Phoenix - Take 2

Back in January....

Second trip to Phoenix in a matter of weeks.  I had to fly back for a meeting or two with a VP who was coming in from NYC for the day. I'm happy that American started flying the LAX - PHX route so I can enjoy my elite status perks, even if the planes are so small that there's no upgrade option.  The only downside - taking the little bus to the satellite terminal.  It's like these planes are last place out of all the planes in the world.  I should be used to it though; DFW -FSM is my little plane route back home to Okiehoma.

The pilot said he'd been getting reports of some turbulence, so he was going to have the flight attendant stay seated for the 54-minute flight.  Well, we took off and nothing was happening, so the drink service started.  And suddenly, the bumps started and got terrible!  Right over that pass in Palm Springs where all those windmills are.  And it was terrible until we landed.  I was sure our little plane was going down.  I realize that's not possible, but it was the worst flight I've been on in a long time.  I am really starting to hate flying.  I always pray a lot on flights - maybe that's supposed to teach me something?

I was super glad to be on the ground.  Megs picked me up and we went straight to LGO with Chantal.  Corn, basil, goat cheese pizza is soooo good.  And of course I got half-Gladiator, too.

Dessert from the grocery.  

I spent the rest of the night eating cake and working late in preparation for meetings all the next day.  There were some nice clouds and mountains along the drive into the office.  I kinda miss that little commute.  It's much harder to catch up on podcasts when you don't have a daily drive.  

For dinner that night, Meghan and I decided to try Tuck Shop, which is fairly new in Phoenix, set in a delightful little neighborhood at a lovely traffic circle intersection.  If I ever have to live in Phoenix again, I want to live there.

The place is tucked away in a house, complete with a living room for lounging and some good books.  I'd be a regular, no doubt, if I still lived there.  We started off with homemade ginger ale (very gingery!) and lemonade.

We started with grilled baguette with a roasted garlic bulb in olive oil, then mac and cheese with prosciutto, skipping the lobster addition.  There's no ocean near Phoenix.

The highlight was the lamb meatballs with spaghetti squash.  Super delicious.

Things quickly turned into a girls night.  See what we picked up at Target?  I'm excited about that new lipstick.  

On Friday I went into the office for a few hours, but my trusty sidekick, Robert, once again came through with corporate tent tickets to the Phoenix Open.  Four years running, we had to go again.  I skipped out for the rest of the afternoon to see some golf.  This really is one of the best sporting events ever.  Beautiful day, free food, great people watching, and some golf claps thrown in. 

I lost my rental car in the enormous parking lot for about 20 minutes.  I knew I'd gotten off the parking lot shuttle bus in the right place, but I was still lost.  I wasn't even in range of using the clicker!  Whoops.  Once I found it, quick shopping trip at the mall with Chantal (she did all the buying, I did none!) and then it was time for dueling pianos at The Big Bang with King, Annie, Chantal, and Jeff.  

I flew home on Saturday morning, and thankfully that flight was smooth as could be.  If it wasn't, I was going to seriously consider Greyhound for my next trip.