.  It was dimly lit with mostly natural light coming through the shaded windows.  Each table had a glowing warm candle that made it inviting.  The overall look of the restaurant was simple lines, classic style, modern, and all open space.  There were no large thick walls or partitions that separated one part of the restaurant from the other. I loved the open modern feel and look the restaurant gave.  Nothing flashy or over decorated.  It was simple, but still elegant and tasteful.  I loved that big pot of those thick curvy tree branches in the picture above.  The restaurant also offered a comfortable dining patio outside for anyone who likes dining outdoors.  Simple artwork, and several plaques of awards and restaurant reviews in top magazines decorated the hallway behind the bar area near the restaurant kitchen, which gave you a really good idea of the quality of food and how the restaurant was started.  I also found out that there is another cafe by the same owner that is sort of a miniature Cafe Poca Cosa right down the street that is open for breakfast and lunch everyday.  Someday I hope to go back and try it out!

Immediately after drinks are ordered you are served complimentary homemade tortilla chips that are warm to the touch and lightly salted (excellent flavor!) with some of the best salsa I’ve ever tasted.  It is not to be compared with what most of us would think of as “Mexican Salsa”.  This South American salsa is more on the sweet side with a tomato base.  It had such an explosion of flavor!  The more you ate this, the better it kept getting… so basically you couldn’t stop eating them unless someone pulled the chips and salsa away from you!  But, we really wanted to save room for the entrees, so we did sadly defer.

Next came deciding what to order….

Here is a good idea of the types of dishes they served as well as the range of prices.  There was so many incredible things to choose from!  Their menu also changes every day!  They had dishes ranging from chicken, to beef, to pork, to vegetarian… and many different marinades and sauces including, moles, tomatillo sauces, and creams.  There was such a range of fantastic ideas that we decided to order what they refer to as the “Plato Poca Cosa”, which is basically a chef’s plate consisting of a samples of 3 random entrees on the menu that evening.  All four of us ordered the chef’s plate so we could try a variation of as many entrees as possible.  I definitely recommend doing this the first time you visit Cafe Poca Cosa, so you can try a variety of their dishes and get a taste for what you like there.

Each entree was presented with decorated vegetables and a nice size portion of each sample entree. The entree also included a salad with a light Chile and wine vinaigrette. My favorites ended up being the vegetarian tortilla dish with the asparagus sauce, the habanero chicken mole, the carne asada in a tomato serrano sauce, and the pork in the tomatillo sauce. I would recommend any of the wonderful entrees on the menu.

Luke's Chef Plate

Kenny's Chef Plate

Tina's Chef Plate

And last, but not least… dessert was ordered to top it all off. You MUST try the chocolate mousse… it was so divine!  It was a rich chocolate fluffy texture with a hint of cinnamon. I can’t wait until we can go back again to Cafe Poca Cosa.  Next time you are in Tucson don’t miss out on this amazing restaurant!

Chocolate Mousse