Detour: Hopping Down Highway 89

If you travel the back road from Wickenberg to Prescott, up the Yarnell Hill, keep an eye out for this stone-faced amphibian -- a hop, skip and a jump past the small town of Congress. "Rocky" as he's affectionately called by the locals, has been perched atop a hill on the west side of Highway 89 since the 1920s, when a nearby homesteader grabbed her two sons and they applied a few buckets of bright green paint to the frog-shaped rock formation. Although the family has long since left the area, nearby townspeople maintain their lovable green mascot, much to the delight of travelers who continue to stop and pose for a photo with the enormous greenback -- including my Uncle Bill and I.

Art or Fashion? You Decide.

I'll be honest. I don't have the greatest appreciation for art. Spending hours in a museum looking at wild contemporary creations or classic paintings by famous artists, like Vermeer or Monet, isn't my cup of tea. However, on my first trip to the Phoenix Art Museum, I discovered that art isn't limited to the traditional mediums of canvas or clay. Fashion, and the collection of Ann Bonfoey Taylor, has its place in the world of art.


Billed as Fashion Independent: The Original Style of Ann Bonfoy Taylor, the museum's featured exhibit was a stunning example of form meets function, with style and flair. Ann B. Taylor, who has no connection with the store that resembles her name, was not a famous fashion designer. Although she did for a short time design ski apparel, Ann was a unique American woman who had a passion for fashion, assembling her collection carefully. Whether dressed in day wear, evening wear or sportswear, Ann's wardrobe was both classic and sophisticated, but with a distinct style all her own. Ann's son donated his mother's extraordinary wardrobe to the Phoenix Art Museum, which will serve as the foundation of its fashion design collection.

Although I spent most of my time in Ann's "closet," I did venture into some of the museum's other galleries, including the Thorne Miniature Rooms, Latin American collection and the Modern & Contemporary exhibit. My favorite was the Western American collection, which had a section of works exhibiting the unique landscape, people and history of Arizona, including a painting by my favorite local artist Ed Mell. The museum also included a statue by realist artist Fredric Remington, but nothing from C.M. Russell, whose museum in Great Falls, Mont., I've had the pleasure of touring twice. Note to the Phoenix Art Museum: You should include the works of Charlie Russell.

While I may not be an art enthusiast, the Phoenix Art Museum was a great way to cool off in "style" on a hot Saturday afternoon in Phoenix.

Hoopin' It Up at the Heard

Elementary school students throughout the Phoenix area take a field trip to the Heard Museum to learn about Native American arts and culture. I must have been absent that day.




The Heard Museum has been a landmark in Central Phoenix for more than 80 years. It's known worldwide for its extensive collections, changing exhibits and festivals celebrating the Native American people. The annual Hoop Dance Contest is among its most popular. Held every February, it is in its 21st year. Native American men and women from across the U.S. and Canada take part in the world championship competition.






If you are unfamiliar with the hoop dance, it incorporates speed and agility, as the dancers manipulate their bodies through one or more than 50 hoops. The most talented will incorporate creative designs and difficult maneuvers, as their feet keep time with the beat of the drum. It's an impressive and beautiful dance to see. Equally impressive are the colorful costumes the dancers wear. No two are alike.

Yet, the museum also offers something interesting to see. The Heard collects and exhibits centuries-old American Indian art, along with works from more contemporary Native American artists. Two stunning exhibits, only at the Heard for a limited time, were Preston Singletary's contemporary glass works and Jesse Monongye's amazing Navajo jewelry. Another powerful and ongoing exhibit is "Remembering Our Indian School Days: The Boarding School Experience," which examines the system of off-reservation Indian boarding schools and how the Native American children were removed from their homes and stripped of their culture, identity and language.

With more than 130,000 square feet of galleries, class rooms and performance area, you can easily spend an entire day at the Heard Museum. There is so much to do and see. Plan your lunch at its well-recommended Cafe, or if you are lucky -- like me -- you can enjoy Indian Fry Bread in the main courtyard.

Whether you are a tourist, new to the Valley or a long-time resident, you should take a trip to the Heard Museum. It's internationally renowned collection of Native American art and cultural pieces, along with its changing exhibits and full schedule of events will always offer something new to see. I'd better plan a another visit.

Happy New Oil!

We've all heard about the health benefits of olive oil, which contains monounsaturated fat that can lower your risk for heart disease. I cook with olive oil almost every day, but not because its good for me, rather for the smooth grassy flavor it adds to my meal. Yet, I've never given much thought to how the lowly olive goes from the tree to the bottle, ultimately landing in my saute pan. That was until today, when I visited the Queen Creek Olive Mill.

Located at the base of the San Tan Mountains in the Southeast Valley, the Queen Creek Olive Mill is Arizona's only working olive farm, producing a unique assortment of hand-crafted oils and gourmet olive products. My cousin Jenni and good friend Lisa and I made the nearly 60-mile trek for its Festival of New Oil (Olio Nuovo), which occurs between January and February each year and celebrates the arrival of the "new oil" that was pressed last fall.

While to some, that may seem like a long way to go for olive oil, which you can buy at any neighborhood grocery store, the festival provides an opportunity to enjoy music, taste wine and other gourmet products, along with the mill's daily tours, well-stocked marketplace and Tuscan inspired del Piero cafe.

Our tour guide was an enthusiastic young man, who explained the entire olive making process, from tree to bottle. The Mill still harvests their olives the old-fashioned way, using a rake to remove them from the tree. What falls to the ground is gathered, cleaned of leaves and twigs, washed, then cold-pressed into a fine stream of liquid gold. A very find stream, I might add. A ton of olives may only yield 35 to 50 gal. of extra virgin olive oil.

The Mill's store features the fruits of all this labor. It's shelves are stocked with bottles of pure extra virgin olive oil, along with a host of fancy flavors, including Blood Orange, Chili and even Chocolate olive oil. However, my tastebuds prefer the more traditional flavors -- Roasted Garlic and Meyer Lemon, enjoyed simply with hot crusty bread and a robust glass of Chianti. Salute!